Diener Jewelers

Can’t say that I share the same experience that most of the reviewers had. I met the owner, Brian, less than a year ago to get an engagement ring for my now fiancé. This was after being hammered with exorbitantly priced rings at Jared’s and Littman’s. I worked directly with Brian, and he was friendly and professional. I bought a loose diamond that was absolutely beautiful. Brian threw in a nice white gold setting. The finished product was stunning. The ring put all others I’ve seen to shame at half the price. Brian made it super easy.
He even invited us to his Christmas party. Plenty of drinks, food, and laughs. Everyone was nice to us and treated us well. Couldn’t recommend Diener Jewelers any higher.

The owner — Brian — is rude, untrustworthy, and lacks knowledge about many things he tries to sell. I am surprised the business survives in a high-​rent central DC location. Please go somewhere else.

This place was a disgrace to costumer service. From the get go. The man was completely rude. He asked me «are these yours?» when I handed over my engagement ring for appraisal. Then he got even more rude when he talked to me like I was an idiot about appraisals. I then showed him some sapphire earrings and he didn’t even look at them! He just said «those aren’t for me.» He had an air about him of disrespect and arrogance. He treated me like if I were a peasant. I did not like this jeweler. I would stay away unless you want to be treated like a second hand citizen.

This place was recommended to me as a good option for selling gold. I had several pieces, single earrings and other oddities which I wanted to sell. The owner was rude and intimidating. He realized I was uncomfortable and took advantage of the situation.
I left with a small amount of money and a distinct feeling that I had been taken advantage of. Melissa’s comments describe my experience, except that I should have been wiser, as I am older. I DO NOT recommend Dieners

Wow. This is one of the worst experiences I’ve ever had. Not just the worst shopping experiences. The worst EXPERIENCES. Brian is cheap, mean, rude, and remarkably sexist. It’s taken me a while to write about the experience of doing business here because it was just so unpleasant, but I feel like I need to warn other people.
Without going into the whole sordid story, I’ll give a few examples. When my husband and I met Brian, Brian did not make eye contact with me or shake hands with me. He directed all his attention and comments to my husband, even though I made clear that *I* was paying for the item in question.
After we worked out a transaction, Brian initially refused to put anything in writing. He said, «that’s not how I do business.» Really?
When there was a dispute relating to our transaction, Brian refused to talk to me on the phone! He demanded to talk to my husband, as though he couldn’t POSSIBLY negotiate with a woman. When I insisted that he talk to me, I he referred to me as a «f*cking dyke» to someone else in the office while he thought I was on hold. At a different point in the conversation he asked whether I was having problems with «hormones.»
And after (eventually) he agreed that he owed me some money, he wrote a check to «Mr. and Mrs. X», which made it impossible for us to cash because my last name is not the same as my husband’s. I’m very much a believer that people should do whatever works for them as far as changing their names when they get married. But this is a basic question of respecting your customers. Brian should have known perfectly well what my name was because it was all over the paperwork BECAUSE I WAS THE ONE PAYING FOR EVERYTHING.
All in all, it took over 3 months to get back the four-​figure sum of money that Brian owed us. we were thisclose to going to court.
If you read my other reviews, you’ll see that I’m not a crazy bitch — I like most things and most people and am generally pretty easy to please. My experience here was a notable exception.
Seriously. Don’t go here. Don’t go here if you’re a woman. Don’t go here if you respect women. Don’t go if you value your money. You don’t want anything to do with this guy.

