dropped in looking for wedding bands with my wife. really wanted something antique and this shop had many beautiful pieces. i found a lovely band in my size and the salesman gave it to me for an extremely reasonable price considering the recent bump in gold value. they also had a nice selection of costume/replica jewelry. i will say the salesman wasn't very nice, more blunt and direct; doesn't bother me but just a heads up. read more

Went in once about 15 years ago - what a treasure trove!!! looking for an excuse to go back to Philly during the week since there are closed on the weekends. Must combine it with a visit to the Barnes Museum! read more

Big fan of this place. They buy estates and have a bunch of inventory of things you can't find anywhere else. Old, beautiful jewelry. The guy that owns it isn't a pest when you're shopping around, and lets you take your time. I have also sold things here previously. All in all, fun to check out! read more

Very quick and professional service. Got several old pocket watches evaluated and sold. They quickly assess whether an item is gold, partially gold, or (relatively) worthless, and I trust their assessment. I would return to this place with other pieces of jewelry when I am ready to sell. read more

I went to an Estate auction over the weekend. I figured since I work in that area, this business would be the best to see if I have anything good. When I walked in I greeted the older man, silence! He didn't even say hello back ! First thing he said, what do you want? Not sure why I was greeted that way but I continued to bring out a bag of items. He didn't even look at the items so I figured, one of two things was happening. He's that good, he can tell it didn't have value or he didn't care what it was. It was the most uncomfortable, awkward, interaction I've ever experienced. I work with the public, no matter how rude people can be, I would NEVER treat anyone as if you don't want their business. I've heard similar stories but didn't think it would happen to me. I rank the business with a C but customer service skills F-. He NEVER has to worry about me ever going there or recommending anyone to shop there. I wasn't valued as a customer and he didn't care if I never went back . read more

I'm surprised that this shop has so many negative reviews on Yelp and wanted to share my positive experience. I stopped into I. Switt to look at antique rings and was blown away by their selection in comparison to other stores on Jeweler's Row. The older man working behind the counter was very kind and helpful. He let me try on as many rings as I liked and even made suggestions for rings he thought might be my style. He wasn't pushy at all and was extremely knowledgeable regarding antique jewelry. I asked if the shop did jewelry repairs and showed him my great-grandmother's ring with a thin shank. He told me it was in good condition for daily wear and that I didn't have to worry about repairing it. I ended up leaving the store with a beautiful antique ring in excellent condition. The price was competitive with online stores like Etsy and EBay, with the benefit of being able to try the ring on in person before buying. I love my new ring and would definitely go back to I. Switt read more

My now-fiancé and I ended up buying my engagement ring here, which I could not be more happy with. Andrew and George know what they're doing and they made the experience such a positive one. They showed me tons of options but put no pressure on me at all. We went back again recently and I was able to pick out my wedding band! They had a quick turnaround time for polishing and cleaning, and their store truly has so many unique and beautiful pieces. read more

I. Switt - My engagement ring from the 1920s! - Jewelry Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

I walked into this store in an attempt to purchase a vintage watch in a hurry. Despite being very specific about what I was looking for and warmly greeting everyone inside, I was welcomed in a very crass manner. After sorting through a variety of watches, I asked the representatives if they had any "moonface" watches with their original bands. The representative firmly stated "that'll never happen". Soon after I mentioned that I have quite a large collection of vintage pieces with their original band that I happen to rotate though regularly that are in decent condition. The rep firmly recanted his statement and said "that's why!" in an incredibly callous way. I love supporting locally owned shops but if you're looking for jewelry I would recommend elsewhere based on my experience. read more

Poor experience, older gentleman was dismissive. I expected to be parted with a chunk of change and was treated like I wasn't worth the time which maybe I wasn't but ad hominem quips are unprofessional and distasteful. read more

I'm new to buying jewelry and came in to get a gift. Andrew helped me find exactly what I was looking for.

We were looking for an engagement ring and wandering around Jeweler's Row to get ideas. I. Switt's awesome window display immediately drew us in. George and Andrew were extremely friendly and very helpful - bringing out different options and describing each ring we were interested in. Their shop is really neat, it has been there since the 1930s, I believe. Engagement ring shopping at other jewelry stores was really stressful, like buying a car with pushy salesmen. That was definitely not the case at I. Switt. Their prices were more than reasonable, and they didn't try to sell us anything - they just showed us what was available and told us what it cost. Best of all, we found a ring that we love. This experience really added to a special moment in our lives in such a positive way. We'll be returning to find our wedding bands soon! read more

I. Switt - Jewelry Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

We found my wedding ring here! Love it, and appreciated the attention staff paid to us and our needs.

