This is the best diamond buying experience you can have. Period. Buying an engagement is just about the most stressful and overwhelming thing a guy can do. Fortunately, Rick and his team at Uptown Diamond are the antidote to that. They were incredibly friendly, helpful, and never tried to push me over my budget. I don't think they even know how to make a client feel uncomfortable. Other jewelers around Houston are pushy and take full advantage of a lack of diamond education (I'm not making this up, I actually experienced it). Rick, on the other hand, insists you know what you're doing and what you're getting. He wrote the book on buying diamonds. (Literally wrote a book. He gave me a copy). My first meeting at Uptown, Rick sat me down in his office and gave me a thorough diamond education as well as an overview of his business so I knew exactly who I was dealing with. He even gave me advice for when I went and looked at diamonds elsewhere, because I'm not above saving a few bucks and maximizing my options. I told him on several occasions that I was going to look at another stone, what it was advertised as (exactly what I wanted), and what they said it would cost (was always an "incredible find"). He politely informed me that what "they" advertised was impossible and that the stone would in fact turn out looking "like a bomb went off inside". As you probably guessed, yes, he was right. After several disappointing trips elsewhere, wasted gas, and realizing how dishonest so many other jewelers can be, I admitted to myself that Rick was way better at this diamond thing than me and just stuck with him. So when I tell you that it's probably pointless to try and chase down "deals" at other places while still getting that perfect stone, you'll believe me because I've already tried it. Just stick with Uptown Diamond and save your energy for planning the proposal. I worked with Lindsey (she was great, friendly, and incredibly helpful) on the design of the ring, which I got to see before it was ever made as a detailed 3D model so I could make changes. Which I did. Because they use 3D printers to create the molds to cast the rings, I was able to design a custom halo ring with a little something special tucked up in between the prongs beneath the halo. Just for her. Thanks to Uptown, I know that the ring I gave my now fiance is truly one of a kind...just like her. It gets even better, because Uptown Diamond does everything in house. Full lifetime maintenance (cleaning, resizing, re-plating, replacing little halo stones that fall out, etc...) is at no extra cost. Your ring never leaves the store and any work can be done far more quickly than anywhere else. Rick also offers interest free financing for a year. So those of you out there (including me) for whom the thought of dropping that kind of money all at once causes your heart to skip a beat, you can breath more easily. Overall, I found Rick and his team at Uptown Diamond to be honest, trustworthy, and just flat out great. You quite frankly will NOT find a better place in Houston (maybe even the country) to get an engagement ring. I've already recommended him to several of my friends thinking about taking the plunge. We will be returning to Uptown Diamond for our wedding bands for sure. And yes, the ring came out perfect. It's stunning. All her friends are jealous, and even strangers have been complimenting her on it. I'm beyond 100% satisfied. If you're still reading this, stop, and head to Uptown Diamond. You'll be glad you did. read more

