Jewelry Exchange

After going to way too many jewelry stores looking for an engagement ring, I went to see Van. Instead of showing me a bunch of rings that he thought I might like, he asked me what my girlfriend liked. I showed him a picture of a vintage ring that she really liked and he offered to make one just like it. No other jeweler offered to customize a ring for me.
The ring only took 4 weeks to make, and it looked amazing. Van did a great job to recreate the vintage ring that my girlfriend liked most. I am not. jewelry person yet I found myself loving this ring. I am so thankful for Van’s abilities and expertise.

We had an appointment at the Jewelry Exchange in Burlington or Burlingame or wherever and the boyfriend thought it was this place in San Fransisco, so we went here. It was the wrong place which was a blessing. We showed up the Saturday before last and Van schooled us on clarity and quality and showed us a couple charts. We told him our budget and described that we wanted. He tried to sell us on a blinged out band which really was pretty but I’ve had my heart set on a princess cut solitaire for a few years now. I went with the simple band and we kept it within the budget AND I got what I had always wanted and of a much better quality than the place we would have went to, if we’d have went to the ‘right’ place. Thank you Van!

The Jewelry Exchange was the final jewelry store I visited after visiting almost a dozen over several weeks in pursuit of the perfect engagement ring for my now fiancé. By the time I had arrived, I knew exactly what I wanted in an engagement ring. The purpose of this visit was to get the best available price. In fact, I almost moved forward with another jeweler days before and only wanted to get confidence in the price the other jeweler had offered.
After entering the Jewelry Exchange, I was warmly greeted by Van. I was immediately drawn to his quiet confidence in the trade. While many jewelers subtly guided me to more expensive options, Van welcomed my precise requests and honored my budget. Van even taught me a bit more about diamonds and helped me refine the right balance between the 4Cs and my budget. I was impressed, immediately trusted him, and decided I would do business with him.
After I left the store, Van was incredibly communicative. He and I worked through some final outstanding details over email and phone. A few weeks later, I sent Van a check. One month after this, the ring was complete. The ring was completed exactly to specifications, and my fiancé absolutely loved it! I couldn’t recommend Van and his team any more highly.
We will be back for our wedding bands!

Van is the MAN!
My fiancé and I came in to get some expert advice and some diamond education from Van. My first impression of Van was that he was not pushy and very comedic. He had his son-​in-​law there Raffi who too was super friendly and not pushy. Love how they both shared their ring stories and pretty much are just like us who once looked for the perfect ring.
They did not try to upsell us or any of that sort… they just there to listen and give you what you want. with the budget you can afford. He taught me about the C’s and the EXCELLENCE =) Diamond hunting is not easy… as you would want the perrrrrfect one for your buck!
Van worked well with our budget with competitive pricing. There was a specific band I wanted. this that n this n that… he already knew what I was talking about. He didn’t have the band but assured us he knew what I wanted and will custom make it. I gave him two different pictures that I wanted into 1 ring…
He didn’t have the diamond I was looking for but reassured me he can find it. Now, of course anyone would feel etchy about trusting someone you just met to find you your diamond… but boy did he DELIVER. He found the best diamond for our budget. feels like our diamond should have cost more than what he priced it for.
I was a bit curious to when will he have the ring ready… little did I know my fiancé already had the ring… Van had already had it ready in time for Christmas Eve! So that my fiancé could propose to me on Christmas Eve!
I can’t stop looking at my ring.
We picked up the matching band. its gorgeous!
We plan to purchase my fiancé’s wedding band there. Trust is key. I’m sure other jewelers may market their rings less or what not… but so far Van has been the most affordable one we’ve seen and the only jeweler that we ended up trusting.
can’t wait till our 1 year anniversary for some new bling! =)

New Unilocal account, this is my first review. It’s regarding my awesome experience with The Jewelry Exchange Company I had over 7 years ago.
I was planning to propose to my girlfriend and had done my due diligence researching engagement rings. My sister recommended to go the the SF Jewelry Center to take advantage of wholesale prices. I visited the jewelers at the center and concluded that The Jewelry Exchange had the best prices and selection.
I already knew the type of look my gf wanted, a simple ring with a classic feel to it. I knew what type of cut she preferred, as well as certain details about the ring. Although I had a good idea of what she liked, she never held up a ring and told me, «This is what I want.» The sales lady (it’s been 7 years, I forgot her name), helped me through the process of designing the ring. Trust me there’s a lot more involved then just knowing the cut and what metal to choose. I really liked her suggestions, I felt like this was a one of a kind design meant just for her. The small details really do make a difference in a ring. When I returned to pick it up, it looked amazing!
Pricing
The Jewelry Exchange Company has competitive pricing. It was definitely lower than other jewelers that I visited. I briefly considered online purchasing as well. At the time the Blue Nile had similar or very slightly lower prices. But with a large purchase, it wasn’t worth the hassle to order it and possibly return it if I didn’t like the product. Besides, the creative input I received from the sales lady proved to be invaluable.
Customer Service
The staff is very friendly and helpful. I never felt pressured to buy from them. In fact they recommended to look at other jewelers. They really know what they’re doing in designing the ring.
Quality
As much research I have done about engagement rings, my eyes could never discern between the different categories of quality. My sister accompanied me when I selected the ring and she could attest that it was very good quality. Besides, it was a certified jewel so I knew what I was getting.
Thank you Jewelry Exchange, my wife absolutely loves the ring

