Monkey on Chestnut

This is an amazing little treasure of a store on Chestnut Street. The owner is friendly, helpful, knowledgable and non-​intimidating. He give you an honest answer if you ask for his opinion only if you ask and he carries the most beautiful, artisanal and fun pieces of jewelry. If you are looking for something unique and not a cookie-​cutter such as those found at the department stores or chains, be sure to check this place out. from older pieces to more modern ones, Oh, so many to choose from. Best place for buying engagement rings. Mine of course was purchased here. :)

The owner, Robert, was recently robbed.
$ 5000 Reward to find the Thieves!
It’s a wonderful store. I get my jewelry and repairs here.
Security video footage and info at:

Don’t miss out on this gen of a store when in SF. Robert has the best and coolest jewelry coupled with his expertise and friendliness you are sure to find the right piece for you or for a gift. I’ve gotten he coolest rings there and he fixes jewelry too! Its a no pressure one stop shop for all your jewelry needs. Simply beautiful! Thanks Robert

What a cute gem of a place full of classy vintage and antique jewelry! I was in town for a visit, just happened upon this place and ended up falling in love with a ring. According to the guy working there the ring is not truly vintage but is produced by a believe 75 year old company that based it on their vintage design.
The neighborhood it’s in is one of my new favorite places in S.F.

Discovered this gem today — very wonderful pieces, from rings to delicate necklaces to gorgeous watches. However, I refrained from buying this time around.
Excited to come back with the boyfriend (as he loves any and all things monkey!)!

Such a unique spot! My mom and I both got really beautiful rings here… hers needed to be sized (free of charge), mine did not. However, store hours seem to change based on owners personal schedule… so I suggest that you call before making the trip, especially if you are coming to pick up an item. Great selection of both unique and vintage jewelry, very cute store, reasonable prices… I will be going back!

Love this store, still love all of the rings and things I have purchased here for myself and others! Reasonable prices too!

The Monkey gets the best marks from my girl and I. We seem unable to stop in here regardless of our reasons for being in the Marina! The owner is always super helpful and we’ve gotten a couple of nice pieces. He also gave me quite a few excellent tips for engagement ring shopping over the phone the other day. It’s always nice to meet someone knowledgeable and ready to share information on their trade!
Hooray for ‘da Monkey!
P. S., There is one animal in the Monkey which is NOT a monkey. Can you find it???

Going back.
Awesome place.
Most unannoying salesman ever… knew just when to chime in (which is really never unless you are obviously wondering aloud).

Most of their collection are the standard fare — ultra predictable. But after 20 minutes of browsing I found a vintage necklace with lots of details for only $ 38 and my girlfriend bought FOUR pairs of earrings! The guy behind the counter was super helpful too.

..Robert is a hard working owner of a store who keeps his store on chestnut open early to late. I put a deposit down a ring and then changed my mind and still got the credit with his store for my deposit. However I could not find my deposit slip and then found it and then lost it and then… months went by and a year later, I found it again and Robert had held on to my piece of jewelry that I wanted instead of the original diamond ring… nice guy!!! nice store with lots of local jewellry and local art work!!! shop local and feel good about your purchases… Happy Holidays… woof woof…

True to its name, Monkey on Chestnut has not just one monkey, but many! As you step into their home and look up, you’ll notice one wearing a scarf while he humorously keeps a watchful eye on his wares. Little monkeys sprinkled throughout the store beckon you to peer just a little closer. Follow their eyes and you will find a whole cabinet full of marcasite rings, opalescent shell necklaces and earrings, and cabinets devoted to unique work done by local artisans.
This store gave my mom a new reason to visit me other than just checking up on her single daughter in the Marina. I remember calling her and saying, «Mom you have to come visit me so I can show you my new favorite jewelry store!» Not only did she visit me and buy the most beautiful shell pendant, but my dad called me up the next day to have me go pick up an anniversary present there.
I LOVE visiting this place! Always greeted by a smile, they can’t wait to show you what’s new! Owner, Robert Hemehill, has 2 other stores in North Beach, Monkey on Columbus and The Dreaming Room, which has less jewelry and more historical artifacts. Each of his places have a similar thread: on the outside they seem small and unassuming, but once inside they hold an unbelievable amount of unusual discoveries. It’s the little nuances that keep your eyes in awe and your mind wandering back to what else you might not have seen!
How many monkeys and gorgeous jewelry can you fit in a little store? More than you could ever dream of!

