Great! Wonderful! Awesome! Thank goodness for James & Co. They saved my ring. Here's how it all went down. My husband decided to add a custom halo to my wedding set as a 30th birthday present. We originally went to a Family owned jeweler in Del Monte Mall. They smoothed talked us; used car salesman style in retrospect. They listened to our wish list and promised they could create the halo we had both verbally described and provided pictures of. They promised it'd be done in 2 weeks. Fast forward 10 weeks later my ring is finally done and it was Frankenstein. The halo was an obvious addition. Looked like an afterthought. The stones were channel set, not u-set as requested and they were significantly too small for the bands. The setting was crooked and my center stone was set in at an angle. The aftermath of this huge disappointment with that jeweler (rhymes with heepstake) is too long a tale to tell. So I'll spare you the details. Bottom line is we ultimately ended up where we should have started, at James & Co. Thank Goodness. Right away I felt at ease. James sat down with me and, without my pointing them out, listed every issue, flaw, imperfection the old halo had wrong with it. Hallelujah, I'm not the crazy B the original jeweler would have me believe I am. After that James and I met three more times in person to go over exactly what I wanted. He showed me other custom pieces he'd made that were similar to my halo idea. He basically just made it clear he got me. He spent more time than any other jeweler I've come in contact with to make sure I was comfortable with what the end product would be. So although he could only show me a computer generated image before I gave him the go ahead to make it; because of how thorough our talks were, I knew he would absolutely make tangible the halo I saw in my mind. I was wrong... It was better!! Oh so much better than the one in my mind!! So much more sparkle, just perfection. He did it in the time frame promised and it took my breath away when he opened that ring box upon reveal. It's worth mentioning, for those who may be on a strict budget, that the final price was more than what he originally quoted. By almost double.. eek. However I made it clear I couldn't afford that and we had to meet in the middle and he did graciously. He was extremely fair and kind and we both walked away from the table satisfied. So although I spent more than I planned to, I gave him a huge hug after payment. Because what I got, the way my ring looks, the amount of stones used, the quality of craftsmanship, the level of service, worth every single cent. I will go back! My ring is a stunner. Thank you James!!! read more

About 2 and a half years ago, I was looking to get my fiancé's ring resized. She was leaving the next day, and we wanted to get it resized before she left. James stayed late to resize ring and charged a very reasonable price. To reiterate, he stayed late, provided same day service, and did a great job, all at a LOWER PRICE than the others, who would have sent it off site, taken a week or two to get it done, and charged far more than what James did. Fast forward to now. My (now) wife's wedding band broke, making her unable to wear it. The store where we bought it (Zales) told us that it was not covered in the warranty, and that it would cost $150 to fix (and they would send it off-site, and get it back to me within 30 days, or something like that). I took the ring to James & Co to get a price quote from them. I casually mentioned that they sized the ring about 2 years ago. The gentleman then told me that they stand by their work, and that he would fix the wedding band, and fuse it to the Engagement ring for FREE! Yes, FREE. I came back about 2 hours later, and he repaired it perfectly without charge. My wife is now happy, as am I. It should also be mentioned that James and Co does custom jewelry, and can work with you to create unique rings, necklaces, etc. Before you buy from a big box store, I highly recommend visiting James and Co first. They offer the best service, best prices, and best quality. If you want to get mistreated and disrespected by salespeople, go to a big box store (*cough* Zales *cough*). If you want to go to a well respected jeweler who values your business and provides great quality and customer service, James and Co. is the place for you! read more

You MUST go to James & Co! James is a true professional and provides you with all of the information and guidance in making the right decision. Here is my story: I was shopping around for an engagement ring and doing a lot of research online, through various websites, etc. I knew I didn't want to go and get it from a retail store or buy from an non-certified jeweler. I found James & Co from the reviews and decided to send him an email. He quickly responded and worked around my schedule to meet for our first consultation. Right away, I knew this guy was the man for the job! I went in there with an idea and I walked away with a product that was 10x better! First, James and I talked about the diamond and he quickly had diamonds come in that met our agreed upon specifications to where it was only a matter of making a decision, with his help, on the final one. He was extremely helpful in pointing out the flaws and walking me through the process of how to identify the specifics. Next, we talked on how he could custom design the setting utilizing his CAD technology and expertise and from there, I left it in his hands. He did an absolutely amazing job, completed the ring within a tight time table, and never once made me think/feel as if he were making decisions for me. I sincerely say that my fiance and I couldn't be happier with how beautiful her engagement ring turned out! His craftsmanship, work, prices, and this whole experience is unbeatable and I guarantee you will not find a better place for your Jewelry needs than at James & Co. read more

