My fiancé mad my ring with Sam over here. I cannot talk about the service since clearly I wasn't there, but the product was the most beautiful piece of jewelry I have ever seen. Clearly Sam knows what he is doing and is amazing at it because he helped my fiancé, who has never crafted even a bead bracelet, make this amazing rose gold cathedral styled ring. There are some small imperfections, but these make my ring perfect since they remind me everyday that my ring was crafted by hand and will never be like another. If there is anything in this world I can recommend more, please let me know. I'm beyond excited to wear this ring for the rest of my life. read more

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The whole time I was working in Sam's shop, I was so happy I'd decided to go this route. What are the alternatives? Going to De Beers and picking a ring at random? Thinking about that option felt gross by comparison. This is an intimate experience that you'll remember forever and, in the end, the recipient of your ring will proudly tell their friends and family (and maybe random people in the street) that you MADE their ring! You'll be proud too--"No, it wasn't too difficult," you'll say. "Yes, now that you mention it, I AM kind of like a superhero." But like most stories, the real hero isn't standing in the spotlight, but someone behind the scenes receiving very little credit. That hero in this story is Sam Abbay. Sam is an absolute professional whose demeanor makes it obvious he has tons of knowhow working with beginners to forge the perfect ring. He took the time to explain every step of the process to me so that I was learning as I worked, making this experience even more valuable. You'll work for hours--you'll polish and saw and sand and solder and file and polish (did I mention you'd polish?). You'll be tired and feel like you did good work. The end result is something you can be proud of, a feeling that simply can't be purchased in a store. This ring will be a symbol of the love you have for your partner--and, like your partner, you'll know everything about it. As far as symbolism goes, how much more meaningful can it get than making your lover's engagement ring with your own hands? I can't recommend this enough. She said yes, by the way. read more

New York Wedding Ring - Arts & Crafts Near Me

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My wife and I had a great time making our wedding rings with Sam last year. We love our rings (palladium that we then had engraved on the outside). And one year later, after a quick shine, they look the same as the day we made them. People get such a kick out of the story and are amazed that we made our own rings. I made my wife's ring, and she made mine. Sam is a perfect blend of hands-on help while also letting you do all of the work, so you can really call the rings your own at the end of the day. Sam is also funny and laid-back, which is important when you consider you're spending an entire day with him. In general, it's not a full day of romantic ring-making (although there is some of that), it's a more relaxed, casual atmosphere that feels like you're hanging out with a fun friend who's an expert ring-maker. I highly recommend making your own wedding rings - it makes the symbol of the ring that much more special. And Sam (NY Wedding Ring) is a great person to walk you through it! read more

This was a fantastic experience! We were very specific about our time line and although we started the process a little late for Sam's timeline (book early, maybe 3 months, notice if you can) he was able to slot us in. We had a full day with Sam including lunch/dinner and beers. He was very friendly, chatty, and hands-on when needed, and hands-off for most of the day allowing us the time to work on our materials ourselves and never made us feel like he was waiting for us as he worked on his own projects too. We were very specific about the type of material we wanted to use as well as the design and he was able to accommodate all of this and talk us through pros and cons. The finished products came out great and we had a display box with polish cloth. We slightly mis-sized our rings and had to come back for an adjustment. This was a very quick and easy process and we are so grateful that this was an option. read more

My boyfriend and I just spent Saturday making our wedding bands with Sam. We had a great time! I wish I knew more people getting married so I could recommend him to even more people. It was so neat getting to do the ring-making process from start to finish. I feel like I learned so much and Sam was happy to answer any questions--from jewelry to living in NYC--we had. We did a lot more of the ring-making than I thought, which I am happy about, and it made it so much more meaningful than just buying bands at a shop. read more

