I made an appointment today to get an estimate for some gold that I would like to sell. I waited fifteen minutes past my scheduled appointment with no one showing up to do the estimate and no explanation. This store advertises that they buy gold jewelry. Why solicit this business if you're not interested enough to show up for an appointment. It was a waste of my time and disrespectful. read more

Cottage Jewelry is a gem at Chicago & Dempster. Ira is kind, genuine, and a true expert. He helped me sort family pieces after a loss and guided me with care. His shop offers a wonderful mix of modern and vintage jewelry--something for every taste. Warm, welcoming, and worth a visit! read more

Selling price of old jewelry is at 50 percent commercial price. There are other options w another 25 percent of paying. While nice if you want money back, keep going elsewhere read more

I will never go any other jeweler ever again. The service, the care, the attention you get at Cottage Jewelry is simply incomparable . Cottage has a beautiful selection for absolutely any occasion. The most wonderful staff, especially Ira and Marie. My fiancé and I had my engagement ring made here and it is the most stunning ring I could have ever imagined. They have taken care of us beyond my expectations. We selected my wedding band yesterday and I am even more thrilled than I was with my engagement ring, which I didn't think possible! Cottage Jewelry can make anything you could possibly imagine and the guidance you receive during the whole process makes you feel warm and special. Every time I walk in the door is truly a special experience. I have a beautiful necklace and earrings I was gifted with from this jeweler also that I cherish everyday I have them. So grateful for the service we have received here and the sweet friendships we have made. They have really treated my fiancé and I like family from start to finish and I can't say enough good things about the jewelry and the people who work here. Thank you so much Cottage Jewelry for making my jewelry dreams come true!!! read more

Cottage Jewelry - Jewelry Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

Had my a piece of jewelry looked at for insurance purposes. Staff behind the counter offered to clean the jewelry I was wearing for free, very friendly group of staff. Informative and patient. Highly recommended Cottage Jewelry read more

Always love working with Cottage Jewelry! They know their business well and the quality is excellent.

I love going in here! I went in to browse on my day off. Despite being in Evanston, it's not stuffy in here. They are friendly but not "we are only friendly so you buy something" friendly. They have some beautifully unique estate jewelry plus some moderately priced diamonds. I went in to take a look and told my husband about some earrings that interested me. He went in later and bought them! Marie and Sarah remembered me and told him which pair I liked. They are a wonderful part of the Dempster-Main mile-I trust them wholeheartedly. They also repaired a clasp on my diamond necklace. Well done. read more

Bought a pair of earrings here. Reasonably priced. Favorite shop in the area!!! Highly recommend to anyone. Went in initially for engagement ring but couldn't narrow down exactly what I water. Bought the earrings because o couldn't resist. Highly recommend!!! read more

Cottage Jewelry - Amethyst on sterling silver ~ $50 - Jewelry Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

I could not be more grateful to Marie for all her help with my ring sizing. I brought it in on a Tuesday afternoon and was told 2-3 days until an estimate. I called on Saturday afternoon, after not hearing back yet, and Maria was wonderful! She noted that the goldsmith was done working for the weekend but she decided to come in on a Monday, when they are not even open, to talk with the goldsmith and get the estimate (VERY reasonable), then had it properly sized by the next day! The customer service is top notch and unbeknownst to them, these are my wedding bands I haven't been able to wear for four years due to sizing issues. Great customer service AND the ability to finally wear my rings after four years?! I will happily recommend to anyone who needs a jeweler and even spotted a new ring that I will be back to try on. Thank you! read more

Cottage Jewelry was my savior. My fiancé proposed to me right in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic and unfortunately my ring was too small. After me glazing wistfully at my ring in its box for a week, he reached out to Cottage Jewelry in hopes that they would be open and could help us. Sara came to our rescue and helped size me and drop off the ring curbside on a Saturday. The ring came back a few weeks later and was still slightly too small(my fingers are very sensitive to the heat and tend to swell in the summer) but Cottage resized it again for us free of charge. I'm so happy I can finally wear the beautiful ring from my new fiancé. Huge shoutout to Cottage(and Sara in particular)for being there for us in the middle of a global pandemic! read more

I want to give a HUGE shout out to Cottage Jewelers! My fiancé had a wonderful experience working with the entire Cottage team when designing my engagement ring. When I decided to make some changes to my mothers wedding ring to match my engagement ring, we didn't have to think twice about working with Cottage again. Their expertise, patience, and ability to make us feel comfortable in our decisions cannot be matched! Thank you thank you thank you for my beautiful rings! read more