Rick & his team crafted a beautiful custom wedding band for me. I'm guessing that this was probably a "smaller" job for Uptown Diamond (less than 2K), but they made me feel like a million-dollar client the whole way! They really take pride in what they do there, no matter the size or price tag. I contacted Rick through the website and sent him pictures and information of the ring I had in mind. He made time to speak with me on the phone and explain the process, and quickly sent me some "3D" images of a design. It was not what I wanted, so I continued to shop around. I found that prices I was quoted were comparable to the competitors -- and that Uptown Diamond offers a lot more. (Others did not offer 3D artwork until it was paid in full!) Rick contacted me again a few weeks later after I didn't respond to the images he had sent over. I gave him a call and let him know what he sent was not what I wanted. He invited me to come to into the office so that he could understand better what I was looking for. When I arrived, he was friendly and personable. He showed me all of the equipment used throughout the process and introduced the employees. He made sure that he and the design artist understood what I wanted, and promised new artwork would arrive via email quickly. The artwork arrived as promised -- and it was perfect! He gave me different options as I requested (1/2, 3/4, or full band) with clear pricing. I went with the full band -- duh. Other jewelers were not willing to go ALL the way around, but Uptown Diamond made it happen. Rick offered to cast a wax mold from a 3D printer (I think?) so that I could see it before it went to production. (other jewelers do not offer this!) After I gave the OK on the wax mold, the finished product was ready about a week later. I had left months of turn-around time before the big day -- but they were incredibly fast! The ring is more beautiful than I imagined. My fiance and I, along with our parents, are very impressed. I am so glad Rick followed up after I decided to shop around. It was such a pleasure working with him and the staff at Uptown Diamond. I hope to be back very soon for a duplicate of this ring to sandwich my engagement ring! Note: Parking for Sage Plaza can be tricky, and the garage was under construction during my visits (I think due to the floods). There are some short-term spots in front of the building if you can snag one (I couldn't). Otherwise there is (free) 2-hour visitor parking on the ground or 2nd floor (right when you drive in) of the garage which you have to enter from Sage. When I parked on the 2nd floor, someone in a golf cart offered to give me a ride because the elevators weren't working! I declined, but it was first class all the way. Super impressed!! read more

I purchased an engagement ring from Uptown Diamond, and the entire experience was great. I originally heard about Uptown Diamond through a friend's Instagram post thanking Rick and Uptown Diamond for helping her fiance design her engagement ring. I looked at the Yelp reviews and Uptown Diamond's website and was convinced I needed to meet with Rick first, before visiting any chain jewelry stores or other diamond stores, and I'm so glad I did. After my first meeting with Rick, I knew I had made the right decision and didn't need to talk to anybody else. I met with Rick in person a total of three times, exchanged several emails, and had several phone conversations with him during the entire process. At our first meeting, we discussed in detail what my (now) fiance wanted in an engagement ring, outlined a few key design features, and Rick told me about his process for designing and creating a setting and selecting a diamond. Rick and his team created a CAD drawing of the setting based on our first discussion and sent it to me for feedback. After making a slight tweak, Rick and his team made a wax cutting of the setting and selected and cut the diamond based on the approved CAD design. I then met with Rick a second time to look at the wax cutting and diamond; Rick told me if I wanted any changes to the setting or wasn't happy with the diamond, he would make any necessary changes. Both were just as we had discussed and I had hoped, so I gave my approval to move forward with making the ring. At our third meeting, Rick had the final product ready for review and approval. Again he told me if anything wasn't as I had hoped, he would make any necessary changes, but, again, everything was perfect. After final approval, Rick reviewed the details of the ring and diamond with me, and provided information on insurance, care, annual cleaning/service by Uptown Diamond, etc. My fiance LOVED the ring!! We will definitely be going back to Uptown Diamond in a few months for our wedding bands. I'm so glad that I went to Uptown Diamond first. I would recommend Uptown Diamond to anyone looking to purchase an engagement ring and avoid the hassle and frustration of dealing with chain stores and commissioned salespeople. Rick never pressured me to go for a bigger or more expensive diamond, as I've heard often happens in the chain store, but actually went so far as to advise me to pick a slightly smaller diamond that was nearly identical to the naked eye as the larger diamond, but just enough smaller to put it in a lower price range. I'm certain this would never happen at one of the chain stores. Thanks, Rick and Uptown Diamond, for a great engagement ring buying experience!! read more

