K C Jewelry Designs

Recommends

kbiebesh

Joined 4 years ago

Best of LA's Jewelry District: ELI'S JEWELRY. Eli's Jewelry

607 S. Hill St., Suite #200

Los Angeles, CA 90014

(213) 623-1611

For years, people had told me that the Jewelry District of LA is the place to go for the value-conscious consumer looking for a good deal. But with literally thousands of jewelry shops crammed into those few streets, where exactly does one go? I asked a number of friends and colleagues familiar with the Jewelry District this very question. They all mentioned one name: Eli's Jewelry.

Situated off the beaten track on the second floor of the California Jewelry Mart, Eli's is a clean, elegant shop with counters and counters of beautifully hand crafted jewelry. But what makes Eli's special (especially compared to any jewelry store you'll find at the mall) is the service. Eli's is a family run store that's been in business for thrirty years. Now in the hands of sons Eli Jr. and Raffi, you'll find their advice trustworthy and helpful. I entered their store knowing nothing about diamonds; and they soon fixed this, but without making me feel stupid. More than anything, I appreciated the total absence of sales pressure at Eli's. When I began to settle on a particular diamond, they told me to "sleep on it." "Don't rush this decision," they cautioned. When I narrowed my search down to two stones, they made no attempt to press me into selecting the more costly one. I couldn't believe it. In the end, they offered me a beautiful stone that was everything I needed it to be (and nothing I didn't need), and they gave it to me for an excellent, excellent price.

In conclusion, my ring turned out great, my girlfriend (er, fiance) absolutely loves it, and I will happily go back to Eli's for my future jewelry needs. If you're considering taking advantage of the wholesale prices of the Jewelry District, make sure you visit Eli's.

Doesn't Recommend

Megan0323

Joined 4 years ago

Elias Jewelry - sloppy and deceitful. My fiance and I were very excited to go to the jewelry district to get a matching wedding band for my engagement ring. They told me they would make me an exact replica of my engagement ring and quoted me a price of $700. They also said they would re-size my engagement ring. When we went back the first time to pick up the rings, the engagement ring had been sized 1/2 size in the WRONG direction (it was supposed to go from a 5.5 to a 5.25, and they sized it to a 6). The 'exact replica' wedding band looked nothing like my engagement ring's band, it lacked milgrain and an entire row of pave diamonds, it was poorly crafted, and it was a sized at a 5.75. After re-discussing what I wanted for the wedding band, they said they would remake the ring, which i thought was very nice, and size the engagement band to 5.25. When I went to pick up the rings for the second time, the engagement band was sized wrong - to a 5.75, and the wedding band was (again) not an exact match to the engagement ring. There was still no milgrain on the band, and when I pointed this out the owner rushed downstairs and slapped on some milgrain to the band. When he came back upstairs the ring looked sloppy, unfinished, and the milgrain didn't even go the whole way around the ring. And, the band was about twice the size of my engagement band. I told him that I was unhappy with the ring, and did not want to purchase it, at which point he started screaming at me, calling me very rude names, and suggested that I pay for 1/2 of the cost of the ring, even though I was not taking it home with me. After 5 or 10 minutes of arguing, I did not have to pay for the ring he made for me. I now have to take my engagement ring to a jeweler who will re-size the ring to fit my finger, and pay for the damage that was caused by all of the unnecessary sizing that Elias did to my engagement ring. I could not be more disappointed with my experience there.

Recommends

estarz60

Joined 5 years ago

Josephs Fine Jewelry. The first time I went to the jewelry district I was bombarded with extremely pushy jewelers. Fortunately, Joseph and his wife Frida from Josephs Fine Jewelry are very welcoming. They were open to what I was looking for, and opened my eyes to even better options. I was able to find a beautiful diamond engagement ring with his help. I also liked how at Josephs Fine Jewelry they don't continually change their price. They start off with a low price and stick to it unlike the other jewelers that slash prices as your walking away. It's a very friendly, family-like atmosphere and they both kept me so comfortable throughout the entire buying process, even pointing out other options in certain circumstances. If they don't have what you are looking for, Joseph personally will create/find the item for you. I have been coming back to Joseph ever since my first visit and he's always happy to see me. Even if its just to say hello. Great service, great merchandise, and GREAT prices! Highly recommend you contact Joseph (213)622-6240.

Recommends

Brishette

Joined 5 years ago

Eli's Jewelry is the best!!. I wandered into Eli's with my fiance a few weeks ago looking for a setting for my engagement stone. Eli & Raffi were extremely helpful and thoughtful of my preferences in style. We left after finding one setting I liked a lot and continued to browse the district for a few hours. Eli's was one of our first stops and ended up being the last! We got much more ring for our money than I imagined we could!

The setting I loved above all the others was created by Raffi. He agreed to modify it to fit my tastes and to have it cast in platinum for my stone. The level of professionalism I experienced at Eli's was exceptional. I dropped off my stone to be set last Friday and was able to pick up the completed ring 2 hours later!

I have never seen a more gorgeous engagement ring!

Thanks to Raffi for his creative genius and to the rest of the family for their support and dedication to excellence! I'll be buying our bands in a few months from Eli's, too.

