I recently was gifted a necklace by my parents, and this piece belonged to my paternal grandmother. It is over 100 years old and very precious to me. I want to wear it 24/7 but my mother advised me to take it to a "good" jeweler to check to see if the chain was sturdy enough for constant wear, and to double-check the clasp to ensure it was strong. Makes sense.
I enquired with my closest friend who's lived in Van since the 70's, and she immediately referred me to Martin Smith. She said he's the only person she entrusted to appraise her deceased mom's jewelry and to repair and clean her cherished rings and pendants. I subsequently found out a very established neighbor of mine also knows Martin well and she, too, would only take her jewelry pieces to him for care. Seems all the ladies I know who have "important" pieces trust Martin. That's good enough for me!
I made an appointment with Martin online and visited the store earlier today. First, I must say, this block on W. 57th St. is so cute, with cafe's and cute shops. I also appreciated all the free street parking here, on both sides of the street. Such a refreshing change.
The shop is small but packed with gorgeous displays of sparking jewelry pieces. There is a workshop on the premises, so I presume the jewelry is created on site. There was quite a wide range of styles of pieces here, and lots of gem stones and lots of diamonds. Many were "lab grown" diamonds (which I appreciated). I was impressed with the quality of the artistry.
There also were some high-end household accessories at the front of the shop (i.e., some pottery pieces, service wear, stemware, soaps and candles, etc.). Despite these items, I'd estimate that 90% of the shop is devoted to jewelry.
Martin was so personable and friendly, and he clearly knows "his stuff", as my mother would say (lol!). He checked my necklace with some sort of monocle and assured me that the chain and the clasp were sturdy and good to go. He tightened one link and I asked him, what do I owe him, and he said nothing, he was happy to help out. Just...wow.
I can't speak highly enough of my experience here. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this shop for anyone's high quality jewelry needs. read more