Very trustworthy, reasonable pricing, helpful owners (George and his son, Andrew). They guided me with patience and helped me design the perfect ring. I'd highly recommend this business. read more

I walked in to have my watch band and battery replaced and left very satisfied! Andrew provided me several options for the band, was quick, courteous, and a pleasure to talk to. It's surprising how hard it can be to find a place to work on watches these days, so it felt like a great find. I left liking my new watch band even better than the original. read more

I love perusing the window of Switt! It is a jem of a store - full of estate jewelry and beautiful silver. Both father and son are very knowledgeable and helpful. They also know their stock and just where to look for the perfect pair of earrings. They repaired a piece of jewelry quickly and with great expertise. I highly recommend Switt! read more

We came here to look at a wedding band for her. This place is so much more. I would love to go into detail but I know you're busy, so bullet points: - very nice selection, unique items that we didn't find anywhere else - wonderful staff who hasn't forgotten the art of conversation, and isn't pushy or mean. JUST HONEST. - fun store to be in, to see all the display cases and stuff - also the most affordable ring we found, WHICH IS JUST SUCH A NICE BONUS - what more could you want! We did buy a beautiful wedding band for her. It is a thin platinum ring with a fine, delicate engraving around the outside. If I was ever in the area with more time I would love to go into the store just to hang out with them and see some really cool unique items. read more

I came in to the store because of the amount of antique jewelry in the window and with the question: Is there any value to this ring as an antique? A miserable older man "helped" me. He was very rude and had no interest in actually helping me. "I know what you're trying to do and I'm not getting involved" was his response. (???) There are so many other shops on and around jewelers row who can actually help you with your antiques(?). [I don't know if its an antique ring because he wouldn't even look at it.] Granted, I was looking for an expert opinion and not to make a purchase, but he certainly did not win a customer. read more

Excellent selection of jewelry and art objects. 100 time more interesting than any chain jewelry store. More items than one could view in a day. Just purchased a brooch that I think was an excellent value and received service like the old days. read more

I bought a 1960s vintage diver watch from I. Switt. Andrew is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to vintage watches. From what I have found, he has the biggest collection of vintage watches on jewelers row, which includes many Omegas. Andrew was more than happy to let me sort through his inventory of watches and answer any questions that I had. When I picked the watch I was interested in, he wound it up and opened the case back to let me inspect the movement. It was in pristine condition for a 50 year old timepiece. I ended up making the purchase. With many vintage watch transactions taking place online, I find comfort in dealing with a business front face to face and seeing exactly what I am purchasing. Andrew also services watches, so when the time comes, I know exactly where to bring it. Aside from watches, this store has tons of estate jewelry, silverware and many other treasures. Definitely worth it to stop in, especially if you appreciate the old school craftsmanship and uniqueness of antiques. read more

I visited the I. Switt store when my husband took me to the East Coast for a get-away. We had a great time in Philadelphia on our way up the coast, so decided to spend a few more hours on our way back. As we were walking about, the sign for the diamond dealers' street caught my eye. We took a quick stroll down the avenue. The only store that caught my eye (went right past the stores with glossy, new wares) was I. Switt, with their eclectic window filled with vintage and antique jewelry in gold and silver. I was jonesing for a memento of the trip, and a nice piece of vintage jewelry would do nicely. I dragged my husband inside to see what we could find. I don't like gold as well and am currently enjoying bracelets, so I asked the proprietor to see a tray of silver bracelets. OH! What delightful indecision as I tried on piece after piece. After much internal back and fourth, I settled on a lovely vintage American piece made of maple leaves. I negotiated, but not hard, and left, the proud owner of my chosen souvenir. Once I got home, I discovered I lost the proprietor's card. I was doing a little searching to find the store to (finally) post my review, when I came across a wonderful article involving the original owner of the store, Israel Switt, and his heirs: http://blogs.reuters.com/alison-frankel/2015/04/20/how-heirs-of-alleged-rare-coin-thief-won-gamble-against-u-s-mint/. I truly love this story and feel it makes my little bracelet a piece of history. read more