Disclaimer: One of my close friends is a jewelry artist and her work is sold here, however if it was a crappy place I’d tell you (and her too). Good thing it’s not.
Small but cute… this little shop is packed to the gills with jewelry of all styles and price points, including local artists and manufactured pieces. You can surely find whatever it is you’re looking for here. and if not. .the friendly staff will help you.
Parking sucks, as usual… go during off hours.

don’t quote me on this but this is the story i heard…
a wealthy elderly lady had a pet monkey who escaped when the home unfortunately burned down. it had taken all of her jewelry to hide so no one could steal it. there were sightings of the monkey in the marina and pac heights for some time before he was returned to his owner… regretfully sans jewelry.
the store is filled with wonderful designs and little statues of monkeys peppered throughout. there are some gorgeous precious and semi precious work from local artists.
take your time to peruse since there is so much to see.
i like to stop by especially if there is a long wait at the laiola restaurant near by. sometimes i even switch out my earrings for a new one before dinner!

I can’t stress enough how much I LOVE Monkey on Chestnut. If you are looking for a unique piece of jewelry, you can’t go wrong here. I especially love the dichroic glass pieces. The rings are made with really quality silver bands that are adjustable, and if you can bring yourself to leave the ring for a week, they will have it permanently sized for you for a nominal fee. Parking can be tough since, as the name says, the shop is in the busy shopping district on Chestnut, if you have good parking karma, you can find a spot.

I love this store and their great staff. They are definitely never pushy and do not have to be because the jewelry sells itself. I was pondering between three great pieces today and only wish I could have afforded more! Truly unique pieces!

Small world! I was away from my studio & logged onto Unilocal to quickly get the phone number to this amazing store. When I did, I saw that «Suzanne B» had written a great review. Funny thing, my name is also Suzanne B and I am one of the designers (EssieB) represented in the very cool back room at Monkey on Chestnut (aka MonC). Here’s my two cents from a different perspective…
Robert, the owner of the store, has an amazing vision for this jewelry & accessory hot spot. Those of you lucky enough to live in or frequent the neighborhood are in for a real treat as he works his magic in this new location.
For those visiting San Francisco, definitely make this a stop on your your tour of the city as there is plenty of fabulous talent on display. You will most certainly find a little something (or two!) to remember your trip!
Robert & his staff are extraordinarily attentive to their clientele and remain focused on giving their customers a wonderful experience. Beyond that they really respect the designers and appreciate the designs, materials and craftsmanship of the jewelry & accessories they showcase. It’s because of this that Monkey on Chestnut is the only store in the country where I choose to display my work.
Keep your eye on this little Monkey, it has its hands Full of Treasures!
EssieB

As quite possibly the most unobservant person in a three county area, it took me four months to discover that the wacky magic store had been replaced by a magical jewelry store. There goes all my shopping credibility.
Anyhoo — Monkey on Chestnut is the reincarnation of Principessa, a small, delicate, lush little jewelry store that used to exist on Columbus Avenue in North Beach. Monkey is a larger location, but the charm of the original store is evident everywhere you look. (Not surprising, as they brought the same beautiful wood cabinets and luxurious scarves with them.)
The service is friendly without being pushy — my favorite. It’s a small store and the staff has perfected being interested in you without hovering.
A large portion of the jewelry on display is silver (yay!) and all of it is unique. I could go crazy in here — really. As a matter of fact, if you do come in and happen to see a green bunny curled up in the fetal position in the corner, exhibiting the glassy-​eyed signs of incipient catatonia and muttering ‘Too many choices! Too many colors!”, just step around me or move me gently out of your way. Just don’t touch anything I might be clutching at the time. You could lose a hand…

New accessory spot on Chestnut! Cute boutique with an Asian flavor, they have everything from tiaras to scarves to heels to jewels. All kinds of items to jazz up an outfit and at totally reasonable prices! I thought I’d never see it in the Marina :)