If you're going to get an engagement ring, don't - call Sam instead and make one! I did and (apart from nabbing my wonderful fiancee) it's the best call I've made: the whole process was fantastic, from the start to the stunning rings we finished with. Throughout, Sam was the perfect guide: he had a great way of bringing out what I wanted, and provided me with just the right quantity of helpful suggestions. He gave me some great ideas - I saw the double rings he had made before and realized that was what I wanted - but didn't overwhelm me with choices. Once we'd discussed price-ranges and what I wanted in the diamond, he got an excellent selection for me to choose from before getting stuck into making the rings. He let me take my time looking at the stones, helped me see all the subtle differences in them, and let me choose the right pair. Making the rings was a blast, and Sam was a great teacher - very patient with all my awkwardness - and helped create a very relaxed atmosphere in which we worked together. I really enjoyed the work involved, even the more tedious parts such as slowly hand-sanding the rings down to a smooth finish. That work was an investment into the bragging that I'm now able to do, "yeah, I made those rings myself!" Joking aside, my having made the rings by hand made them so much more special to my fiancee, and has earned her lots of kudos from her family and friends, and is just such an unusual option and a great talking point. All in all, I can't recommend the process of making your rings with Sam highly enough: it's a wonderful way to make your engagement extra special, and Sam is the perfect workshop guide! read more

Sam's workshop was the only part of our entire wedding experience where we said we didn't care how much it would cost. Just the idea of making our own rings sold me the instant I found out about it. I really can't imagine doing it any other way. After your wedding is over, you may have photos or videos, but your wedding ring is the one thing that you are going to see every day. Spending the extra money to make something special and unique didn't require a second thought. The workshop itself was a ton of fun. At times it was genuinely hard work--my hands and fingers were killing me after spending an hour sanding down rough edges and minor imperfections, but even the hardest parts were worth it. Learning about how to work with different metals (SCIENCE!) was also really cool. I am still kind of amazed at how great the ring I made turned out. It is surprisingly hard to totally screw up when working with metal since it's a very forgiving medium. If you have any doubts about your ability to do this, have no fear, Sam is a great teacher and it is way easier than you'd expect. During the workshop, Sam documented the whole experience with his fancy camera and sent us all the pictures. I'm excited to show them all off to friends and family. So, seriously, stop browsing stores or looking online--New York Wedding Ring should be your one stop shop. read more

I don't usually post reviews online, but after having worked with Sam/NYWR multiple times I feel obligated to share my experience. I first met Sam when I was looking for a unique engagement ring for my now wife- I wanted something that she would cherish forever and truly fit her personality. I was beyond excited when I learned Sam would not only help me design the perfect ring, but actually walk me through physically creating it myself! It came out beautiful, and each step of the way I learned that all the things I thought I had taught myself about ring buying online was wrong- Sam was forever humble, and never pushy. He just walked me through all the options to craft the perfect ring and find the right stone. He even worked with me to find the right shade of gold alloy to match her grandmother's ring which she would use as her wedding band My wife was so impressed that she surprised me with a ring she created with him on our wedding day, so both our rings are matching custom rose gold. Fast forward a few years, and my wife no longer wants to wear her grandmother's ring on a daily basis due to sentimental value- I knew exactly where to turn when looking for a more traditional wedding band to surprise her with on our anniversary. Even though I am no longer located in NYC, Sam was able to work with me on the phone, through email and pictures back and forth to come up with the right design. He kept meticulous records of our past rings, down to the size of stone, width of band, etc and was able to once again match the gold alloy leading to the perfect set. Sam absolutely knows his stuff and will not steer you wrong. He has been professional and courteous in every interaction. His workshops are unique and will give you a story to tell for years to come. I couldn't recommend him more! read more

What an unforgettable experience we had!! My fiancée and I attended a whole day workshop at NY Wedding Ring and it was clearly one of the coolest, most romantic experiences we had in NY over the past couple of years. We built each other's wedding rings under the guidance of Sam, the owner of the studio. We built the rings from scratch, as we wanted to see every single step. That meant the whole process lasted slightly longer, which was even better! We particularly enjoyed melting the gold and adding bits of copper and silver to create our own customized alloy based on our color preferences. Using the torch to melt the alloy was so much fun. Sam is also very conscious about safety, so we felt comfortable all the way through even though we had no prior experience in jewel making. We were also very interested in the wealth of details Sam provided around the science behind the manufacturing process. It made for a very instructive and romantic day at the same time. Sam is incredibly knowledgeable, patient and passionate about what he does. We will never forget this day thanks to him! read more