This place is seriously unbeatable. Why? There are many reasons, but let me just tell you the two most important. 1. Their People. The staff that Rick has formed around him at Uptown Diamond feel like a family that is ready to welcome you into their circle the moment you walk in. *Mark my words.* Upon deciding to visit them, you will think back to this post I wrote and say to yourself "man, that yelp review was spot on." They treat you with respect; they teach you ins and outs of the 4Cs; they inform you what you should be aware of from the diamond buying perspective and the tricks that most diamond sellers use; they are honest; they are hard-working; and most of all, they are SINCERE. They will not let you down. 2. Their Stones. I am a geologist by background, and although I work in the oil industry, I made diamonds my passion for 6 months leading up to the big day of popping the question. Not to sound cocky, but I am probably in the upper tier of customers as far as my knowledge when it comes to diamonds. Ultimately, I'm a total pain in the ass for anyone trying to sell me on diamonds because I see flaws before I see beauty. That was true until I walked into Uptown Diamond. I was blown away the first time I saw the stones there. I knew after just the first three stones they brought out that this place's inventory was the real deal. Unlike my previous 10-15 different store/broker/merchant experiences, these diamonds truly spoke to me. Between their people and their stones, this place had my business after one meeting - and that is definitely saying something!! I worked with Lindsey Schultz to design my ring. She is brilliant and will always give you her 100% honest opinion. That can't be found elsewhere, as other diamond sellers will say whatever it will take to get you to pull the trigger sooner than later on a stone that is more costly than not. Lindsey's taste and her ability to appreciate the requirements, desires, and asks of the customer are just a couple of the qualities that made her the most qualified and trusted consultant that I have worked with throughout my long journey of engagement ring shopping. P.S. I created a yelp account with the sole reason of being able to write this post. After all that they have done for me and my [now] fiancé, I feel the least I can do is to share my experience working with the staff at Uptown Diamond. I am confident that if you visit them, you too will soon be writing a 5-star review of your own. Thank you Lindsey & Uptown Diamond for everything!! read more

Grayland and the Uptown Diamond team really got me out of a huge pickle and I couldn't be more thankful. I had spent an exorbitant amount of time researching and reading about diamonds and the perfect ring for my fiance. I had gone to a multitude of different vendors and jewelers around the city to get an idea and I thought I was set when I arrived at Diamond Cutters International actually after working with Fred. I was so close to signing the dotted line for a ring there that the pen was in my hand when I hesitated and eventually got out. This isn't the place to complain about another company, but let's just say there were way too many sales techniques and pressure pushed on at the last moment that made me say no and get out. When I got out I had no idea what I had just done because I had very limited time to make a purchase. As I was still in the lobby of Diamond Cutters I realized there was one last place I needed to try: Uptown Diamond. The guys at Uptown mostly all came from DCI and they came with good reason after having experiencing the oddness only an hour earlier. Needless to say, I was able to secure a meeting with Grayland very easily and I was treated significantly better from the time I called to the time I left. Everyone there is easy to talk to and you don't get a strange vibe like I had previously experienced. Grayland and I were able to make a custom design I wanted based on another I had seen at a significantly better price. The amount of knowledge they have about diamonds is impressive and it will shatter your perception of any other jeweler you visit while ring shopping. Zadoks, Blue Nile, Robbins Brothers, you name it, they'll beat it easily and point out all their flaws which you can easily identify for yourself. I'll be honest. At the time of this purchase I am in my 20's and can only afford so much. Uptown will work with your budget and make sure you get the best bang for your buck. Sure I can get a 2ct round diamond at Jareds or Robbins Brothers just down the street, but I'll be sure that it won't have anywhere remotely the same cut and quality of Uptown. Ask yourself, do you want quality, or do you just want the biggest rock you can find regardless of how it looks? Long story short: There's no reason to go to any other shop because Uptown will beat it with quality. I already did that and it was very wasteful. Save yourself the time and trouble. Thanks again Grayland and the Uptown Diamond team for an easy process and a job well done! read more