Cottage Jewelry - Jewelry Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

They will not have my business. Neither buying nor selling. My wife and I walk by all of the time and see the signs in the window stating "If you are not wearing it, Sell it!" I stopped in with a diamond necklace (purchases from Zales originally) and asked for an appraisal of the selling value (I knew the original value). They told me they wouldn't even consider buying it. They first speculated that the necklace wasn't gold, when it was clearly silver - so I'm not sure why they even thought that - then they proceeded to tell me that since it didn't state "Sterling" on it, that it may not be silver and the diamonds might as well be crystals. That's the least professional response from a Jeweler I have ever received. I politely said thank you and left, never to return. The store from what I saw was filled with cheap, chintzy looking jewelry, most of which from what I could tell (without any fine examining glasses) did not have real diamonds. read more

Ira and his wife Mia are fantastic! They were great to work with and gave me a great price on a beautiful custom engagement ring that my fiancé absolutely loved. You can tell They love what they do and rally care about making their customers happy. I told them about a week before Christmas that I wanted to propose on Christmas and they made it a top priority to have my ring ready on time. Thank you ira mia! read more

My fiancé George and I visited Ira at Cottage Jewelers to look at engagement rings together. The experience and service was so personalized and comfortable. They do not pressure you, and they help you find or make a piece of jewelry you will truly love, working within your budget. The jewelry they carry is a high quality mix of fine estate pieces, custom made, and designer. We loved the ring and our first time experience so much, we are now working with them for both of our wedding rings as well! read more

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We initially went in for an appraisal for our diamond and boy are we glad we did! I had a couple of inspiration photos of what I wanted to do with the stone. Ira took one look and his confidence was extremely reassuring. He helped us make the most beautiful custom engagement ring! Thank you, Ira for making the whole process painless and making us so happy! We'll be back! read more

Cottage Jewelry - custom engagement ring - Jewelry Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

We were trying to repair the sapphires in my wife's wedding band. They did a good job with the repair in the end but the communication was terrible and they charged us an extra $440 by mistake! They eventually corrected the error but who over charges by $400? Better to look elsewhere for service. read more

I came here for an engagement ring that I needed custom made on a short deadline. I worked directly with Ira. I told him exactly what I wanted and gave him the previous quotes I received from other places. Oh man, did Ira deliver! He got me the ring I wanted, hand made, and with higher quality craftsmanship than I got from other places I went. The certified diamond was bigger, clearer, and a better cut than previous diamonds I found. He made all the side diamonds higher quality. The whole package was upgraded and it was a deal. You should see the thing sparkle in the sunlight! All this was done on a rush order. He made sure the deadline was met and the quality remained. I couldn't ask for anything more from Ira and his team at Cottage Jewelry! read more

I had an excellent experience with Cottage Jewelry. Went there looking for wedding rings and found a beautiful engraved band. However, it was only available in rose gold at the time, which wouldn't have worked with my engagement ring. Marie offered to order a version in white gold so I could make sure I liked the ring. She called me as soon as the ring arrived and it turned out to be perfect - really even better than I expected. Also, Marie ordered the new ring as part of their usual stock, which meant when I bought the ring their 30% promotion applied to my purchase (if she'd ordered it specifically for me, I would have had to pay full price). I really appreciated that she went out of her way to do this. I dealt with both Marie and one other sales lady and both were helpful and eager to find a ring I liked. They even reassured me that they wouldn't be offended if I didn't like the ring, which really took a load off my mind and allowed me to make the decision based on my own feelings. All in all, an excellent experience. So very excited to wear my wedding band. This is an especially good shop if you are looking for a vintage wedding band or a band with vintage details/style. A note: when they tell you something will take two weeks, expect more like three or four. I had read the other reviews here and so was prepared when my ring took longer to come in. Didn't change my satisfaction with the store one bit. read more

SO happy with my custom ring. After 29 years of marriage I bent my solitaire ring and needed an overhaul. I chose Cottage Jewelry because they were locally owned and also had high ratings. I was not disappointed. From Ira's expertise, recommendations and sourcing of beautiful diamonds, to Marie's spot on customer service, I definitely endorse them. I am so happy to have a ring I can wear for another 29+ years! Thank you Cottage Jewelry. read more