So I started my search for engagement rings on the dreaded 47th street thinking that I could power through all the sleezy-ness....but I was wrong. 5 minutes walking down the street dashed any thoughts I had of picking up something unique or any possibility of not getting screwed over on prices. I then started doing searches for custom and vintage rings and stumbled upon Sam! He runs a great one-on-one session workshop at his studio and helps you make your own engagement ring or wedding bands from your own design. He took time to sit with me, talk about my ideas for the design, picked up the Sapphire I wanted, and helped me through the process of making a custom engagement ring. It was an amazing experience especially since I was expecting to have to deal with pushy-money hungry sales people and instead found a trust-worthy, cool guy telling you like it is every step of the way. I'll definitely be going back for my wedding bands as long as she says "yes" :) read more

ok, well, im just gonna say it... this was my favorite part of the whole getting-married madness... yes, really, it was that awesome... my then-betrothed and i made our wedding bands with sam, who patiently walked us thru the process. from prep to finish, sam was helpful and accommodating. but also, he's a fun guy to hang out with all day, which is pretty important, cuz it gets to be a pretty long day. ours took about 13hrs... but it really flew by. if u r considering this - really, seriously, stop ho-humming thru online reviews and go do it... itll be fun and special... and romantic too, if u r into that kinda stuff... read more

Making an engagement ring with Sam was one of the most rewarding things I've ever done. I highly recommend it for anyone looking to do something personal, and the sense of accomplishment when it's all done is amazing. It took me about 14 hours in total (over two days), so it also great that Sam is just a cool guy to hang out with. read more

The weekend we spent, mid-blizzard, in Sam's studio, making our wedding rings, was the highlight of the whole run-up to our wedding. We were relaxed, comfortable, warm and entertained - and the weather didn't matter at all. We were together without interruptions or any stress or hassle for hours and hours, just focusing on the various steps we each needed to do next to make the ring for the other. Very mindful "work" in a really pleasant environment where we could enjoy each other's company in a low-pressure way. Along the way we learned an enormous amount about the properties of different precious metals, the tools and processes needed to work with them, and not only what to do but why it would work. We also knew that even if we made a misstep, Sam was there and was reassuringly confident that "I can fix it". At a pre-consultation with Sam I had him evaluate some family heirloom rings I had in my possession. We determined that we could use my mother's ring and my grandfather's ring as liners for my fiance's ring and my own, and my grandmother's ring could be molten down and alloyed with some other special metal to be the solder between layers. Under Sam's guidance we resized those original rings and then made the outer parts of the rings from new stock. Without any rush or worries everything worked out perfectly and we have ended up with beautiful, unique rings that we made ourselves to our own choice designs incorporating priceless family pieces to extend the family line connection. We also came away with some lovely souvenir photos of our adventures in metalworking. If only all the rest of the wedding preparations could be as easily joyous as this! Thank you Sam. Oh yes, and last point for you Yelpers - there's a super pub very near to Sam's place so if you too come here in the middle of a blizzard it's very easy to hop out for a lovely lunch without getting too cold or having to clamber through a lot of snow piles. read more

Sam is fantastic. His attention to detail, honesty, and easy way makes him such a pleasure to be around. We discussed the color, weight, and feel the the rings I wanted and he was a great listener and asked helpful questions. I strongly believe that the personal story of a seller and the buying experience can greatly add to the pleasure and enjoyment that one derives from an inanimate object. Knowing Sam and his story has greatly increased the satisfaction that I get from this beautiful ring. He is a great guy, a skilled craftsman, and a true artist. Thank you Sam! read more