Another EXTREMELY satisfied customer of an Uptown Diamond engagement ring! From start to finish, Rick and his crew have been phenomenal to work with. I am truly appreciative of Rick's sales approach and his transparency. Rick is extremely personable, honest, and transparent. My first meeting with Rick consisted of Diamond education and determining what my objective was. Once those were achieved, he proceeded to show me options and what I should be looking for. Rick never once pressured me into anything that wasn't right for me throughout the whole process. Something that I greatly appreciate, especially in comparison to the big name stores. I had photos of a ring that I liked and Rick said he'll get artwork out to me in the next few days for my evaluation. As promised, artwork showed up in about 2 days. A few days later Rick had me come in to take a look at the wax they cut from the artwork I approved. We went over the different options until I found something I like and to agree on the final design. Having a physical model to look at was a revelation! I'm new to this process of buying custom jewelry, so that was very fascinating to me. Again, not an ounce of pressure was placed on me to commit or finalize anything. Once we wrapped up, Rick said he'll give me a call once it's all done and we'll go from there. About a week later, I got a call from Rick that my ring was ready. Yet another pleasant surprise. I came by and the ring was spectacular. It was exactly as I envisioned and the crew couldn't have done a better job. Job done! Now here's the kicker. After I returned from my proposal trip, I followed up with Rick to tell him that I was able to increase my budget for the center stone and that I am contemplating on an even larger stone. To my surprise and amazement, Rick refused to let me spend more money! He said I'd be spending more needlessly and that the difference would be insignificant if I wasn't looking to invest!!! Of course that was music to my ears, but I was genuinely blown away. I've recommended Uptown Diamond to two of my friends and both are now satisfied customers as well! Overall, you'd be doing yourself a huge disservice if you don't at least give Uptown Diamond a visit or a call. You have nothing to lose, but everything to gain! Don't take my word for it, try it yourself! read more

If you need a ring that your loved one will love, you need to see Rick at Uptown Diamond in Houston! Let me explain. I have been looking for the right wedding ring for my wife for over two years to replace the one that was stolen from us. While we found several that we liked there was always something that caused us not to buy, mainly cost for the size and quality of the ring and stones, which lacked the appeal for us. Frustrated I decided that I was going to design my wife's ring so that she would get everything that she wanted and I could incorporate some symbolic tones within the design With the design in hand, I first went to Zales, who took about two weeks just to talk to me, said they would make the ring but I had to pay everything up front, and once again I wasn't to happy with the stones they were showing me. But what do I know, I figured the Leo diamond was as good as it got. Boy was I wrong. While waiting for art work from them my brother told me about Uptown Diamond and the ring that he got for his wife and how the stone sparkled all the time not just in the case with all the lights on it. i emailed Rick and the next day I got a call from Rick himself. We talked about the ring and what I wanted. He got me a computerized rendering of the ring in about a week and it was gorgeous. I was still worried about cost for the quality of stone. When I explained this to Rick he assured me that he would find me a stone that I would love. More importantly, my wife would love. Now when I talk about cost I don't want you to think that I'm being cheap. It's just that if I'm gonna pay several thousand dollars of a stone I want it to look like what it cost. When I sat down with Rick to see the rock that he got for my wife's ring he was right. I loved it. The damn thing sparkled in the dark! The best part of the whole process was that he didn't try to take over the project like the other company wanted to by trying to change my design to make it easier for them. Rick patiently worked with me to give me and my wife EXACTLY what we wanted. When I walked out of Rick's office I was completely satisfied with Uptown Diamond, all the people, the quality work, and the quality of the products. I'm already working with Rick on another ring! If you need a high quality, gorgeous ring, go see Rick! read more

