Sands Company Jewelers

I have been going to Sands for years now. My husband and I had my wedding rings made there and they spent countless hours talking to us about the different diamonds, what to look for and working with us to make sure they came out exactly as I wanted them to. I also had my great grandmother and great aunt’s wedding stones set into a custom made pendant they created from a sketch that I drew. Their attention to detail is exceptional and they are very willing to take the time to make sure that your jewelry is created to your satisfaction and is properly maintained.

Our family has been going to Sands for years. My husband had a stone set for my engagement ring and it turned out great. We bought our wedding bands there. They gave us great advice on what to buy and what to not buy. My husband returned to get me diamond earrings for our 5 year anniversary. I’ve sent many friends there as well to have necklaces made, repairs, resettings etc. Trustworthy and not cliché salesy. Thanks Steve and staff!

GUYS, LOOKING FOR AN ENGAGEMENT RING? Never heard of the 4C’s or a loop (or the big chain store sales rep you’re talking to doesn’t either)? This review is for you!
HINT: The 4C’s are used to figure out the value of the glittery rock you’re about to buy and using the LOOP keeps you from getting ripped off! Read on…
Like most guys, all I ever knew about diamonds was 1) women love them, 2) they’re expensive, and 3) you’re supposed to get one before asking that one woman of a lifetime for her hand in matrimony. Most anything else us guys know about them comes off those cheesie mall store commercials you see played on TV especially ad nauseum around Christmas, Valentine’s Day, and Mother’s Day!
Take me for example: clueless about diamonds. I had «mall-​shopped» Kay, Zales, and another jeweler at the mall like any other clueless Joe. In fact, I had already picked a shiny ring at one of those polished mall chain-​jewelers but decided to push away from the counter and left the mall to really think it through. Feeling reassured about the diamond and the big «M» word, I was in the car on my way back to the mall to make the big purchase.
As I sat in the rain waiting for the traffic light, I stared at the Sands Jewelers sign thinking to myself, oh that place must only be for pretentious people who already have tens of thousands of dollars in jewelry and they already know what they want. Besides, this would be jewelry store #4 for me. But as the light turned green I thought, what the hell… the mall is open for another two hours… what can it hurt to see what jeweler #4 can offer.
Wow.
First off, owner Steve Kozlowski handled me with kid gloves from the moment I stepped into his store. I sheepishly explained where I already was in the diamond-​buying process and that I had no clue what to look or ask for. Without any pressure, Steve sat me down and pulled out a couple of textbooks and diagrams and showed me the 4C’s of diamonds — the standards used by all jewelers. He brought out loose diamonds to show me differences not only in size (CARAT), but what to look for in CUT, CLARITY, and COLOR (the 4C’s!). And guys it’s true! SIZE isn’t the only thing that matters! You can have a huge rock but lack in the other 3 C’s which really has an effect on the glitter (and value) of the stone.
Steve showed me how simple it is to use a loop — yes, that one-​eyed monocular lens you see all the jewelers use. With it you can see all the imperfections like chips and dirt embedded inside (CLARITY), how perfectly light glitters from all angles (CUT), and the closeness to glass-​like transparency the stone’s hue is (COLOR).
HINT: Guys, a huge stone (large # of carats) will NEVER glitter nor present as spectacularly as a smaller diamond with better cut, color, and clarity.
All the while Steve reassured me that he wasn’t trying to steal me away from the mall store. His aim was only to educate regardless of who I ended up giving my business to. In fact, he put me to the challenge to go back to that mall store now as a buyer well-​armed with information.
And so I did.
First off the sales rep back at the big chain-​jeweler didn’t immediately recognize what I was asking for (a loop). She then dug through a couple of drawers, finally scraping one out from underneath a bunch of stored clutter. I definitely got the impression that customers and sales reps alike at these big-​chain jewelers rarely to never use loops.
As for the diamond I had previously picked out in the bright lights at said big chain jeweler? For the money asked, IT WAS CRAP! Using a loop I could now see the large number of imperfections (inferior CLARITY) and yellow hue (inferior COLOR). And most importantly, the glitter was all wrong — spotty and only from one direction (indicating inferior CUT). NONE OF THIS could be seen with the naked eye especially as these stores pump huge amounts of lights from multiple angles to make up for their inferior gems with lackluster glitter. Probably why they don’t volunteer loops at these places.
Suffice it to say, I cancelled my big chain-​jeweler transaction and returned to Steve at Sands Jewelers. Over the next week we worked together to carefully choose the perfect diamond for my honey — one that people to this day still compliment her on. We then worked together on designing the engagement and wedding rings that would snap together, complete with custom mount personally designed with his & her birthstones, diamond chips, and inscription. All this for a better price and craftsmanship you can’t get at the chain jewelers.
As for my wife’s diamond? It’s gorgeous. Its brilliance glitters most spectacularly in low, dim light even from across the room. I had chosen a smaller CARAT rock but one with excellent CUT, near perfect CLARITY and high-​grade COLOR. A great value, experience, and most importantly my wife loves it.
I trust Steve, his wife, and the staff at Sands for all our jewelery needs!