My fiancée and I recently designed and crafted our wedding rings with Sam during a private Wedding Ring workshop. Overall, it was a wonderful experience and looking back, one of the most joyous parts of our wedding experience together. Overall Impression: From the get-go, Sam was very knowledgeable and transparent about the process. He took the time to meet with us before our workshop to discuss how we would like to make our rings, what they would cost, and provided well-informed recommendations on trade-offs we could make (such as metal-type, stone-settings, etc.). Sam is clearly a craftsman who cares deeply for his work. The Process: With Sam's help we designed the rings we would make - my ring was a fairly straightforward platinum band, although I did opt to add a gold in-lay, which turned out fantastic. My fiancée's ring was a bit more complicated as we opted to include small diamonds half-way around to match her engagement ring. We ultimately had a stone-setter install these diamonds as it's a step better left to the professionals We met Sam early on a Saturday and I was actually impressed at how much we were responsible for in the creation of our rings. We cut, shaped, fused, annealed, & polished our rings. Sam was always near-by to provide a recommendation or help, but for the most part he let us take the lead when we were comfortable doing so. The overall process took ~10 hours from start-to-finish with a break for lunch. The pace was extremely unhurried, which is a refreshing change from just about everything else in New York. Sam let us savor the time together and I appreciated how he tried to make the process special for us. From picking music we would want to listen to, to taking terrific pictures at each step of the process, to coming up with interesting topics to talk about for 10 hours!, Sam made sure we were having a good time. We finished the day with a celebratory drink and great sense of accomplishment. Overall it was a marvelous experience that my fiancée and I will always cherish. read more

Sam was a fantastic instructor for guiding me in making an engagement ring for my girlfriend. He was very patient when I made mistakes, and explained the science behind each step and technique. I'd recommend his workshop to anyone seeking a unique, handcrafted ring made in a very welcoming environment. Thanks again! read more

I wanted a mokume gane engagement ring. Mokume gane is the Japanese name for the woodgrain look made by blending two metals together--similar to Damascus steel. I researched galleries in New York and didn't find anything I wanted to give her. I came upon Sam Abbay, who runs (and is the sole teacher) of NewYorkWeddingRing.com Easy-going, personable guy who loves what he does. I brought my fiancee along to the initial consultation and the three of us figured out what I was going to make. I chose the metals, woodgrain pattern, & band shape while she cared about the gem, overall color, and comfort. Sam ordered the gold, silver, and sapphire. Sam then coached me through making the ring over two days while my fiancee watched and made a simple ring on her own (which ended up being my wedding band). Great experience for both of us. Here's a picture of the final product: http://www.newyorkweddingring.com/wedding-images/200-padparadscha-sapphire-engagement-ring.jpg read more

You will not regret doing this. It is such an interesting day. I thought we would come to the shop and sit down and Sam would do all the work. That is not the case, you will make your own or each other's rings. Sam has great taste in music and food and he stirs up interesting and engaging conversation to make the time fly by. The final product is a good as anything in the store and Sam will advise you on how to care for, maintain and most importantly not lose your new rings. I am so glad my wife discovered this and I wish we wore more jewelry so we could make more for one another. read more

I cannot speak highly enough of the work that Sam has done for my husband and I! Sam created my custom engagement ring, both our wedding rings, and repaired an heirloom piece of jewelry for me. Not only are all these pieces beautiful but working with Sam was a true pleasure. My husband made his wedding band with Sam and I was lucky enough to tag along. Sam walked him through every step and it was an incredibly unique experience. When my great grandmother's ring broke one week before my wedding, Sam worked tirelessly to make sure it was repaired so I could wear it on the day of. I would highly recommend Sam for anyone looking for an amazing piece of jewelry! read more

I wanted to make my engagement ring unique and I'm very happy that I decided to work with Sam Abbay and New York Wedding Ring. Sam was helpful throughout the entire process (from explaining the different designs to making the ring itself). He is a patient and detail-oriented teacher. By keeping workshop sessions small, he is able to give everyone the attention and instruction they need. Sam was so clutch when he lent me his laptop to look up airplane tickets after my girlfriend (thinking I was at home) missed her connecting flight and asked me to check for other possible flights. I appreciate the time he spent with me on that Saturday and highly recommend New York Wedding Ring! read more