Where do I begin with these guys? From the moment I first called to set up an appointment to meet with a diamond expert, I was treated with nothing but professionalism. I met with Rick Antona as my advisor and could have not felt more comfortable with the process. Rick made the diamond buying process a very easy one. From the moment I sat down with him in his office to moment I picked up the ring, the communication and customer service was second to none. Rick and his team are truly experts in the field. DO NOT waste your time at a high end jewelry store. Rick and his team run circles around them. Uptown Diamond has gained yet another client for life. A little more about the diamond buying experience. I met with Rick in person after setting up an appointment that worked with my busy schedule. Rick and I exchanged several emails prior to meeting in person. Rick sent me a digital copy of a publication on how to buy a diamond to help educate me prior to meeting him. The book was easy to follow and was able to answer a lot of my questions. We then met for the first time at his office in which he sat down and listened to what I wanted. Rick was very diligent in taking notes while we were talking. I showed him a ring design that I liked and what I wanted to do with it. Rick then sat down and pulled out a few loose diamonds to show me what he thought would look good with the ring design. After our first meeting Rick said that his team will get to designing the ring and send me a CAD rendering of the ring. I received a email about a week later with the ring I designed. Not only did it meet all my expectations, it exceeded them! In the email Rick said that he will have a 3D printed representation of the ring to come look at and approve. I sat up a time to meet with him again where he showed me the model with the loose diamonds in the center. The whole process was seamless. At no time did I feel pressured into buying something I did not want, or felt like I was being treated by a salesman. Rick is definitely an expert in this field. I approved the design and about five days later I picked up the ring! If you have any apprehensions about these guys, don't. They truly treat you like family and want to make the engagement memorable. Kuddos Uptown Diamond! read more

This is the only place anyone should ever get their jewelry from. Grayland stands behind his work, with honesty, integrity, knowledge, and a work ethic that is second to none. He does not take shortcuts in his work and will only create the highest quality work, and yet is competitively priced. My fiance proposed to me with his grandmother's family heirloom engagement ring. One of the side stones, a very unusual cognac heart shaped diamond, fell out one day. Before finding Uptown diamond I spent 5 months contacting people not only in Texas, but all over the USA including the diamond districts in NYC, and all over the world trying to find matching cognac heart stones to repair the ring. Everyone told me to just use a clear diamond, or a sapphire as it would be impossible to ever replace the side stones. We saw many people just trying to make a quick buck, trying to take the easy way out. No one cared that we were very sentimental and wanted to replicate the original ring. Just as we were about to give up, I discovered Uptown Diamond and Grayland. Grayland was honest about the difficulties in finding the diamond but was not going to give up. We were eventually able to get the diamonds custom cut and Grayland recreated our ring to our specifications, while making the ring structurally-sound so that we would not lose diamonds in the future. Again, since we are sentimental and wanted to preserve as much of the old wedding band in the repaired one, he even used the original platinum. We just picked up our ring this week and it turned out even more beautiful than the original! Given his honesty and unparalleled knowledge of diamonds and jewelry, we decided to get our wedding bands from him as well. He explained what eternity wedding band styles I can wear with my engagement ring and which ones would lead to cracked stones in the wedding band. Even though he would have made more money by making one of the ring styles that would easily chip, he was honest and told me he would not feel comfortable making me that ring as I would ruin the wedding band. Before finding Uptown Diamond, I saw how everyone else in the diamond and jewelry world was very sneaky, dishonest, and just trying to make some money with no transparency. I am a loyal customer of Graylands for life. read more

Before I found Uptown Diamond I visited several places big and small. I was all set to purchase an engagement ring from another company but was not feeling good about the people I were dealing with and felt as if I was getting hustled. I was telling a coworker of my dilemma of not feeling comfortable with who I was about to make this life changing major purchase from. My coworker recommended before I decide to purchase anything speak to a friend of his, Rick at Uptown Diamond, Best recommendation ever!!! From the moment I contacted Rick at Uptown Diamond he was amazing. In my first meeting with Rick he educated me on what makes Uptown stand out from other jewelers. I left that first meeting feeling great, I was excited, I left the building feeling more empowered and knowledgeable about diamonds than ever before. What really stood out was how passionate Rick was about his work, he was just as excited as I was about the ring, you can tell he really loves what he does. Without a doubt I knew this would be the place to get the engagement ring from. RIck was amazing I printed a picture of a ring style I liked from one of the big retailers and I told him this is what I want the ring to look like. And I can say Uptown Diamond did a wonderful job of creating this ring for me, It was exactly what I wanted. They also were very flexible working with my budget, they allowed me to make payments until I reached my goal of the amount I wanted to spend. Even when I was laid off and between jobs for a couple of months. RIck and Uptown Diamond allowed me the flexibility to make payments whenever I could until I got on my feet. After finding a new job and making a few more payments, I reached my goal and I told Rick when I planned on proposing which was a month away and He said would have the ring ready a few days before. The ring was beautiful, my fiance loves it, The way it shines in the light is awesome. and she receives compliments constantly from people. Uptown Diamond is a trustworthy company, they do quality work and with guys like Rick there you cant go wrong. They have a forever customer in me and I will be back. read more

