The Vortman Jewelry store was a tiny hole in the wall on Telegraph Ave in Berkeley, when I bought my wife's engagement ring there in 1967. Kind of right during the the Free speech, Anti War times, but we were pretty "traditional." Vortman was a tall, European guy who convinced us that he knew what he was talking about! We went back over the years until one day, he wasn't there anymore Going through my box of old memories, I came across that ring (my wife has passed away) and then saw my watch from 1968, when I was stationed on Guam with the USAF. I had purchased this Tissot divers watch, and wore it every day for ten years, until I forgot to lock down the stem and got water into it... one thing led to another, I took it to a repair guy, who messed it up and lost the second hand. And so it's been broken down for about 25 years. I wondered what happened to Vortman, so I looked him up online, and saw that there was this store by that name in Castro Valley, so I went in, and his son Randy was the man of the hour. We talked about the past, about the ring, and about watch repair. He looked at it, and said he could bring it back, and I took it, and a Hamilton watch that also was my wife's, that was also not running. Well, he has fixed both, and hopefully they will run perfectly for the next 25 years!! But Randy helped to bring back powerful memories to working order, and I'm really grateful for the craftsmamship and the stories from the past. By the way, Randy noticed a small signature in the Hamilton watch, that his dad had engraved when my wife had brought the watch for a repair maybe 40 years ago... What a gift!!! read more

Vortman Jewelers - Tissot and Hamilton, working together again! - Jewelry Near Me - Castro Valley, California

I had the diamonds in my wedding band transformed into a beautiful pendant and stud earrings for my daughter's 30th birthday. Something new from a memory that meant a lot to me since I am now divorced. Randy worked w/me to create a new memory for her to begin her new decade. I am so pleased and I am sure she will be too! I highly recommend Vortman Jewelry and will use them again w/o hesitation! read more

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I would first like to address the one negative review her about the opal ring and how it came out of the setting and they expected Randy to replace it at cost. My birthstone is opal. I have had countless opal earrings and rings over the years. Opals are extremely fragile. You can easily crack the stone and not even know it. It sounds to me like the opal was hit, then cracked, then fell out of the setting. Pretty certain the opals in the earrings will not fall out. But to expect Randy do do something here for free is just wrong. How is that his fault? When you buy a car, and it gets a dent, do you expect the dealer you purchased it from to fix it at cost? Now to sing more praises about Randy! I can not imagine ANYONE not loving him. A true professional in every sense of the word. His watchmaking skills are award winning. Also has fixed numerous pieces of jewelry for me that came back better than new. I have myself also worked in the fine jewelry industry. And you really never know who you can trust when making a big diamond purchase, or any fine jewelry purchase. You can trust Randy. And one of my favorite things about Vortman Jewelers is something Randy does because of what his mother said to him. She said, "Randy, when these ladies come to you with their cheap broken bracelet that they bought from Avon, fix it for them. It may be cheap, buts it's a special piece to them." Although I don't have any Avon crap, I do have some inexpensive, but pieces that have broken, that I absolutely love. Randy understands, and has never made me feel ridiculous for wanting to save it. Randy is hometown good. As good as it gets actually. You can't find jewelers like this anymore! I would not take my business anywhere else!! And nor should you. read more

This man has to be the best in the Bay! You won't find a kinder or more honest jeweler.

Randy is one of the best guys I have met who owns a local business. Not only is he a great jeweler, he is just a great person to talk to. Having run his family business for many years, I completely trust Randy with any jewelry repair. A while back I brought in a ring I got for my wife and had him adjust all the prongs, do an appraisal and size it. He delivered it back in a beautiful wood display box at no charge. That's the type of service that makes me keep going back (now don't ya'll expect free boxes from Randy!) He won't bullshit you and put on a sales shirt. He just tells it like it is, just like me and that's what I respect the most about him. Thanks Randy for keeping your shop alive in Castro Valley! After going here for nearly 20 years, I figured he earned a Yelp review. 5 stars plus a Jay G. 6th star (just like the Ritz Carleton). read more

I love this place!! Class act! Randy is wonderful!! I will always take my jewelry to him!!