First, this response they posted is the same on they posted on facebook, prior to complaining about my review. Facebook took the review down. I got to say are you really that ashamed of yourselves? "I am so sorry to hear about your experience at Cottage Jewelry. We are always trying to improve the quality of our customer's experience. I have spoken with the owner and reminded him to always ask at the beginning of a complimentary stone evaluation if the ring was purchase from us. Please note, your appointment was for a free evaluation, not a formal assessment." First, the fact you have to remind Ira (why is Sarah posting from his account) to find out where a ring came from so he doesn't insult it... is saying a lot. Second, mean you don't even anywhere in this response address the fact he was insulting and condescending the entire time. Third, please note, that I was looking to sell the ring, it is not really a complimentary anything. It was you assessing if you wanted your own product back. If you want to improve customer service, don't allow Ira to deal with customers. "In these appointments, the owner estimates the stone's carat weight by looking at its measurements. (Mounted diamonds are harder to evaluate because the mounting can hide some of their characteristics, making the estimate less precise)." As I said, "When I informed him I was told it was at least 1 carat he assured me I was wrong." Sorry saying it is estimate and assuring someone they are wrong two different factors. Also when you give a market value quot that is 500% lower than the actual market value... it isn't less precise it is wrong. "For this reason, we always tell our customers to seek the opinion of two to three professional diamond buyers to get a solid idea of the specifications and state of their stone." No you didn't. No one there did. "Also, unlike gold, which has a quantifiable melt value, resale prices for diamonds have no one objective measure and we do the best we can to provide an estimate of the resale value." Okay, so even if you weren't wrong, and a 500% difference isn't such a huge difference. And as for how you're dead wrong: 1) the price of gold fluctuates more than the diamonds,so the comparison is bad deflection 2) De Beers (and others) have done a very good job controlling the market prices. But again 500% difference is a major difference that cannot be explained by that. It is a weak deflection. I can only assume you above information is because you assume people don't do market research, don't work in the trade, or have friends that work in the trade, or know how to use google, or follow the market. "In a formal appraisal, we follow a detailed process to measure the stone's carat weight and verify other facts about the stone, in order to yield an accurate appraisal and assign a value to the ring." You might, I don't know I can't comment on it. What I can comment on is what I said before Ira "assured me I was wrong" about the size of the stones. "When customers would like to sell a ring purchased from us, we certainty take special consideration. We do ask that you provide a receipt for proof of purchase and bring this to our attention at the start of the appointment." You didn't with me. Even after we told Ira about, he didn't ask for a receipt. "Had you brought your receipt and brought to our attention that the ring was purchased from us seven years ago, we would've been able to better serve you and feel confident your experience would have been different." Had you asked for the receipt I might have. Good job trying to blame a customer though. "I would like to invite you back in for a complimentary piece of jewelry from our silver case. Please let me know when you plan to visit us again. " Sure buy your ring back at market price, I will even through in the appraisal papers for you guys. read more

I've only been here once, to sell some gold and get some more information on an old watch, but the woman who helped me was very prompt, helpful, and upfront. There was another older sales woman in the store who came out while the first woman was in back evaluating my gold who was a little pushy. First just telling me she was available to show me anything I wanted to see out of the cases, then taking out a bracelet and calling me over to tell me how unique and interesting it is... Overall, a good experience. Got a very good price for the gold I brought in and just enough information on the watch for her to tell me they weren't interested in it. The jewelry they had was very unique and looked like it covered a wide style and price range, I'll be back to look if I ever need a gift or want something shiny and new. read more

I continue to stop in whenever I'm in the area. I got lucky once and bought a beautiful sterling ring from the pre-owned section for a very affordable price. The lady who sold me the ring continues to recognize me, many months later. I wish I could remember her name, because she's always nice and helpful. read more

Ira and his entire staff are amazing to work with from engagement rings to jewelry repairs. They provided their expertise towards helping my new husband create the exact ring that he desired. We get compliments all the time on the quality of the diamond and craftsmanship of the setting. Without a doubt, I highly recommend this jeweler and we will definitely be back to but future pieces!!! read more

Cottage Jewelry - My beautiful engagement ring from Cottage Jewelry. - Jewelry Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