If there were a 6 star rating for Rick I'd give it. I have 3 Rick Antona stories. First Story: back in the spring of 2015 I was in the market for an engagement ring. I shopped at all the big name jewelers and upscale places in Houston. It was a harrowing experience and I was dismayed by the sales pressure tactics (as well as relatively unimpressed with the quality). One day I happened to notice a colleague's beautiful diamond earrings and she told me that she'd purchased them from Rick Antona at Uptown Diamond. I called Rick and he invited me and my fiancée in for a meeting. Prior to the meeting he sent me a diamond-buying guide and gave me some candid insights. When we sat down with him, he gave my fiancée a brilliant tutorial on the things that matter when buying a diamond. He cared enough to create educated consumers and made it clear that he wants to develop long-term relationships. So I decided on the diamond and then Rick's team was able to use some photos I provided of my fiancée's dream ring and replicate it exactly. It is absolutely stunning. Second story: about a month ago, I realized that I hadn't made any plans to buy the wedding band. Time just got away from me and I was very anxious about finding and buying the right band. So I called Rick and he assured me he'd be able to create whatever I wanted within a matter of weeks. Once again I gave him some pictures to work with and he delivered the perfect ring. On time and under budget. My wife loves her rings. Third Story: One of my best friends was recently in the market for an engagement ring. He and his then-girlfriend had admired the rings Rick's team made for us, and I told him not to even think of going anywhere else - just call Rick. He did and, not surprisingly, Rick delivered the perfect ring to him. I won't ever shop for diamonds anywhere else. The service, the quality, the experience...I'm a customer for life and urge you to check him out. read more

Rick and team helped my fiance custom-create my beautiful engagement ring! It is so unique and beautiful, and he said the service was amazing. They worked with him to craft this super tiny halo that sort of peeks out from under the large stone - I've never seen anything like it. It's more elegant (in my opinion) than the traditional halo, and it makes the whole ring sparkle like woah. We went back to have our wedding bands made, and here's what I have to say: 1) Process: The process of designing the jewelry, and seeing your vision come to life, is so much fun. We talked through my thoughts, and then they send me a cad drawing for approval or edits. Then I got to see a little mold of it before it was made into gold, which was awesome. When the ring came in, I had some doubts at first, and they said they would make the minor adjustments I wanted for free. But, when I brought it home and test drove the ring, it was just so perfect, I kept it as is. They were communicative and so fun to work with the whole time. 2) Price: Before purchasing at UD, I found a pre-made wedding band I loved in another store, and wrote down how much it would cost. The band I designed at Uptown Diamond had larger diamonds w/ a higher total carat, and more gold - and was 25% less than the cost of the pre-made ring I liked. I don't know why you pay more for something everyone has, but I would much rather save a dollar and get something unique! 3) People: Everybody is just so nice. The girl who works at the front desk is just a complete sweetheart - I love talking to her every time I go in. We had a friend who was preparing to propose, and he used UD as well - their ring is the second most beautiful engagement ring I've ever seen :) read more