My finance and I had such a wonderful experience. We educate ourself on what to look for when buying an engagement ring and we knew exactly what we wanted and how much we wanted to spend. The jeweler Van was very helpful and listen to us giving us the choices and time that we needed to find a great diamond the right setting at a good price. So in my opinion if you are looking to buy some jewelry stop by the Jewelry exchange and tell him Ariel said hello

Van and Raffi are wonderful. They helped my fiancé design a stunning engagement ring that I absolutely love. They were kind and accommodating when it needed to be resized. We just purchased our weddings rings from them and had another great experience in the store. They are knowledgable, friendly, and very professional. I highly recommend them!

Went in with an exact picture of what I wanted, and tried to talk me into something else, double the price of course. Telling me that what I was looking for wasn’t as good as what he wanted to sell me. Well of course for double the price.

First let me start out by saying I am a very indecisive shopper. Van at the jewelry exchange was SO patient with me. He took his time helping me figure out what I really wanted. His prices are affordable and he will put forth great effort to do anything to make his customers happy (even the ones that are nightmares, like myself LOL) I highly recommend using the jewelry exchange for your jewelry purchases!

Worked with Van and Raffi in purchasing a custom engagement ring for my fiancé. The experience was great. They were extremely patient with me as I had very specific requests and ideas for the ring. They gave a fair price and were just general pleasant to work with. Came back to them for our wedding bands and also a great experience. highly recommend them.

We were so please with the results or the engagement ring that we returned to have the engagement bands made in the same style.
Van personally consulted with and guided us on our design and made some great jewelry. We felt that we were receiving good value for what we wanted without a high pressure sale.
Thank you.

I checked out a bunch of stores in the building and the area. I came back to Van and Raffi. They take the time to explain options and rationale to you and work with you to understand what you are looking for. You never feel rushed and you always know you have all the information you need to make your decisions when you decide to make a decision. They make sure that you and your fiancé are happy with your choice.
Their prices are totally fair and in line with the market.

After looking at at chain jewelry stores (Zales and Jared) my boyfriend and I were feeling discouraged. Zales had poor customer service. Jared had a pushy salesman approach. We found Van and the Jewelry Exchange and had a great experience. He had a quick response to e-​mails and even e-​mailed after and before business hours and on the weekends! He sent pictures of some of the diamonds he had as well as price before we even went into the store. He even asked me to send him pictures to show him what styles I liked. Once we picked out a diamond, he custom made my engagement ring and even delivered it to my boyfriend at his workplace since my boyfriend was working a hectic schedule. We haven’t even been engaged for a week and Van has already reached out to us! Such great customer service. I also appreciated his honesty. Would recommend Van at the Jewelry exchange!

Van and Raffi did an amazing job on my engagement ring and wedding bands! My fiancé went to several jewelry stores before being recommended to Van. He said that Van and Raffi were hands down the best and great to work with! I am so happy with my ring and can’t wait to wear my wedding bands!!!