Had a poor experience in this shop. I was shopping for two reasons. One, looking for an engagement ring. Two, to get my bangle bracelet safety fixed. The older man was not friendly or eager to help me look at engagement ring and was telling me things were "probably out of my price range" when they ended up perfectly in my reasonable range. Almost seemed like he didn't think I was worth spending time on. The younger man went on and on to me about how intense of a fix this was on my bangle even though it's not worth much. It's worth something to me. It was a gift when I was a child from my late grandfather. One of the last things he gave me. Instead, he was offering other solutions to fix it which were half-ass at least. The kicker was they quoted me $85 for the half ass fix. Went down the street to Harry Merril and they said "it's an easy fix - $42" and it was done in two days. These people seem to be dishonest and try to rip you off read more

I stopped in because of the lovely jewelry in their store front. They have a ton of stuff that I would have loved to look at but found the service a bit off putting. I was only there for about 15min and I was made to feel like I was wasting their time. The younger gentleman that was there seemed annoyed when I didn't like the selections he was pulling out. I showed him pictures of what I was looking for and he kept showing me things other than what I was looking for. The older man that was there made it appoint to keep up the dismissive attitude with me. The rude attitude I got because they didn't have what I was looking for wasn't necessary. I would have been happy to go back and look for other stuff but not sure I'll be going back. read more

This place is great and the people are great. I got a beautiful necklace and can't wait to save some money and go back to see what other treasures are waiting! read more

Excellent place for all your jewelry needs. Especially if your looking for a unique antique piece. Owners are honest and knowledgeable and will for sure best help you find what your looking for. read more

The older gentleman who assisted me was so droll, so condescending. I went to Philadelphia on the day of my visit specifically to purchase something from I. Switt because I have started collecting antique silver and remembered the store from when I was younger & lived in the city years ago. When I asked for help from the gentleman, he took it almost as a challenge as to demonstrate my ignorance and ineptitude. Given that I made the trip to Philly just to visit this store, it was going to take a lot for me not to buy something. Due to this employee's haughty attitude, I sadly left empty handed. read more

Bought a Vintage Hamilton Otis Reverso. When asked about other watches, Andrew spent time and brought out a selection for me to see in my interest area. Didn't realize how large their inventory is. It is clear that Andrew is a true watch maven and enjoys interaction with his customers. read more

I. Switt was suggested by our brother in law when my husband wanted to buy me an anniversary ring. We are so happy we went. George and his son, Andrew are so wonderful, warm and knowledgable. They both made the entire process fun and exciting! In addition to spectacular jewelry, the store has so many interesting items; silver, clocks, antiques of all kinds. If you go plan on spending some time. This jewelry/antique store is a true 'Gem'! Thank you George Andrew Antoniak !! read more

The Switt team was PERFECT; my fiancee and I couldn't be happier! I consulted with George and worked with Andrew, both of whom were incredibly knowledgeable, passionate, friendly and encouraging. Together we created a fully custom designed engagement ring that my Fiancee LOVES. My fiancee gave me an idea of what she wanted for a ring, which included a vintage look with recycled diamonds and moonstones, so starting at a vintage shop was ideal. When I didn't love the first couple pre-made settings in stock (they were beautiful, just not what I had in mind), Andrew suggested we go full custom, using Computer Aided Design (CAD) - I was able to choose materials, design, stones - the whole thing. We went back and forth many times over the details, with Andrew making excellent suggestions, pointing out ways to have the ring be strong and secure, yet sleek and elegant, all while being cost effective. Once we agreed on the design, he had it made and sent to me very quickly and efficiently. The whole process was clear, communicative, and comforting - and perhaps most importantly, stayed within my original budget. Again, my fiancee loves the ring, and everyone we show it to is overwhelmed by how beautiful the ring is, and how special it is that it was custom made. Ultimately, I ABSOLUTELY recommend using Switt for jewelry shopping, and especially for finding or creating the perfect engagement ring! read more