I am not a man who writes reviews...ESPECIALLY ON YELP. But in this case, I felt the need to share my experience. I was wanting to have a custom ring made for my 13 years of recovery in AA. It would be a ring that could be a daily reminder of the struggle I had in my past and the daily work I have to put in to keep the blessing that I have. I went in with my girlfriend(now fiancée) and met with Rick. We explained to him how important this ring was and gave him a picture of what we had in mind. He was MOST HELPFUL with what he thought would work and be best suited for me. I asked him if 14k gold was needed and he said NO that 10k would be appropriate. I asked about a diamond to be put in it and he said that would be a bit overstated. Mind you, this is a salesman would could have "taken me to the bank" and he did just the opposite. He sold me a ring that I am overjoyed with that was 100% AFFORDABLE! The service aspect was outstanding to say the least. He communicated with both my girlfriend (now fiancée) and myself throughout the whole process about anything and answered our emails in a timely manner. If you have any jewelry needs, go see Rick. He gave us A1 service and I did not come close to spending the amount of money that his regular clients do. After that experience, I had a custom made engagement ring made for my fiancée by Rick. I have had a necklace done by Rick. Now I am working on another piece of jewelry with him as I write this review. I know I am not a huge money maker for him but he treats my fiancée and me like we are. Thank you Rick and Uptown Diamond. Customer service matters here. read more

Thank you, Rick, for executing the idea of our ideal engagement ring! Thank you for listening to the small details of what we wanted such as incorporating my fiancé's sapphire birthstone at the base of the prongs so it is eye catching from the side view, and the unique use of the infinity symbol on the band. We wanted something pretty traditional (we are in our forties, so I still like the traditional solitaire) yet unique. The whole process in working with Rick and the rest of the team at Uptown Diamond was a fantastic experience! Rick sent multiple pictures from different angles of the sample artwork via email. It was nice to "see" a couple of variations of a potential ring before it was made so we would be completely satisfied. Thank you for offing an additional unique option of making a wax mock up as well, so it could really be seen before the final product was executed. Unlike walking into a traditional jewelry store, seeing something you REALLY like, and then being let down once you find out it is out of your price range, in working with Uptown Diamond that is eliminated. Due to the process of creating the original designs, they are tailored for your specific budget, so we did not fall in love with something we then had to try and decide if we wanted to spend the extra money. Rick is HONEST, knowledgeable, timely, accommodating, and friendly. We believe my ring is stunning and i have received many compliments on the design. I never hesitate to tell them who made it, and tell them how easy it was to work with Uptown Diamond even though I don't live in the great state of TEXAS. read more

For reference, I'm 29 and designed and purchased an engagement ring with Uptown Diamond. I visited Tiffany's, Zales, and a dozen other jewelry dealers in Houston before a friend put me in touch with Rick. All of them left me feeling like I would have to drastically compromise my budget or ring quality. Working with Updown Diamond was exactly what buying an engagement ring should be. First and foremost, I felt like I was Rick's most important client. For context, he's designed and built rings for Super Bowl, NBA, and NCAA Champions, and at every step of the process I felt like my ring and my budget were his top priority. He understands the stress and excitement of making such a meaningful purchase, and treats you in a way that lets you know you're making good, thoughtful decisions about your diamond. My fiancé and I met with him multiple times, and again, every meeting felt like it was his most important meeting of the day. He stressed the importance of choosing a quality stone whose value will only go up, and from there walked us through choosing a center stone, choosing a setting, and making our final purchase. The final product came in right within our budget, and the same stone/setting - I checked - would've been thousands of dollars more at commercial retailers. I can't stress enough how much better I felt about buying an engagement ring after meeting Rick. I know I got an incredible value and the perfect ring. Everything moved very fast on his end, and I couldn't be happier with my purchase. Oh, and by the way, she said, "yes". read more