I love this place and the owner is very pleasant to deal with. He is honest and I always leave here knowing that he will take care of my things. I have been here numerous times over the course of about ten plus years and I have always been satisfied with his workmanship. read more

So disappointed in this shop. I brought in my new diamond tennis bracelet. It had fallen off at the beach when I bent over to pick up a shell which scared the bejeezus out of me! I knew the clasp wasn't right so I wanted to get it fixed so I didn't have to worry about that happening again. I took it in and was told there wasn't enough gold in the clasp for it to stay closed but that it could be fixed. Fine! I'd pay to know it would stay on and I wouldn't have to worry about it. Came back picked up my new and improved securely latching bracelet. Took it home and started wearing it. Two days later it fell off again. Luckily I was home this time and not at the beach. Took it back in and told him the same thing happened as before. The latch just opened up. His response was 'Well yes, that's just going to happen." What? What did you fix if the same thing is just going to keep happening? Basically he said it's on me and that that's what you get when you buy Costco jewelry. Not planning on ever returning to this sad excuse for a business. read more

My wedding ring needed resizing and prongs repaired, He was amazing!

I had heard about this place, but never had come in. The owner. is very nice. I walked in with a ring to be sized that I needed done in a day. He did it and it was wonderful! I couldn't even see where were the ring was expanded. They hand make all their jewelry for large Jewerly stores, but sell some onsite for the same cost. It was all beautiful. read more

I highly recommend Vortman's Jewelers for all your jewelry repair needs. I was looking for a jeweler that could resize my wedding ring set. It belonged to my grandmother and is very sentimental to me. My problem was trying to find someone that could work on Platinum. I didn't realize how hard it would be to find someone even willing to work on it... that is, until I was referred to Vortman's Jeweler in Castro Valley, Ca. Randy is the man! No hesitation in taking on the job! My set was 2 separate pieces, but I had him fuse them together for a more comfortable fit. It came out beautiful and with a brilliant bright shine! This was 16 years ago! I came back to him Tuesday, (3-23-21) after I had felt a small split in the fused part of the ring. I got it back 2 days later and it's back on my finger again right in time for my 16th wedding anniversary next Monday! I'm one very happy customer. read more

Randy is wonderful! My engagement ring and wedding band are beautiful and classic. His prices are affordable and his quality is unparalleled. We also bought my pearl bracelet, earrings, and necklace here and they are absolutely perfect. If you want high quality jewelry for the right price, go to Vortman's. read more

Randy, thank you soooooooooo much! This is exactly what I wanted. I couldn't be happier! You were recommended to me by a dear friend who has been doing business with you for years and I can see why. You definitely have another client in me for years to come! Many THANKS! Kittie M read more

I am extremely satisfied with the cusumer care and quality of this small business. It 's a real little jewel, yuk ,yuk. Seriously , the prices are very good , even more so for repairs. I have had my Movado watch and band repaired here quickly and I thought at a very fair price. Cheap even! read more

Randy is so helpful. I bring him watches to fix all the time, and he is able to do it so quickly. I bought my daughter a pearl necklace, bracelet, and earrings for her wedding and they are such high quality! Every time she wears them, someone compliments her on how beautiful they are! I have been coming here for so many years. Don, Randy's father, used to fix my watches/broken jewelry before he passed away. Randy is just as wonderful as Don was. Prices are fair, and quality is unparalleled. Vortman's is a friendly, family-run place to buy high quality jewelry from honest people. read more

Randy did a wonderful job prepping our rings for our wedding this past July. His service was impeccable and delivered the rings back to us looking amazing. We had been wearing them for years as commitment rings and we decided to use them as our wedding rings, so they needed a facelift - Randy did a splendid job at a remarkable low cost. I would highly recommend his store to anyone looking for an informed jeweler who delivers a personal touch. Dennis Lickteig William Giammona read more

Excellent quality, personal service and the best prices. Make a new friend...trust me...Randy is the real deal!