I came to James & Co., after reading many reviews online, in order to have my wedding band made to fit my engagement ring. And James & Co. absolutely lived up to the high expectations I had. I met with James twice to discuss what I wanted and what I had in mind. He was very professional and very welcoming. He showed us many examples of his work and instilled confidence that he could deliver what I was hoping for. I left my engagement ring with James and about three weeks later (very timely, quick turnaround), I had two absolutely beautiful wedding bands (we ultimately decided on two rings rather than one) that framed my engagement ring perfectly. The quality of the work and detailing that went into creating the rings were superb. I couldn't be happier with the rings. James and his staff were a pleasure to work with - very friendly, very professional, very high quality work. Also, the price was very reasonable, especially for two custom made, high quality rings that perfectly fit my engagement ring. The only reason I am giving four starts rather than the full five is that there were a couple times that it was hard to get in touch with James. However, for the most part, he was super responsive and very good with communication. Overall, my experience was very, very good and I couldn't be happier with the final product. read more

Where to start....I went into James after I could not find an engagement ring that I liked anywhere else. The usual places just pass you off as another sap as they try to sell you something that everyone else has for an outrageous price. When I finally found something I liked, it was farrr out of my price range, but when you find the one you love you have to go for it. I brought the design in to James and he immediately made me comfortable about the price, design, and diamonds (which I know nothing about). He worked with me to get it in my price range, kept in contact with me as the ring was made, and has been nothing but helpful and friendly from the start. Now the finished product is what most care about...and I could not be happier. James was willing to work with me on price, and did not sacrifice any of the quality or beauty of the diamond, or the ring. The design was not easy, yet they had the ring completed right on time when my fiancé arrived. James and his partner were professional, friendly, and extremely helpful throughout the whole process. Going to James for the first diamond experience was definitely the best choice I made. Simply put, they know what they are doing, and the enjoy their work. I would not recommend going anywhere else. read more

I don't know how many people will read this, but for those of you who do and who are planning to buy a ring or have any work done to ring or are just looking to learn a good amount about jewelry and diamonds, please see James. Really. I bought my engagement ring from him and my fiancée loves it. She loved the ring and she loved the story of how the ring made it to her hand. I searched for jewelers in the area and was drawn to James & Co and was almost certain that I would not be able to afford a ring from here. I mean, this man is a professional in what he does and whose rings can reach 5 digit numbers. Not to mention he was in the middle of repairing a ring when I walked in. "Have a seat, and let's see what we can find," he said. I instantly knew that I had come to the right place. A few hours later, after James sat with me and we went through book after book trying to choose a band (and having a great exchange about life, in general!) he suggested a ring that I knew was the one. I truly believe that James is a good and patient man with deep affection and caring for his craft. He made my experience special, and, needless to say, is the one we plan to visit for our wedding bands. Thank you, James. You're invited to the wedding! read more

I highly recommend James & Co. for any person looking for jewelry designs/ideas of any type. Mr. James is incredible to work with and is full of ideas when it comes to brainstorming jewelry designs. I recently went to him with a desire to help me design an engagement ring involving a family heirloom. Not only was he conscious about what setting styles would show off the beauty of the stone, but also he was cognizant of styles to help support and ensure the stones stability. I am beyond ecstatic with the work and craftsmanship he produced. He is very communicable, and remained in contact with me throughout the entire process. He is very nice gentleman who is truly a master of his craft. As a member of the United States military, it was comforting knowing I could not only trust him with every aspect of the project, but he was readily available to see when my schedule was cramped. His prices are amazing, and I would suggest everyone go see him before even thinking about visiting a large, chain jewelry store. The quality of work with Mr. James is far superior to the rest. I have no doubts that I will be returning to him with any additional ideas or help in the future. read more

Found James & Co through this lovely thing called Yelp :) We brought in a ring for him to appraise for us as we were trying to sell it and gauge what it was worth. From the beginning James was thorough and explained everything we needed to know about this ring (the good, the bad and the ugly). We then began to talk about a future engagement (possibly) for me. I had shared with him my dream ring that I had been eyeballing and he said if you found it and you love it, get it. This impressed me to no end - not trying to capitalize on us and being forthright was very becoming. I have since gotten the ring of my dreams - which is not an "engagement ring" by jewelry standards and tied down my dream guy. Again comes in James - we brought in my new ring for an appraisal and also to get a band made for it. James and his staff were patient, eager to please and ordered a few options for me to look at in person that were not in stock - impressive. Long story short - we are getting my band from James and also now going to purchase my fiancee's band from him as well. If you are looking for top notch, honest, no-pressure, no gimmick services - then James is your guy! read more

My fiancée and I had the pleasure of working with James on my custom engagement ring. We shopped around at every high end store you can imagine and nothing quite clicked and we felt like retail prices were a joke and everything looked the same! We decided to design our own ring with a gorgeous canary center stone and set out to find a jeweler who was up for the task and that was honest and trustworthy. We are incredibly particular and James totally got it. He managed to elevate the design we brought in even further beyond what we expected and he was fair and honest through the process. It was so special and such a unique experience I will never forget and I am sooooo happy we had our ring made by James. We got to review CAD designs along the way and had a lot of fun with the design and my fiancée had a huge hand in the details. We tinkered quite a bit with the designs but James helped to navigate us through the process. Now we have a really custom and unique piece that is just incredible and really meaningful to us both. Thank you James & co!!!! read more