Best advice I ever received was to see Rick Antona at Uptown Diamonds. Rick is hands down the best!! Actually the whole staff is great but Rick just shows the love for his work. My first contact with Rick was through email. He was quick to respond to all my questions and asked if I would like to come in. At the time I was leaving to go on vacation and was unable to make an appointment for 2 weeks. So, I emailed him a picture of the ring that I wanted and set the appointment for the weekend I got back. During this time, Rick took my image and made a digital 3D version, detailing different views of the ring. After my approval, he then leveraged his 3D plotter to make a wax mold. The wax mold was not only super cool, it completed the ring making decision for me. It was beautiful, even if it was only a wax mold. Rick did all this within days! Once we met Rick in person we knew we were at the right place. During our visit Rick took the time to explain clarity, how a diamond is cut, pricing and how to make the most out of my investment. He took us on a tour of his site and we saw first hand how they create these amazing pieces. He has quite an impressive set up and a very courteous and professional staff. I received my new wedding ring a week ago and I could not be happier. We were lucky to have Rick as our guide on this journey. He made it a most pleasant experience. Save yourself the trouble of listening to other jewelry stores claims of 'custom is more expensive', go To Uptown Diamonds. Ask for Rick. read more

Rick and his team were outstanding. I am a recent college grad who needed an engagement ring to propose to my fiance and after looking at numerous locations for deals I found exactly what I was looking for at Uptown Diamond. To start, Rick sat me down and explained to me his business and what it looks like to find a good engagement ring. He went into detail about what makes a diamond quality and what kind of things to look for when purchasing a ring. I was really nervous about the moment when I would need to tell him my price range since I am working on a part-time salary and didn't have much to spend. He showed me that he and his team can work with you at any price range. Together we made a ring that was simple yet beautiful for my fiance and I have had numerous people tell me that I did a great job picking out the perfect ring for her. I really would not have that perfect ring if it was not for Rick Antona and his team. I believe that Rick Antona and Uptown Diamond are extremely passionate about their line of work. They love what they do and care that you have a great experience from start to finish. I went through the design, ordering, and resizing process and felt like they had my best interest in mind the whole time. The biggest reason I recommend Uptown Diamond is the relationship you form with them. They are highly invested in you as a person and form a relationship with you through the process. I will definitely be referring my friends to Uptown Diamond in the future. read more

I don't know where to start and how I can describe my experience with Lindsey at Uptown Diamond. The picture of my fiancé, Kitt, and I should show how amazing she made our special day but a quick summary... I got introduced to Lindsey via Kitt, my fiance, and her friends and knew that Kitt was a big fan of her jewelry and taste. So when it came time to propose, I had a couple of options/thoughts but started with Lindsey. Needless to say it was the best decision I have made! We had to complete the whole process remotely as I live in NY and she is in Houston but it was so smooth from my end because she literally took care of everything. We got on a quick call to go over the ring options and designs to get the "process" started. She then sent me stunning diamonds and designs and I picked THE ONE. From there i didn't have to worry about a thing: we had a very limited time window (7 days) since I wanted to propose on Christmas and she made everything happen on time: design, making, coordinating shipment, everything without me being involved at all. By the the time we got to Kitt's parents home in Charleston, the ring was waiting for me on time. The rest is history and I cannot describe how many people were just stunned by the ring. Kitt gets compliments every day! Highly recommend the talented, always-smiling Lindsey! read more

If you are in search for good quality jewelry Uptown Diamond is your place! I was introduced to Rick Antona by a mutual friend years ago. I was recommended to him to do some upgrades to my wife's first wedding ring, which she was not overjoyed about. After Rick and his professional team were done with my wife's ring, it looked AMAZING!! I could not believe it was the same diamond and ring that I had purchased years ago. Without hesitation, I visited Uptown Diamond to get my wife a pair of diamond studs for her birthday. Rick was very helpful and upfront with what I was able to afford and he made sure I scored BIG with my wife. After all these great experiences at Uptown Diamond, I had to introduce Rick to a friend of mine who happens to be a professional MLB player. He was in search for some quality jewelry for him and his lady. Of course, I had to take him to the best place in Houston. Rick was able to provide him with all the information and details necessary. He worked the design phase from start to finish. Like always, Uptown Diamond did not disappoint with the final results. Rick, Grayland and the entire team from Uptown Diamond are top-notch jewelers in Houston and Texas period! Stop by and see them and you will be writing the next positive review on Yelp, that's a promise! read more