Recommends

jtb2001

Joined 5 years ago

Joseph Fine Jewelry!. We have been shopping LA jewelry for several years, and I would agree with the ten yr shopper (below) on the picks. One addition is Joseph Fine Jewelry: 650 S. Hill #G3. It is family run, very fair, and high quality. Of course, Joseph takes trade ins, and he will always find you a lower price in the mart, as he knows the other jewelers quite well. He does custom desings and repairs, so if you are looking for something spectacular take in a drawing- he can mold and design for you. (213) 622 6240.

I would steer clear of Shanaz, that store has been known to do shady business here and there. I have heard some good reviews, but some really bad ones as well, form other jewelers downtown. Wouldn't take the chance!

Good luck!

Recommends

djr123

Joined 5 years ago

Treated me like family!! Highly recommend Shanaz Jewelers!. My husband and I bought the diamond for my engagement ring here, and we are both thrilled with the ring, the experience, and the price!! I was looking for a specific cut and shape in a diamond. After looking at several other places, and seeing some nice stones, we came to Shanaz Jewelers. We were greeted very warmly, listened to, congratulated, and generally welcomed like we were family. When I told them what I was looking for and how much we wanted to spend, they brought out the most exquisite diamond we had seen anywhere - and it was GIA Certified. It was exactly what I wanted, and much higher quality than I had expected to find. We had done our research, and we were sure that it was going to be outside of our price range. We asked them to bring out a smaller stone for comparison, however they could tell this was the one we wanted, and it was clear that they wanted us to have the one we wanted. Much to our surprise, they made us a fabulous offer (that was within our range) that we couldn't refuse - and included the setting, too. We were surprised and delighted, and they were as trilled as we were to see the joy on our faces. They were very friendly and gave us lots of tips on how to care for the ring. Two years later, I am still thrilled, and I get compliments on my ring all the time. My husband was also very proud to get me this high of quality of a stone for our engagement. Guys and gals, if you are looking for a place that work with you to find exactly what you are looking for at a price you can afford, this is the place!

Recommends

stuttgartgirl

Joined 5 years ago

Advice from 10+ year Jewelry Buyer in the Los Angeles Jewelry District. I've been buying in the jewelry district for over 10 years! And it's a great place to go if you don't mind the urban downtown scene and hussle and bussle.

For diamonds rings and fine jewelry, I think there's no better place than Inta Gems & Diamonds at 631 S. Hill St. The family that operates the place are really nice. Service is always great. And they have a lot super cut GIA certified loose diamonds and engagement rings. I actually got my engagement ring and wedding band there. Really cool people and good prices. They have a lot of fine blue sapphires and rubies too.

I like to make my own jewelry, so one of the best places to go is Bella Findings at 607 S. Hill Street. They have a really good selection of gold-fill wire, beads and stuff. They're very inexpensive and you can find a lot of stuff for really good prices.

If you need a good appraiser, Charles Carmona at Guild Labratory at 550 S. Hill St. is great. He's a very reputable appraiser. Sometimes when you buy something expensive and want a second opinion. I think he's a good guy to go to. I've gotten a few appraisals from him when I just wanted to make sure I got what I paid for.

If you don't find what you need from my recommendations, there seems to be thousands of jewelers in the area. But, I think it's best to avoid jewelers that are pushy. If someone is trying to force you to buy something, I think it's best you find another jeweler. Some of the companies only deal with "wholesale," so don't expect the best service from some of these people.

Parking can be expensive, so best to park a few blocks away and walk to the district. District parking is $15-20 a day. If you park a few blocks away like on Hill between 8th & 9th, it'll cost about $5-10.

All in all, the jewelry district is a great place to buy jewelry. You'll get better prices and good quality than the mall... if you know where to go.

Recommends

Rumisgirl

Joined 5 years ago

GREAT EXPERIENCE AT SHANAZ JEWELRY. Shanaz Jewelry was helpful and friendly. I was looking for a cute wristwatch with diamonds on it that was within my budget. Shanaz Jewelry has a great selection on Aqua watches, and gave me a great deal on the watch as compared to some other places in Jewelry District. I was so happy, I have been telling all my friends about them. Soon, I will be shopping for my wedding ring at their store because they are friendly and give such great selection. I like the mother/daughter team very much and find them to be very professional. What a GREAT FIND.

Recommends

Cindy07

Joined 5 years ago

Thank You Shanaz Jewelry!!. I had a very positive experience shopping for my diamond eternity band at Shanaz Jewelry! They were friendly, helpful and very professional. My husband and I shopped around for hours in the jewelry district but we liked the diamond ring and the customer service at Shanaz Jewelry the best and we decided to purchase my ring from them. We had to have it ordered because the ring was one size too small. They promised me that I would have my ring in 10 business days and I got a call from them and they told me my ring was ready within the timeframe that they had promised ... I was very happy! I picked up my ring in my size that they ordered for me and it was perfect. Thank you Shanaz Jewelry for such excellent service!

Doesn't Recommend

swiftyLAdiner

Joined 5 years ago

Shanaz Jewelry Did it to Me too!!. I was reading the other reviews and was shocked! Shanaz Jewelry did the same to me!! We had ordered a gold band, and she gave us the wrong one (REALLY obviously incorrect). I tried to show her but she got very angry, and told me to leave. I had no idea what was going on or why I couldn't just get it replaced. I tried to call someone higher, but the guy at the counter hung up on me. I returned to plead it out with her and she told me I had no "case" and the law was on her side. I had NO idea what she was talking about since I had never mentioned a lawyer or anything. I just read her other reviews and realized she does this and that is why she brought up the courts. What a scammer!