I can't say enough good things about Watson & Sons. I had Mark appraise my wife's engagement ring, her two wedding bands, my wedding band, and a Cartier men's watch. It was seriously the most pleasant 2 hours I've ever spent in this type of setting. And, I got to sit and watch the appraisal (but, to be clear, I'd leave my stuff overnight anyday). Added bonus, Shack the office dog is THE MAN :) read more

Came here to get an appraisal of my engagement ring for insurance. I had an appointment and was assisted upon arrival. I came during my lunch break and was pressed for time but was told in advance that it would take about 30-45 minutes to complete the appraisal. I sat and chatted with Mark as he completed his assessment but he worked quickly. Time flew by and I was able to learn more about my ring and diamonds in generally. Definitely a pleasure and would recommend friends to get their appraisals here! read more

These guys are fantastic! I came for an appraisal of a family ring and they were efficient, courteous, wonderfully explanatory and thorough. Not to mention, just plain friendly. I will definitely return to them for any other appraisal or jewelry needs. They're great. read more

I'm learning that sometimes things have to go "not as planned" so that you can learn the true value of something. Trust in the universe--or something like that. =) Thank you, Ryan C. for the excellent communication, righting the wrongs and turning work around as quickly as you can. He's treated three of my very, very old pieces with care, expertise and I've learned a lot in the process. Ryan, you're a gem. Mark, you're a charmer. Shackleton, you're my favorite #jewelerdog! Nia "Gemographer" & Jewelry Influencer @gemcorps (like Peace Corps) on Instagram read more

I found this place after going through many Yelp reviews and was pleasantly satisfied. I brought my Rolex in for an appraisal and Mark did a great job. He gave me some cool information about my watch's history and background. I will definitely come back and refer my friends to him. The office is also dog friendly:) read more

I made a disappointing purchase on line and needed an expert opinion on the item. Mark was able to accommodate me with a same day appointment. When I arrived for my appointment Mark was with another client. Erica listened to my concerns and was able to help rectify the problem quickly. Both Mark and Erica are professional, knowledgeable and helpful. Will definitely look to them for any future concerns and possible new acquisitions. Thanks again to you both. read more

I brought Mark an older Rolex and asked him if he could sell it for me. After cleaning, photographing and marketing it, he found me a buyer. An excellent experience. I recommend him highly!! read more

I chipped my vintage engagement ring and Mark came to the rescue. He came highly recommended and was incredible to work with. Mark is honest, kind and responsive. And best of all was the social distancing concierge service - dropping off my ring safely and promptly upon completion of the repair. Thanks Mark! read more

Mark (and staff) was greatly knowledgeable and efficient. They handled the appraisal professionally and I learned so much about my piece. I will now always go to them for all of my appraisals and repair needs. read more

I've been to Watson and Son a few times now, for insurance appraisal, looking to consign an item, and to re-size a ring. I've found Mark and Erica to be incredibly knowledgeable and they made this a great learning opportunity for me, giving me important historical information on my family heirlooms. And while we didn't proceed with consignment, Mark gave me great advice on how to sell it on my own. This shop is run by true professionals. It's important that you trust someone handling such precious items, and I'd be happy to recommend their services to anyone. read more

Watson and Son is a fantastic source for rare unique jewelry. He never disappoints us with the quality he offers and at a very reasonable price. He has spent extensive amounts of time in this industry and does amazing one on one custom jewelry designs. I would recommend him to any of my friends shopping in downtown SF to be sure and see him last after visiting the big stores so they could have a personal experience and meet the man they want to buy from. Mark is a solid as they come. read more

I needed my engagement ring and wedding band fixed (engagement ring "prong" fell off and wedding band a diamond came out) and I saw a friend post about Mark and decided to look him up. Turns out he just opened an office in Sausalito and was able to have me in right away. He was transparent in his pricing, very clear with how he was going to repair both and was just overall a really nice guy. Rings came back a week later looking brand new and under projected price. Will definitely be going back for my next jewelry purchase or fix. read more

Tried three times to work with Mr. Watson: -First via the phone to get a rough estimate of how much it'd be to get a sapphire recut to maximize its brilliancy. (It had a noticeable window) By rough estimate, I specified the answer could be as vague as $100~$500, but Mark was very brusque and condescending and refused to answer. He said that he needed to see it in person in order to see what could be done. Fair enough, I thought, but I was sick that day so I told him I'd be setting up an appointment another day. I suppose I thought his rudeness was all in my head. It's one thing to inform a customer of the confines of reality when it comes to giving estimates, but another to be so downright insulting. He kept cutting me off mid-sentence. -The second time, I tried to set up an appointment via the "contact us" link on the website. I got no reply, so I thought maybe the email service on his site wasn't working. Which led me to... -...The third time, in which I called them again and a very nice man picked up. (I wish Mr. Watson was half as polite!) I explained to him that I'd written to setup an appointment but that I never got a reply. He quickly went over the emails they'd received and found mine. He said that Mr. Watson would get back to me, but it's been weeks as of today and no reply. I took my business elsewhere and couldn't be happier. The people I worked with were charming and nice. read more