I. Switt - We love it! - Jewelry Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

I wandered into I. Switt looking for a simple pair of pearl earrings. I was shown a pair of gorgeous pearls, and in a week or so I. Switt had mounted them onto gold studs, just what I wanted. A few weeks later my husband I I returned with two gold rings neither of us would ever wear. The owner evaluated them and offered us cash on the spot. Both these transactions were straightforward and pleasant. I can't wait to return to peruse the treasures in their window and on the shelves! read more

Great service and even better value! Used them for an engagement ring and will use I. Switt again for the wedding band. A Little About I. Switt: Family business with decades of experience in the industry. George is the father and Andrew is his son. They have a good selection of stones and, in the off chance they don't have what you're looking for, they know where to find it. I generally support small businesses, especially for higher-end items, since they don't have to spend millions on advertisements - driving up the price even more. My Story: This was a major purchase for me so I wanted to be involved. Andrew understood and encouraged this - and made the process extremely easy for me from start to finish. I described what I was looking for and provided a few photos of the final goal. First step was to find the right stone. I told them what I was looking for and they offered a good selection of stones that fit the bill. Andrew provided photos, videos, and the GIA certification of each stone so that I could take time, in the comfort of my home, to think about which stone was for me. He was patient, helpful, and genuinely wanted me to be happy with my purchase. After I selected the stone, Andrew walked me through a set of structured questions to design the band. I described how I wanted it to look and he asked the necessary questions to get the details just right. He showed me examples of how things would look and, if/when I changed my mind about things, he offered good alternatives. Super patient and helpful! He worked his magic and sent over an AutoCAD/3D Blueprint just to make sure that everything looked right. I gave him my feedback, he respectfully took down my comments, and soon after he had it in a wax mold with the stone. I was extremely satisfied and gave him the final approval to cast. I received the ring soon after and was pleasantly surprised - and relieved. The ring looked even better than I could have imagined! The CAD and mold didn't to justice to the final product. Overall, very easy process for something I though was going to be complicated and stressful. I had the ring independently appraised and was pleasantly surprised, no shocked, at the difference between what I paid and what the ring was actually worth. I'll definitely return my business for the wedding ring. read more

My fiancé read about I Switt online and thought they might be the right place to look for his wedding band. I tagged along not expecting to find my own wedding band. Located right off Jeweler's Row, I Switt's storefront was full of interesting knick knacks. We asked about rings and the owner dumped a box of bands on the counter. We searched through them and both found ones that matched what we were looking for! I love my band. It almost matching my vintage engagement ring exactly. If you're looking for something different or antique, check them out! read more

I. Switt - My antique wedding band from I Switt. - Jewelry Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

I was leaving Philly and thought I would treat myself to something shiny before I left. Walked in and saw a couple pieces I liked so I asked to see them. I was told that I wouldn't be able to afford them, asked to see them anyway. Just want to point out that I was wearing jewelry worth 5x the pieces I asked to see. Either they are really stupid or racist, not sure which. read more

Very good service, friendly and courteous and a pleasure to buy from! I would deal with them again. Great place to shop for antique and older jewelry. read more

Incredibly nice and very helpful with a lot of fantastic vintage and antique options.

I. Swit has a vast collection of unique jewelry as well as antique sterling silver tea sets, candle sticks, and watches. There is no other store of its kind anywhere! The owners are not only very knowledgeable and fair, but a true pleasure to work with while you are choosing your jewelry. I highly recommend I.Swit if you are seeking a one of a kind, artistic, piece of jewelry or looking to add sterling silver tea sets or candle sticks to your collection. You will not be disappointed and can easily spend hours looking at their very special collection. read more

This place is a treasure. My friend and I stopped in here today to look at rings and had such a great experience. George and Andrew were very friendly, knowledgeable, and beyond helpful with all of our questions!! We had a large selection of unique rings to look through and left very happy. Can't wait to go back! read more

I took a an older (1970's limited edition) Tourneau here to repair. Andrew opened it up, noted that the battery had corroded and that the watch might not be reparable. He was very professional and was realistic about the possibility that I might not be able to fix it, but agreed he would do what he could to make it happen. He not only fixed the watch, but cleaned it up beautifully and gave me a presentation box. I was thrilled to have the watch back at such an affordable price. Highly recommend for any watch repair. read more