My fiancé and I made our rings with Sam at NY Wedding Ring in November. It was an amazing experience!!!!! Sam was very personable and patient. I made my fiance's ring and my fiancé made mine! We chose to make simple platinum bands and we can't believe how great they turned out. We highly, highly recommend the experience! Sam took photos throughout the process to document what we were doing. He gaves us the photos at the end of the session and we are going to use them in our wedding slideshow. Thank you again, Sam, for the amazing and special experience!!!!!!! read more

This was an experience you can not put a price tag on. Sam was a great teacher, you can tell from talking to him for the first time that he loves his craft and is extremely knowledgeable about it. From the chemistry involved all the way down to random facts about it. He even made the experience better knowing that we would want to capture the moment, he made sure to take pictures for us as well. He was very attentive helping us to make sure the rings came out perfect. Seeing your future wedding ring that will be on your finger forever in the shape of a bar and bending the metals into a ring and polishing it, i couldn't believe my eyes at the finished product. It was by far one of the most amazing experiences. I highly recommend Sam, he is GREAT! read more

My fiancée and I recently had a workshop with Sam of New York Wedding Ring, to make our platinum wedding bands. What a great experience! In addition to an impressive command of his craft, Sam brings a lot of warmth and humor to his workshop. He clearly loves his work, and his attitude contributed hugely to making the day a special event for us. I am not a craft-y person. My Ikea projects usually end up long on splinters, and short on right-angles. However, Sam deftly walked me through the technical aspects of jewelry-making . The end result was a lovely ring that I will be proud to put on my beloved's finger, come the big day. No one, upon seeing our rings, has been able to believe that we made them for each other! Happily, Sam documents his workshops with a lot of really well-composed photos, so I can prove it. Beyond my happiness with the purely esthetic quality of the rings, I treasure the knowledge that the ring I will wear was made for me by the woman I love, and hers by me. That is something that store-bought rings could never rival. I give New York Wedding Ring many thumbs up! read more

As a craftsman myself, the idea of making my own wedding ring was very alluring, and my wife was very excited about it as well. After a quick search online, I came across Sam and his workshops. When I reached out to him to ask some more specifics about his workshops, I was pleasantly surprised by his responsiveness and willingness to take the time to answer any and all questions that I had. During the workshop, I was impressed by his ability to quickly gauge our level of metal working competency and cater our experience accordingly. He wants you to be the one to do the work, and so he helps as little as possible. This may seem daunting to some people, but it is much more rewarding this way. His instructions were clear, concise, and helpful. Needless to say, the final products are beyond fantastic! The rings look very professional, and everyone we show them to are dumbfounded by them. My suggestion is to get there with a decent idea of what you want in terms of width, thickness, etc. because once you get there, you have to commit quickly, and you don't want to end up with something you aren't wild about. I thought I wanted a hammered look for a long time, but when I finally tried one on, I realized it just didn't look right, and ended up going with a brushed look. Sam was very helpful in helping me find just the right "brushedness" level. My wife when for a thin simple band with a high polish and it looks absolutely stunning. Sam makes you feel comfortable right away, and provides warm hospitality. I highly recommend doing one of his workshops...you will not be disappointed! read more

I originally wanted a wooden band to be eco friendly (and for comfort) but my fiance did some research and stumbled upon the new york wedding ring website. After following the status quo and purchasing an engagement ring through a commercial store (solely my choice without her input), we decided it would be more special to make our wedding bands after browsing through Sam's website. It was a great decision and we would absolutely do it again! We decided to make simple bands to match the engagement ring. Sam explained each step of the process as we went along and answered any questions we had along the way. The best part was that he showed us the technique and then let us do almost all of the work, which really made the rings our own. He is very personable and accommodating, and made us feel at home in his workshop/studio. My fiance was nervous the rings wouldn't turn out so well, but the magic is in the metal and they ended up looking just like something you would purchase from a retail store - the only difference is that we made them. If you have any desire to make your own wedding rings give Sam a call! read more