Ira is a rare human. I find all jewelers to be cut throat thieves . Not Ira or any of his staff. Exceptional and First Class is what I think of when I think if Cottage Jewelers. Ira stands by what he sells....and then some. Over 12 years ago I had brought him a stone I purchased elsewhere and really liked a suspension setting by Steven Kretchmer Ira had in his shop. Ira sent the stone out to NJ to get it set at Kretcmers studios. I had to have it back by a certain date as I had the whole proposal set up at the Four Seasons in Chicago on a Friday. On the day before the big day, Ira confirmed that the setting was done and would be sent FedEx for Friday delivery. At 5 pm on Friday I walked in only to learn the Kretchmer folks sent the package two day not overnight! Even though this was not Ira's fault, he gave me a "loaner" ring (really nice one) and he ...shall we say "took care of me" with my dinner proposal. Not many people go that far to make their customers happy. Ira went above and beyond any reasonable expectations. The ring arrived on Saturday and all was well. I have been a repeat customer as some of the Estate pieces are very nice indeed. We have since moved from Evanston but when we do visit I make it a point to drop in to say hi to Ira and the ladies. He is the one retailer I make a point to find a way to buy something from him each time I visit. All his inventory is stellar but it is the personal service from him and his staff that make the difference! read more

I went to the store to see if they can repair my grandmother's ring that was in a pretty rough shape. It is not an expensive item or anything like that, but it had a special significance to me. When I got it back (which was in a pretty short time), I could not believe it was the same ring - it was so beautifully restored, cracks removed, etc. Unbelievable. And honestly, I thought it would be much more. Great job! read more

My fiancée and I wanted to design our engagement ring together. For me, I wanted her to have a ring that was special and unique. We knew we would need excellence in craftsmanship, but we also wanted that personal touch (we are both originally small-town people, so that connection is important). We visited many shops in and around Chicago, and while a lot of people did great work and the price-points were all roughly the same, we were missing the warmth from the people. We found it the moment we walked in to Cottage Jewelry. We were met by Martha, and when we showed her the idea we had for a ring she just made over it. Just for kicks, my fiancée tried on a few rings in the shop, and Martha was honest enough to say 'that looks nice' or 'no, that one isn't it for you'. Ultimately, we stuck with the plan of designing a ring and began working with Ira. Ira was amazing through the whole process. The first diamond I was shown for the center stone of the ring wasn't initially up to what I was wanting (it was what they had in-house at that time). There was no pressure from anyone to make that purchase; instead, they worked doubly hard to find a stone to my specifications. What they came back with was perfect! We then went to work with Ira and Max (the goldsmith they use - trust me, ask for Max. He's masterful.). They were wonderful in guiding us through the design process. Not only were they professional in offering their advice, but they didn't try to up-sell everything. Honestly, they could have suggested more expensive aspects to the design, but actually advised us against some of those elements (stones on the shank, for example). In the end, we came out with the exact ring we wanted, on time and on budget, and we look forward to going back and working with them on wedding bands next. We can't recommend the great people at Cottage Jewelry highly enough. They understood us, our unique story, and worked with us with professionalism, expertise, and warmth and delivered a product that is truly like nothing we have seen before (you can view it on their website here http://www.cottagejewelry.com/whatwesell-rings103.shtml - scroll to the bottom, it's the mixed-metal ring with the center stone surrounded by 4 smaller stones and a series of even smaller stones around that). Thank you Martha, Ira, and Max! read more

I was gifted a bridesmaid necklace that was custom made by Cottage Jewelry. Wow - what a beautiful necklace, I still haven't taken it off. The bride gifted her bridesmaids a black diamond on a solid 18K gold chain. You can tell by the feel of the necklace that it was made with great care artistry. The black diamond is perfect. It's going to be a really versatile piece that will always have that special sentimental value. I would highly recommend Cottage Jewelry, especially their custom jewelry, as the end result is just gorgeous! read more

My fiance came here to create the most perfect engagement ring to propose to me with. The staff were very patient with him and helped him design a beautiful one-of-a-kind ring using my mom's diamonds and my great aunt's ruby. It is the most perfect representation of us and I get to wear it on my finger forever! We will definitely be returning for our wedding bands! read more

Cottage Jewelry - Jewelry Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

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21 years ago Cottage Jewelry guided us through the creation of a custom engagement ring that was absolutely amazing. Now, for our 20th anniversary, they came through for us once again. This ring is spectacular and the smile on my wife's face is priceless. The care, integrity, and personal touch that Ira, Sara, and Marie demonstrated is unparalleled. I am so happy that I didn't go anywhere else. read more