I created a Yelp account in hopes that people using Yelp to find a jeweler use James & Co. Absolutely amazing. My husband bought my engagement ring and wedding band from James. He raves about the knowledge and patience that this company showed. But that is in another post - I am writing for the beautiful work that Jim did today! I wanted to get my band and ring soldered together, but I wanted to keep my ring unique, so I asked if they could keep it spaced (with a gap). MY GOODNESS!!! I almost cried picking it up. It's beautiful!! I cannot praise these guys enough. I've taken dozens of photos, but nothing compares to the in-person beauty. Go to James & Co. You will not be upset. They truly know what they are doing and they are very passionate about their work. Who else would you want working on such precious items!? read more

Today I picked up a ring that James created from a design idea I submittted to him. He was able to duplicate the design using the CAD system and completed its creation sooner than I ever expected. The ring is astonishingly exquisite, enhanced by the most beautiful and sparkly calibre of diamonds. I truly was speechless and amazed at the excellence of service and the end result. James kept me appraised of the progress every step of the way. I felt very comfortable with his exoertise and skills as a master craftsman. He extended himself to make me comfortable and as informed as I could be of the process. I am so impressed that I will recycle my other jewelry to bring them a new life. It was only possible because of James. Thank you! read more

I'm temporarily living in Monterey and was looking for a place where I could have an engagement ring designed and created. As it turns out I found this unique website of an even more unique Jeweler. James took a look at my grandmother's ring and we worked together to create a beautiful, modern setting for the center diamond. Through the weeks, I trusted James to put together something truly special with ideas I had in mind and what do you know? My trust was well placed. As a fellow Marine I'd truly like to say Thank You, for your service to this country and for your service as a remarkable jeweler. My fiancee was very pleased with the modern personality of the traditionally designed ring. Thanks James, Tom read more

There is no better watch repair shop than James & Co. My father inherited my grandfathers pocket watch, it no longer worked and some of the numbers on the dial had completely faded. I had no idea where to take it to get it repaired, so I googled and found James & Co. Upon walking in I was greeted immediately and Mr. James was very nice, helpful and knowledgeable. I appreciate the friendly, professional and expert service. My father's pocket watch turned out great!!! Couldn't ask for a better job. I wish I could upload before and after pictures so you could be the judge of the work done to the watch. Taking the pocket watch to James & Co was the best decision ever!!! I highly recommend James & Co. read more

I went to James & Co. for a quick adjustment on my watch. Even though it was a basic job and I went in without knowing James or his outstanding reputation, since my new watch is the most expensive I've ever owned (on my modest military budget), I was reassured as I quickly realized my watch was in the hands of a master in his field. I was in and out in a jiffy. In fact, as we talked and I got to know more about James, including his previous service in the Marine Corps, I wouldn't have minded if it had taken longer. It's always great, although unfortunately rare, to find a professional that is not only an expert but offers great customer service as well. Thanks James! read more

A+++. Working with James on an engagement ring was one of the best 'shopping' experiences I have ever had. I didn't know much about jewelry shopping or design, but once I sat down with James, I felt instantly comfortable and excited to design a ring. James is super knowledgeable of the jewelry business and handcrafting rings. I was in town on business from Atlanta, GA and after 5 days and only 3 short visits, James and I had designed the perfect piece for him to build. The Ring looked amazing! I cannot thank him enough. Super knowledgeable, considerate, caring, and professional. James will be designing the wedding band too! read more

I went to James to purchase an engagement ring in October. I had no knowledge of diamonds or rings and had little clues to go off of from my now fiancé. James was great. He didn't pressure me into buying anything, educated me, showed me some of his work and told me to take some time to look around other stores. I obviously came back to James and couldn't be more thrilled with my selection. He fit the price range I was in and read my mind as to what I was thinking (with my limited knowledge) would be the perfect ring for my fiancé. My fiancé loves the ring and receives compliments everywhere she goes. This was a great experience. read more

Really enjoyed working with James & Co to design and make a pair of diamond earrings that I've wanted for awhile. They took a picture I had and were able to make recommendations and replicate the design. They came out perfect! I couldn't be happier with the end result. The whole office is friendly and easy to work with. I didn't have a set or requested timeline, but the whole process (from finding and purchasing diamonds to designing and producing the ring) took a little over a month and on budget for the project. Would definitely go back for additional projects - and would recommend to anyone in need of a jeweler. read more

I found James and Co while searching for a jeweler to design and create an heirloom ring using the center diamonds from the wedding rings of my great-grandmother, my grandmother, my mother, and my own. I was drawn to James and Jim by the personal communication and service, as well as by the creativity and technological skills of these two men. I am thrilled with the beautiful ring and many generations of family will enjoy the heirloom. Thank you James and Jim for the delightful experience, perfect craftsmanship, and for the treasure that you created for me! read more

James and Co is the place to go for jewelry repair! I smashed the back of my ring while moving furniture and was panicked! I took it to James and Co and they were able to fix it right away. James also noticed that the 1930s vintage ring needed some repairs to prevent the center diamond from falling out. While he was repairing the ring, the two side stones also fell out, and James fixed them within the quoted price he had given me for fixing just one diamond. I am very pleased with his work. One suggestion for future costumers: Checks or cash only! read more