Buying my fiancé’s engagement ring was one of the most daunting experiences of my life. I wanted something unique and special for the love of my life, but at the same time, I did not want to feel like I was dealing with a used car salesman.
I scoured the Internet in order to do my «research» regarding the diamond itself, the different styles of bands, as well as different jewelers and their reputation for craftsmanship, diamond stock, creativity, honesty, and customer service. I also asked all of my married friends where they got their rings and for their opinions about their respective jewelers. I visited several jewelers, some of whom were nice.
Upon asking my mom for advice, she referred me to two jewelers. I first went into The Jewelry Exchange Company and met Van and his daughter Secrea. They were both incredibly nice and equally as knowledgeable. They took the time and care to ask me many questions to determine what it was that I wanted. They did not pressure me, or try to upsell me. In fact, after some time had gone by I let Van know that I was going to be stopping at another couple of jewelers before I made the decision of where I would ultimately purchase my ring. Van and Secrea were totally understandable, and graciously thanked me for stopping by their shop.
After going to a couple of other jewelers located in the same building as the Jewelry Exchange Company and being treated as if I were a tourist in a tourist trap, ready and willing to be price gouged, I decided to return to talk more with Van and Secrea.
They showed me what they had in stock as far as diamonds, as well as the different bands and settings. They never rushed me. They never tried to upsell me. They answered all of my questions and gave me the confidence that this purchase, one of the most important purchases in my life, would be one that I would not regret, and one that I would not overpay for.
I wound up coming up with a unique design, incorporating elements from different bands and settings that Van showed me. Once the band and setting design were picked out, Van and Secrea took time to show me different solitaire diamonds — again never trying to upsell me. Once I picked the diamond I wanted, Van gave me an estimate as to when the ring would be finished (since it was being custom made).
After leaving Van’s shop, I was eager with anticipation regarding the ring. To say I was over eager is to put it lightly. I called Van many times BEFORE the date which he had told me that my ring would be ready, however he was always extremely polite, always kept me up to date and let me know exactly where in the process he was, and he was never rude and he never made me feel like I was wasting his time.
The day I received the call from Van I was ecstatic and a little terrified about whether I would like the ring — a ring that was being custom made. When I showed up to pick up the ring I was warmly greeted by Van and his son Rafi (another kind and helpful jeweler). When he showed me the ring I was completely blown away — the ring was BETTER than I had hoped for.
When I proposed to my fiancé, she was overwhelmed at how beautiful the ring was and could not help but to keep looking at it. I also remember her taking no less than 20 pictures of it. Not a day goes by where my fiancé does not receive a compliment on her ring.
I was so pleased with the craftsmanship, customer service, and price I received at the Jewelry Exchange Company that I returned several months later and ordered my own wedding band, as well as a custom band for my fiancé to match her engagement ring. I picked up both rings about a week ago and once again was blown away. The only regret I have right now is that I have to wait a couple of more months before I am married and am able to wear my beautiful, classically designed platinum band.
Van and family at the Jewelry Exchange Company made me feel like I was dealing with old friends. When I asked Van how often I should have my fiancé’s ring professionally cleaned he replied, «as often as you want to come in here…» The Jewelry Exchange Company will be my exclusive jeweler for as long as they remain in business.
If you want unrivaled quality and craftsmanship, great personalized customer service (you’ll feel like a VIP), and a fair price, visit the Jewelry Exchange Company.

If I could give Van and his family 1000 stars, I absolutely would. My fiancé purchased the most beautiful engagement ring from Van which was custom made and absolutely gorgeous. Not a day goes by that I don’t receive multiple complements on it. The detail and craftsmanship are top notch!
We recently picked up our wedding bands and they are just as beautiful! My band matches the intricate detail of the engagement ring perfectly! My fiancé’s band is both unique and classic — it’s beautiful.
Even though the quality of the product is fantastic on its own, the ‘family’ atmosphere and feeling like Van genuinely cares about his clients makes the Jewelry Exchange even more special. We have found our jeweler for life and will refer any friends or family to his store.

When I went to pick up my wedding band, I was disheartened to find it wasn’t what I was expecting. I just kept on saying, «I don’t know it just doesn’t feel right.» Sacrea spoke to me about what i didn’t like and was also able to witness my movements with the ring on my finger. With that information and observation she was able to literally draw on the ring with a pen with how the band needed to be reshaped. I hoped and prayed that my wedding band and engagement ring would then look like a match. Finally, I picked up the ring and it was just right. It fit next to my engagement ring at the right height, and it also fit between my fingers at the right width. Now that I am married (Finally!!!) i cannot stop staring at the bling on my fingers.
P. S. Van and Sacrea always make sure that I am completely happy even though I have changed my diamond, size, shape, and bands a few times before coming up with this final combination. I receive compliments daily on the quality and beauty of my rings. Thanks guys!