After enjoying my hunt for an engagement ring, my husband went in to Cottage Jewelry to purchase it. When he went to pick it up it wasn't ready so he bought an additional ring as he had set up a big proposal based on the date it would be ready. We waited a week for the engagement ring which wasn't even sized properly, which took another week. About a month after I had both rings, the first, which was vintage, chipped. It was five small diamonds. My husband was irate and returned the ring but was convinced to repair it and that it was my fault because I must have been "letting my dog chew on it or banging it against a wall" - right - because both of those reasons make complete sense. About a month after that, it chipped again... at which point he returned the ring and demanded a refund. They reluctantly agreed, then wouldn't return the sales tax until my husband threatened them with calling the press. Fast forward 15 years and I go in to ask for the diamond certification papers for insurance purposes, which he never gave us. I present the ring and the original letter Cottage Jewelry gave us, with the 'value' of the ring. The owner asks me where I bought the ring... apparently he didn't recognize his own stationary. He asks me to have some appraisals and come back to him so he can make a decision... I left with my ring and my little useless piece of paper. Steer clear of this wolf in sheep's clothing. read more

Incredibly, they spent an hour to give us a price on some gold jewelry we wanted to sell for cash. They offered us $1,300 less than another place which took 10 minutes to give us a price. You decide if this is where you want to sell your gold. They do have some lovely jewelry for sale. read more

My now husband picked my engagement ring from Cottage Jewelry. I loved the ring so much that we went back to get our wedding rings. Marie is a very kind lady. She's easy to work with and helped us find the rings that mean so much to us. She made sure we got the rings on time. We truly enjoyed working with her and loved our rings. Many thanks to Marie! read more

Expensive - slow - do not guarantee work. Unless you're gonna drop a load, don't expect good service.

I'm writing this review based on my experience of wanting to sell my old jewelry here. Because Cottage Jewelry advertises on its windows and website that they buy jewelry, I think this review would apply only to those who consider doing so. DON'T! The website mentions that they buy vintage, antique (including art deco), and other forms of jewelry. Although my pieces were humble , I was drawn to sell here because my jewelry was old and still special in its own right. Unfortunately, Cottage Jewelry failed to recognize that. The appraiser offered me $130 (then raised it to $150) for three 14k gold pearl pendants, two (small) diamond 14k rings, 10k gold pendant necklace, silver bracelet w. stones, and a large sterling silver cross. Naturally, I declined such a deal and went ahead to sell my items on eBay. Within 2 weeks I sold one of the old mine diamond cut rings and the 3 pearls for $595.00. I strongly believe that I can make at least $1000 on the total lot that I offered cottage jewelry, which would be an extra $850 in my pocket. Currently I'm $445 richer than I would be if I sold here. Selling here ends up being too expensive, the appraiser disregarded my jewelry as practically worthless, he even called the cultured pearls 'costume' at first, and the diamonds 'small and low quality'. Don't get discouraged by such talk and sell your things to a source that truly appreciates older jewlery! My ebay customers were thrilled! The extra star goes to the very nice ladies at the front. read more

I wish I'd read the sellers' reviews before I was enticed by the "If You're Not Wearing It, Sell It!" signs. If you have any sentimental attachment to your jewelry -- even if it's from an ex -- think twice. What they don't tell you is that within a week or so your items are sold as scrap to a refinery or to a second-hand dealer. They don't pay anything close to original retail or even a past appraisal (gold/diamonds), and there's virtually no chance that your pieces will be resold to the general public. They get an extra star only for giving me a little more $ after I had second thoughts and complained. read more

Went in to get a wedding band and they were super helpful. Got it quicker than I expected and I love it. Ira's a big help.

I found Cottage Jewelry when my mom passed and I needed to sell some gold jewelery. The owner could not have more sensitive and caring plus giving me MORE than a fair price for my mom's gold. I went on to purchase a beautiful diamond ring from my husband signifying 50 years of being with one another. Again, the owner and staff worked with me as I decided exactly what I wanted. They provide quality pieces and excellent service. It is also a 'fun' store to just in and browse. They are always getting interesting vintage pieces making shopping for a gift delightful! read more

I worked with Ira to obtain the engagement ring of my fiancee's dreams. Ira was great to work with as he offered clear guidance and was transparent throughout the transaction. He listened and followed my thoughts and budget and my fiancee is over the moon with her ring. I would definitely return for future purchases. read more

Still loving the engagement ring and now I purchased a nice watch from the store and love that too!

Good peeps---Ira and his staff are the real deal. Trustworthy experts. Quality jewelry and a great place to sell your unwanted gold, diamonds and sterling silver. I have purchased several high quality jewelry items and also sold gold and sterling sterling silver at solid prices with no hassle. I highly recommend Cottage Jewelry to anyone looking to turn unwanted treasures into cash without getting robbed or to anyone who is interested in purchasing something nice for themselves or somebody they love. read more