As of this review I am a senior in college, and one of the assignments I had to complete for my program involved speaking to any jewelry store and having them describe a couple of their antique jewelry pieces. Right from the start I made the purpose of my visit to this store clear and respectfully inquired if they had a few minutes to spare to help me out. I noted that by no means were they obligated to help, but that I would be very appreciative if they would be able to do so. There was one customer in the store, and a staff consisting of what appeared to be an older man, younger man, and older woman. I was met with obvious looks of irritation, and the older man I was speaking to very begrudgingly placed a ring on the counter. He looked off to the side with a look of annoyance as I spoke to him, and whenever I tried to ask him any questions he would bluntly respond with a disdainful tone and expression that made it obvious that he thought I was just a waste of his time. After spending a minute getting virtually no information about the piece, he dismissively said I should just go to some other jewelry store instead to get information about some other piece because "he had work to do." He promptly indicated that I should go, at which point I politely left. As an additional kicker I realized a minute after I had left the paper with the instructions for my assignment with them, and went back to retrieve it. I was told rather indifferently by the younger man there that they had shredded it. As someone that wasn't actively shopping I would understand some level of disinterest on their part, however the degree to which I was treated so rudely and looked down on was staggering. Absolutely avoid this store. read more

Lots of oddly good reviews about this place, and only one that was reminiscent of my experience. After reading the reviews, we decided to hit I Switt first to find a gift for my mother in law's 60th bday. I knew I wanted to get her something to remind her of family, like a birthstone ring or necklace but not quite that cheesy. Was just hoping something might jump out at me. We walked in and were not greeted with a smile by anyone. I explained what we were looking for to the older gentleman and he brusquely informed me that they don't do "birthstone" jewelry since they have to be made. I know that, I am just looking for something AKIN to that idea. Unfortunately, this is not the type of place where you can just browse. There is a ton of crap everywhere, and most of the jewelry is hidden in another room. So he brings out a swatch with a bunch of lovely bracelets on it. I start asking about one that has different stones in it, perhaps they would be the right birthstones? I ask him to name the stones. He was very rude now. "I don't know...uh, that's a garnet. That's an emerald...", etc., with such annoyance. I looked at him and said, "Just curious!" (i.e., calm the eff down). I guess he doesn't like to be questioned about things he is clearly not expert on. We should've left at that point. Instead, I asked how much a tahitian pearl bracelet was. His response: $2500. So glad I wasted 5 minutes looking at something that was clearly a ridiculous price point. Let's be honest. The average person walking into an antique jewelry store is not looking to spend thousands of dollars. We told him we wanted to spend a couple hundred. He goes, "Oh, I didn't know..." That's why you ask before you bring out all of your merchandise. My husband then mentioned that his mom really likes shells, did they have anything like that. Good call! I didn't think of that! We were so stoked when he pulled out this cool clam-shell pendant/locket that it didn't matter what the price was. Which, btw, was $175. Since that was about how much we wanted to spend, we didn't think about the fact that it was clearly not worth that much. We didn't even haggle. Rookie mistake and I take the blame. But I think that this guy used a tactic bringing out really high priced items first so that $175 didn't sound so bad. It worked, we bought it. But the next day I looked up similar pieces online, and most of them were in the $10-$20 range. I even found a vintage one even older than the one he sold us (presuming it was from the 50's as he said), and that one was listed for $20! We got completely ripped off. So we're the schmucks. I'll accept that. But beware. The jewelry business is lucrative, and they know how arbitrary it all is. Do your research before you hand your cash over. read more

I went in about a month ago to look at old cut stones. I was considering switching out the stone I currently have for something older. When I went in there was an older man and younger man working the counter. They were extremely rude and off-putting. At times, they didn't even look at me while I was asking a question or trying something on. I felt like I was interrupting their work day. At one point when I told them that I was looking to put a different stone in my ring, the younger man said, "you should start over with a different ring instead of bastardizing the one you have." I was speechless. He actually used the word "bastardizing" when describing my intentions with my ring. Is that how jewelers close a deal? The unfortunate thing is that they have some of the best estate/vintage jewelry I've seen in the area and I really liked their wedding bands. But the salespeople were complete jerks. When I was at another store describing this experience, an extremely nice salesperson said there is a lady that owns the store. Perhaps there is better luck with her. The fact that some of the reviews on Yelp of this place are three years old and people are still having bad experiences leads me to believe the store just operates this way. Extremely upsetting and disappointing. read more