Nice man, great quality of work & a professional work ethic to boot. Highly reccommend this nice find in the hills of Castro Valley! Randy will also educate you on what goes into the jewelry whether it be a wedding ring or a watch. He has been a watchmaker for quite some time & definitely knows his craft. This is why you see repeat customers coming back for more. read more

What a great place! Randy, the owner, did a great job resizing my wedding ring. I love frequenting family-owned businesses, and this place is as good as it gets (truly!). When I picked up my ring I also dropped off 5 pieces for appraisal (and some were VERY old pieces, which I've never entrusted to ANYONE before). Very happy with the service and quality. I even took my husband back with me so he could meet Randy and see what nice work they do (Christmas is coming!)... read more

Very nice guy. Doesn't carry what I was looking for but gave me 10 minutes worth of good advice on what to look for and what to avoid. I will definitely go back here instead of going to the place in San Francisco I used to go to for jewelry. read more

PLEASE READ THIS REVIEW IF YOU WANT BEAUTIFULLY CRAFTED JEWELRY! Closed Sunday AND Monday, just like hairstylists. Vortmans Jewelers have been recommended to me by anybody and everybody that I ask in Castro Valley. I called and found out their hours. Today is Monday so I await their call (hopefully) on Tuesday. Everybody deserves a weekend. Vortmans is open on Saturday for our, the customers', convenience, so they are closed today. Sigh... First thing Tuesday morning, I received a call from Randy Vortman telling me that they are open and he invited me to his shop any time, I went down that afternoon. I brought three rings that need sizing and two also needed repair. My rings were a mess. Broken stones, loose stones, cracked mountings. His work is amazing. As a true craftsman, Randy's work is unseen. "What?", you say? That's right. I cannot see where Randy repaired either of my grandmothers' rings. Amazing! OK, now to top it off, he called me a week after I picked up my jewelry and wanted to know if I was satisfied with the work. He let me know that everything was guaranteed and if I was not satisfied, I could bring anything back for adjustments, cleaning and repair for free. Who does that anymore? Wow!!!! I got a chance to talk with Randy for awhile. Designing jewelry is his passion. He loves to buy a gem and design the jewelry around it. His rings and pendants are exquisite! When Randy talks about his designs, his eyes light up. The stones that he picks are beautiful or unusual, or if you are desire, both. He loves to educate you about a stone or a design, but I didn't feel like I was being taught. I got caught up in listening to Randy talk about his work. Time flew. Finally, Randy loves his home town of Castro Valley. As a relative new-comer, (I have only been here for 19 years) what more can you want? read more

Awesome place to have your jeweler repaired! Little shop that recommended to me by someone at work. He does great service at a fraction of the price you find elsewhere. He has repaired a micheal kors watch for me an polished a Burberry one back to new condition! Great job. He also works on Rolex and can service your rolex for less than half the price of others! Will be droppings mine off next week. Great guy and it's awesome to have such a well ran business in my hometown. Keep up the good work! read more

Randy is a master craftsman old-school jeweler that will take care of you. I TRUST him to fix my vintage jewelry & watches and clean my existing modern pieces. Make sure you have time to spend there because he will talk your ear off. read more