So this review is a bit late due to recently being engaged and did not want my fiancé to find out about my plans. But I originally purchased an engagement ring from Jewelry Exchange back in February.
Me and my girlfriend (now fiancé), came here to browse around and looked at different options. When we got there, we first met Raffi, really cool, soft spoken guy. He showed us different kind of engagement rings and educated us about clarity, different types of cuts and diamond prices. Raffi did not necessarily showed us the most expensive one but also something affordable. After browsing for a while, I kind of had an idea of what my fiancé liked, saw her eyes lit up when she saw the setting on one ring and the band on another. So that was when Raffi called Van and introduced himself, but before we discussed our options I asked my fiancé to wait for me in the car.
Van told me that he can customized a ring by putting together the band from one ring and the setting from another, and I was totally fascinated. So after discussing our payment options, everything was set. It tooks Van about 3 months to create the ring and was so excited to see what the outcome of the ring was. So my fiancé had no idea that the ring was ordered and being made
After months of waiting, I received a phone call from Van while I was at work that the ring was ready. I told him that I will not be able pick up the ring since I get off from work late and it was impossible for me come in at the store because my fiancé might start asking questions. So this is the part where I give Van extra kudos for offering to bring the ring to my work in Marin, north of the Golden Gate Bridge. He delivered the ring himself and seeing the ring for the first time literally gave me chills, the ring was BEAUTIFUL!!!
It was right timing that I received the ring before we had our family road trip in August so I could ask her to marry me in one of the places we were going to. I asked her at one of the most beautiful parks in America… At the Arches National Park in Moab, Utah. and she said YES!!!
I would like to thank Raffi and Van for creating this beautiful ring and going the extra mile to satisfy their customers!!! They earned a customer for life and more business because I have recommended Jewelry Exchange to all of my friends.

AMAZING! AMAZING! AMAZING! I wish I could give 100 stars. If you are looking for a great jeweler who is creative, honest, professional and has some of the best quality diamonds – don’t look any further. Van is an amazing jeweler to work with and he is going to make sure you get the best quality for your budget. We met Van and Secrea over 2 years ago while looking at engagement rings. We had gone to a few places before we went to The Jewelry Exchange Co.
The day we dropped by (we did not know we needed an appointment) the store was closed but they were inside painting. There was no jewelery in their cases but they invited us to come into their store anyway. Van and his wife (I’m sorry I don’t remember her name) were so kind, once Van heard what I was looking for, he went in the back and brought out some of the most incredibly beautiful diamonds and rings I had ever seen. Van and his wife were so patient with us and they invited us to come back to the store when the store was open for business so they could better serve us.
The next time we went to TJEC, we had an appointment and this time we met Secrea (thank God for Secrea) – she is amazing and has such an eye to make sure you get the perfect ring of your dreams to fit your personality, lifestyle, etc. I was not going to choose my actual ring, my husband wanted to get an idea of the styles I liked and he was going to make the final decision of which ring he would choose.
Secrea had me try on many ring styles until I found my 3 favorite styles. Secrea kept telling me, «when you look for a ring, make sure you choose a style that you will still love 20 or 30 years from now – that was so helpful and that is exactly what I did. Once we left the store, I told my fiancé’, «when the time comes for you to purchase a ring, please do business with TJEC – I know I will end up with a masterpiece.
From what I understand from my husband, when he went back to choose a ring, he says the service was beyond great. Secrea and Van were very accommodating and patient. Secrea even suggested to my husband the style that she thought I would like the best and she was ABSOLUTELY right – she had paid attention to everything I said when I was there previously (Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Secrea).
After my husband asked me to marry him, he took me to TJEC to pick-​up my engagement ring and true enough, it is a masterpiece. It was another 1 ½ before we actually got married which was October 26, 2013. My husband and I told Van and Secrea what we wanted for our bands and they created far more than what we could have ever imagined. EVERYWHERE I go, I am complimented on my beautiful wedding ring. I told my husband, I will NEVER have to look at another woman’s wedding ring and think, «oh, I would love to have a ring like that.» But I can definitely say, there will be many who will look at my ring in total admiration and desire to have a ring so beautiful. Thank you so, so much Van and Secrea – we have rings that we will treasure for a lifetime.
Blessings,
Kelley & Gary

Thinking about getting engaged fellas, well let me tell you this process you are about to endure is one you will not soon forget!
I am still so thankful for Van and Rafi! I walked into their store a couple months ago not knowing a single thing about diamonds and all I wanted was the biggest Rock I could afford.
After showing me many different cuts and settings I found the ONE… but I did not buy it that day. I told myself I needed to do some more shopping and see what else was out there.
So I went to many other jewelers and stores and each experience left me feeling like I should just put my hard earned money on the counter and they would tell me what I could get. No one took the time with me like Van and Rafi did. Nor did they show me as many options as The Jewelry Exchange had.
I went back here and to my surprise they both remembered me and the ring I «thought» was the one… I say this because after buying this ring and getting home, my now fiancé had gone ring shopping the following weekend and had no idea I had already bought one… she had no idea this was coming.
Her best friend text me and sent pics of what she was liking… of course not the style or cut I got. So I called Van and emailed him the pics, he said «Adam we can make this happen!»
I was leaving for Germany to propose in less than a week and they got this busted out and set before I left for my trip. That kind of customer service right there is the reason I knew I should come back to this place after shopping around.
Van and Rafi are so easy to talk to and work with, if you are a Dude like me these are the guys you want to help you get the right ring for you and your girl.
I will be back here anytime I need jewelry and now that I am going to get married that should be more often.