Professional, trustworthy and charming…read more Following the birth of our daughter, my husband wanted to give me a yellow solitaire diamond ring. Unable to find a certified stone in Berlin and disappointed by the lousy service of online sellers, we decided to look for the right diamond in Antwerp. We contacted Ruys - and several other jewelers - ahead of our trip to Belgium, providing information what we were looking for. Jean, General Manager of Ruys Jewelery, immediately answered, offering his assistance and promising to provide me with photographs of suitable stones. Patentiently, Jean answered all questions and made sure there was a range of 8-9 diamonds - all corresponding to what I was looking for - available for me by the time we get to Antwerp. Once in the shop, Jean continued the outstanding service: He presented us the diamonds, explained their characteristics and the certification criteria. All diamonds he had available were absolutely stunning, he completely understood what we were looking for. Having chosen "mine" he made everything possible to get the right mounting for the stone so we could go back home with the perfect ring. This truly has been a very positive shopping experience. My husband and I felt very good looked after and also had the impression, Jean shared the joy for this occasion with us. He immediately understood what we were looking for and did not aggressively try to sell something. We appreciated that and recommend Jean and his team to everyone who is looking for a beautiful (bespoke) piece of jewelery in Antwerp.

This place was one of my favorite retails finds in Antwerp. There were some really great…read more"one-of-a-kind" Belgium designer finds mixed in with what looked like newer stock. They also had lots of interesting jewellery and accessories, an "okay" selection of shoes/boots, and some gorgeous handbags that definitely tested my willpower. I also really appreciated the laid-back, yet friendly, attitudes of the staff. I'm usually a grab and go kind of shopper, but I was probably in there for a good half hour and felt totally comfortable taking my time to browse the (neatly) jam-packed racks and try on items.

Fashion is huge in Antwerp, and rightfully so, it is home to the Antwerp Six (Dries van Noten, Ann…read moreDemeulemeester, Van Saene, Bikkembergs, Yee and Beirendonck--you get the idea). However, if you can't afford the pieces over at the Dries van Noten flagship store, I suggest checking out the many vintage stores on Nationalestraat. One of those stores is Jutka en Riska, which I found through some quick online research. They had a wide selection of vintage designer clothing items, mainly Belgian designers of course, for reasonable prices. Make sure to check out their jewelry section as well.