Scam artists, right in the heart of DC.
My fiancé bought my engagement ring here, and they helped him select a beautiful estate diamond (at least that’s what they told him it was) and a band. After he proposed, I took the ring in to get it resized because they had completely mis-​sized it, despite the fact that my fiancé took one of my rings in for sizing reference. When Dieners resized it, they left a lovely little seam in the band that made it look like a Ring Pop sizable ring. Thanks a bunch for that! I didn’t realize it until a few days later, and because I am ignorant about jewelry, I thought it was normal.
Fast forward about 6 months, after we had moved out West from DC. I was stretching at my desk, and the ring seam from the sizing got caught on the edge of my shoe. The seam came undone, and the band completely bent and fell off my finger! Panicked, I took it to a very reputable jewelry repair shop in Denver to be fixed. The jeweler – who is also a custom metalsmith – asked me who had resized the ring because it was very poorly done, and incorrectly at that. Great. Again, thanks for that Diener!
Fast forward another 3 or 4 months. My fiancé and I met with a custom jeweler here in Denver to get our wedding bands designed. The jeweler examined my ring so that she could match the metal, size, etc. of my wedding band to my engagement ring. She discovered that the white gold ring WAS NOT STAMPED. She explained to us that it is ILLEGAL to sell unstamped precious metal jewelry. My fiancé was furious, of course, so we had her check the diamond. She said that the diamond was legit, but we would need to have the metal tested. We are in the process of doing so.
We plan to file a complaint with BBB about this business given that they are not complying with regulations. If you do not want to be ripped off, DO NOT DO BUSINESS WITH DIENER JEWELERS.
Further, in order to get an official document for insurance purposes, I took my grandmother’s engagement ring and my engagement ring in for appraisals. This guy charged me $ 75 each and appraised them at the exact same value. One is platinum with a large vintage cut diamond and smaller accent diamonds, while one is 14k white gold simple band with one smaller diamond. Plus, I later found out that he UNDERESTIMATED the size of the diamond in the platinum ring.
This guy is totally bunk and a scam artist. Again, save yourself some misery and do not do business here!!!

My mom had passed away and i had some of her jewelry. Since i am a guy and i cant wear it i wanted to sell it. Especially since i needed the money for school. I am an honest and trusting person so i was told that gold was going for about 20 – 24 dollars an once. The hardest thing is selling jewelry especially when its your moms. I went in and immediately a bald headed guy behind the counter says what do you want for it? I said what are you offering? He weighed it and offered 300 dollars for a 14k diamond ring with average diamonds and a locket and pendant heart with rubies and two 14k gold chains. I gave him my drivers license and ss number and phone number. Walked out and realized i didnt ask how much an once he paid me. i walked back in and he told me he paid 15 dollars an once way below the going rate. I took my jewelry back and gave him his money back.
I proceeded to tell him that i thought he was ripping me off and he gave no explanation or apology, like my business didnt matter. Its hard enough to have to sell something thats of value to you and then to feel ripped off wow. LESSON TO BE LEARNED TRUST NO ONE, VERY SAD, NOT EVEN A SUPPOSED REPUTABLE BUSINESS IN A GREAT NEIGHBORHOOD IN DC. DO YOUR HOMEWORK AND PLAY THEIR GAME AND TELL THEM YOU WANT WAY MORE THEN ITS WORTH AND MAYBE YOU WILL GET WHAT IT IS WORTH.
After i told him i would write a review he tells me go ahead and then says we have your information. I said so what. Im selling something that was mine i have nothing to hide, your trying to rip me off. He made me feel like i was the criminal They probably buy from desperate shady people. Just another example of an unregulated business, selling gold. ALL I CAN SAY IS CAVEAT EMPTOR AND IN MY CASE SELLER BEWARE !!!