I have been meaning to review this place for a while, and am finally getting around to it. Vortmans is a family-owned jeweler that has been in business forever. It is a one-man shop ran by Randy. Randy is awesome! He is very knowledgeable about rings, diamonds, and the industry in general. Unlike big-box stores, Randy cares about the person, not just the sale! I enjoyed telling him about my engagement proposal; and he enjoyed telling me about some proposals in his family! It's nice to connect with a jeweler that way instead of feeling like just a commission! I gave a description of my girlfriend's style & personality, and through that he was able to recommend a ring he thought she would love. He was spot on- it's perfect, she loves it, and of course she is now my wife! The ring we got was a simple, elegant, and classic design which is just super classy, timeless, and of course, beautiful. Furthermore, because he is a diamond wholesale importer, he gets great deals on diamonds, so he offers affordable deals on his jewelry (as opposed to big-box stores that are selling you a highly marked-up retail price). He is also a true artist that loves his craft, and you can tell by the passionate way he speaks about his work, and of course the final product. Big-box stores are just trying to make a buck. They always imply that the only thing that matters is size, never educate you about the ratings of the 4 Cs (because, you're dealing with salespeople, not actual jewelers), & the rating system they use generally is the worst rating company that gives great grades to mediocre diamonds- plus their prices are jacked up retail prices. Their diamonds seem to always have a huge tradeoff (nice cut, crappy clarity); they like to tell you that their "special trademark cut" makes all diamonds brighter and more clear and it makes the 4Cs irrelevant (it doesn't); or if you actually find something rated well in all the 4 Cs, it is completely unaffordable. With Randy, you ALWAYS get the best quality in your price range. He will educate you on the quality of all "4 C's" and make sure you get a great ring. He is more interested in creating something beautiful, giving you something you or your fiancee will love, and having a satisfied customer, than he is in jacking up the price and making a quick buck. Randy is an artist that loves to make unique rings for his customers- he doesn't have a lot of finished rings laying around for you to choose from. It is of course a leap of faith ordering a diamond/ring sight unseen- where at the box stores you can just pick out the ring you like- but doing it this way, you get your own, unique ring, unlike any other, which is the beauty of having it made especially for you, and at a much higher quality as well. If Randy doesn't have what you want in-store, TRUST ME, ask Randy to order it and make it for you later, with one of his future diamond imports. You may not see the diamond up front, but if you tell Randy the 4 Cs you want and your price range, he will make sure to get you the best quality in those 4 C's, even if you order it sight unseen. Trust me, it will be WAY better quality than those big-box stores, and a better price too! To sum, Randy is awesome; his work is flawless; his passion for his craft is enormous; the quality of his diamonds, jewelry, and craftwork, is straight up exceptional; plus, his jewelry is affordable and an excellent value, especially given the phenomenal quality. I won't ever go to another jewelry store, and neither should you! read more

I recently went to Vortman's Jewelers to replace the battery in my favorite watch. Mr. Vortman was so helpful and so quick to change the battery. He was also super nice to me and provided some very useful feedback on some scratches I had on the face of my watch. I will absolutely go back to his shop for any other jewelry services I need! read more

I have known Randy V and his family for 50+ years. I utilized his fathers shop in Berkeley and will follow suit with his family shop in C.V........ As needed and to reminisce. read more

It is wonderful to know that great customer service still exists. I walked in on Christmas Eve for a last minute idea for my honey. Although the owner was busy packing up jewlery to deliver to a retail store he stopped what he was doing and greeted me very friendly. Most of the Jewlery in his store had been packed but I told him I was hoping to find some pearls. He went to a box he had just packed and took a few moments to find a georgeous necklace and earing set. Exactly what I was looking for. Not only is he very helpful and friendly, but he also is very competent when it comes to making jewelry. I made a subsequent visit a few days later when all the jewlery was on display and there is only great quality to be found there . I highly recommend this store if you want quality product and service. read more

I have been going to Vortman's jewelers for 15 years now and I have never been even slightly disappointed. Randy is a creative genius and a great guy to do business with. His stuff is always top quality and most of it is one-of-a-kind. Every time I pass a chain jeweler in the mall I just chuckle to myself. read more

Mr. Vortman is amazing! After having negative experiences with another jeweler, Mr. Vortman made this experience a breeze and made every effort to help me. My dad recommended this place to me, and I am so glad I came. Will definitely be coming back for future needs! read more

My parents purchased an opal ring, with diamonds and matching earrings in 2015 for my daughter's high school graduation. This is something they did for each of their granddaughters when they graduated. My daughter only wore the ring on special occasions as it's very special to her, especially since her grandmother passed away a few months ago. A couple months ago she looked down and noticed the opal was gone out of the setting and was lucky enough to find the stone, but it was broken in half. Her grandfather took the ring back to Vortman's and instead of offering to replace the stone at his cost, he said it would be $500 for a new stone or $100 to glue back together the old one. My dad didn't feel like arguing with him since he is now ill, and since he already spent $3,000+ on the ring and earrings he had him fix the ring. Well it looks like shit now! You can completely see and feel the crack in the stone and he should be ashamed to call himself a jeweler! So now my daughter has basically a piece of junk to remember her grandmother's thoughtfulness by. Thanks a lot Vortman Jewlers! I will NEVER do business with you again and I'll make sure to tell anyone who asks what kind of person you are too! SHAME ON YOU! read more