This was the most unpleasant jewelry repair experience I’ve ever had. I normally go to Tiny Jewel Box but decided to take a chance on Diener. BIG mistake. The staff are occasionally charming, alternating with extremely rude and unprofessional behavior. I had to go back twice because the repair work was incomplete – and it’s still not right. I finally gave up because I don’t trust them with it anymore. The second time I went back, when I pointed out that the repair hadn’t been made again I was told,“Yes it was.” Which was utterly surreal because we were both looking at the flaw and it wasn’t repaired. It was unclear whether Brian Diener (he’d got to be the owner’s son – he’s extremely inexperienced and terrible with customers) was completely unfamiliar with fine jewelry or whether he was just lazy. So I showed exactly where the piece was still flawed, and without even looking at it he said, «It can’t be repaired it or it will fall apart.» I pointed out that if the repair is made correctly, the jewelry would not fall apart – that’s the point. And when the customer is paying, what about doing the job and getting it right instead of arguing with the customer that you did the job and then admit you didn’t because it couldn’t be done in the first place?
Do not waste your time here – despite the shiny façade these people are just trying to hussle a buck and don’t know quality or craftsmanship. This is not the place to buy or sell fine jewelry unless you don’t know any better and don’t care.

Agree 100% with Marco R’s review. I brought in brand new, never worn David Yurman jewelry given to me by an ex, with papers and all. I saw the very misleading commercial on television, portraying the owner, Brian Diener as a friendly, neighborhood businessman.
I wasn’t expecting to be given the exact value of what the pieces were worth, but what I was offered was a complete insult to my intelligence. Brian «Sleezeball» Diener offered me $ 20 for over $ 500 worth of jewelry. I was utterly taken aback. I don’t know if it was because I am a young 20 something girl who was eager to part with gifts from a former paramour, but he was super rude and very unfair. He claimed that the pieces would take forever to sell and $ 20 was generous on his part.
Stay far away from this place unless you enjoyed being scammed.

I went to Diener jewelers today to pick up my goodies! My friend recommened them for jewelry repair. I brought in a strand of grandmas’ pearls for restringing. He charged me a very fair per inch, it was actually cheaper than California prices (where I had another necklace restrung).
While picking up my new pearls, I was easily talked into a beautiful ladies Rolex! Previously owned, but I didn’t mind,
I saved over $ 4,000 buying it from them. The saleperson also quickly repaired a bracelet (free of charge) I really feel like I have a personal jeweler, and have already asked my husband what kind of wristwatch he’d like for a gift.

Not recommended. Brought in some gold coins and scrap gold to sell. Brian Diener did not seem to know much about the coins value. He offered $ 20 on each. After I expressed disbelief, he called someone and re-​priced everything including the scrap gold. I asked him what did he learn that he didn’t know 5 minutes ago. He didn;t answer. I left with all my stuff and got more money from a pawn shop of all places. He also has a smart-​alec attitude.
Stay away and fiind another jeweler!

This store is quite the hidden gem in DC when it comes to finding unique and affordable jewelry. (pun intended) My fiancée stumbled across it when he was in the area and so we went there to look at engagement rings. Diener has a variety of estate pieces, most of them with unique styles, but several traditional items as well. Brian Diener himself is always there and is helpful without being pushy. We found a beautiful antique style ring that was just what we were looking for! And best of all, the price was very very low compared to how much the ring is worth. (and to prices at other DC jewelry stores) It’s nice to know there aren’t 100 other girls out there with the same exact ring. According to Diener, the store has a high turnover rate and is always bringing in new items, so I’d definitely recommend checking it out if you are looking for a one-​of-​a-​kind piece of jewelry!

Wow I’m first?!
Was just in D.C. for the week and I’ve already done the tourist things a few years back so I was like hey. let’s go shopping for gold and silver! (seriously haha)
Looked up various joints for gold/​silver bullion & coins.
Only place that had anything was this place.
Went in, talked to Brian and LaVern. Had a great time with them and just some interesting and fun cats walking through the door.
They do all kinds of stuff from estate sales, personal loans, antiques, buying and selling high-​end items, you name it they do it! Even jewelry repair and custom jewelry!
So yea, had a great time and would highly recommend!
I walked in before lunch time with just flip flops and my backpack. Went out to lunch to get some cash and by the early afternoon, had silver eagles and my first gold coin in pocket… on a student/​part-​time DJ salary! ha!
It’s just so professionally run and it’s right on a block of TONS of great restaurants. Hell yea, again, highly recommend. It is a fair establishment.