Mr. Waston is probably a great business man. - I would not buy or sell a ring from him. I met him about a month ago to sell my engagement ring and wedding band. Here's my experience with Mr. Watson. 1. Mr. Watson "If the stone is three times bigger, it's much easier to sell." I think Mr. Watson's expectation is very high. No one can make a stone three times bigger. 2. "Where did you buy this ring? Your stone is not symmetrical, if I were to buy this, I would cut it and sell it." I am not sure if he was telling me the truth. I took my rings to Ms. Sandra Soklin from Union St. Gold Smith and I didn't get the same opinion from her. (Sandra and Union St. Gold Smith are totally awesome. I would highly recommend them if you are buying any jewelry.) 3. Mr. Watson "Where are you from?" Me "I am from XXXX. (outside of the U.S.)" Mr. Waston "Oh, so your mom and dad are still in XXXX? You are by yourself." 4. Mr. Watson "I would take your ring to the jeweler you bought from. We buy back rings that we sell." Ok- ladies. Would you like to take your ring back to this person when your marriage doesn't work out? Your engagement ring is one of the most memorable things in your life. If your marriage works out, it remains as a great memory. Even if your marriage doesn't work out, it should stay as a good memory. You want to have a good shopping experience with a genuinely nice seller. (He also offered the lowest price among all the ring buyers.) Think about twice (three times) when you purchase your ring. read more

I was referred to Watson & Son by a highly reputable jeweler. I had an heirloom left by the Grandmother and wanted to find information and value for insurance purposes. His assistant and he were extremely helpful. As it turned out, it was not a highly valuable piece so he didn't charge me the appraisal cost, since he didn't provide me with an appraisal. He was honest and kind and gave me lots of ideas on how to use the piece for maximum enjoyment. His location is safe and and located near Union Square. A quick walk from Bart. I will use him again when needed and highly recommend his services. read more

The main business here seems to be appraisals but I was a client for consignment of a diamond ring. From my frustrating experience, I advise to opt for a direct sale instead because they are slow and uncommunicative. For the sad details, continue reading. Mark made me a purchase offer and a choice to consign for $500 more. I opted to try consignment but made it clear I didn't want to prolong it more than 2 or 3 months. Shortly after our meeting, Mark contacted by email to say there was an offer for $300 below the agreed price and I countered for $200 below. Mark never got back to me on the negotiation and I assumed it fell through. After 3 months I check in by email and he says business is picking up so I agree to wait. After another month of no news I email him to say I'd like to wrap this up and a week goes by without a response. I try again, this time by phone, and inform him I want to end the consignment and ask him if he was still interested in buying. He answered with a brusque salesman-like attitude and a warning that his offer would be lower and that I'd have to wait until the end of the week for him to ship the ring back to his office to reappraise it. By now you can guess he never contacted me, and a month later, just a few days before Christmas, I follow up and Ryan says he'll give me a call tomorrow. No call. The holidays come and go and I call back. After a few more of these fruitless exchanges, Mark finally calls and explains his new purchase offer $700 below his original one. I came by the same day to pick up the ring and honestly, I'm just glad I was able to get it back. read more

I've been a happy customer for a very long time. Mark has provided me with a wide range of vintage treasures from approx 1900 to the 1980s, ranging from simple everyday gold earrings to wedding and anniversary rings. Mark has also repaired jewelry for me and has created a couple wonderful custom pieces. Once I purchased a Georgian ring out of town and asked Mark to take a look at it. He has a something like a microscope camera that projects onto a big computer screen. He was able to show me cracks in the structure of the piece that would have caused me to lose stones. Knowing that I tend to be rough on my jewelry he advised that I return it which I was able to do. Mark always has his customers best interests at heart, he is fair, honest and is passionate about jewelry. His right hand Erica is also a pleasure to do business with. I've referred friends to Mark and they've been equally pleased. And to top it off, he wears a bow tie, is a sailor and has a cute dog :). read more

I made an appointment with Watson & Son to appraise and potentially buy a ring. Mark Watson provided me with the best service I have ever received from a jeweler. He was friendly, professional, obviously an expert in his field and really enjoyable to work with. He took the time to discuss my jewelry with me, appraise its value carefully, explain the appraisal process and educate me on the best way to earn the most money from the sale of my ring. In the end, Mark did not buy my ring, but he went far beyond expectations to help me find the best method of sale. He was far superior to other jewelry buyers in the city I have worked with thus far. If you have jewelry to sell, contact Watson & Son first! read more

Mark came recommended to us by my friend, and I could not be more appreciative and happy to have gotten his contact information. Mark helped us with the resizing of my engagement ring (the original place we got the ring from was shut down due to COVID-19) and with an appraisal. We had called a number of local jewelers before getting Mark as a recommendation, and none of those places were willing to accommodate us - many didn't bother responding. Mark was responsive, accommodating (he had a concierge curb-side service so we wouldn't violate shelter in orders, complete with ring sizers and all the necessary tools) and able to turn around the resizing in under a week! On top of that, he was just a lovely person and had great tips for us with jewelry care and getting the ring insured. Highly recommend! read more

I found the yelp reviews to be very helpful when I was thinking about selling my mothers estate jewelry collection, I tried shopping it around to several other so called jewelry buyers. Mark Watson was courteous and respectful, his knowledge and friendliness made me feel that I had walked into an episode of antiques road show. read more

Mark Watson is amazing. Going to see him saved me $200 easy. Here's my story. I needed an appraisal. I called one lady. She said her time was worth $200/hr. She said the whole appointment would be a hour and some change. I called Mark...same hourly wage except he got it done in 1/2 hour easy. And the whole job was done in my presence. Then I needed the ring resized. Because I didn't want to find parking downtown again, I went to some mall jewelers, namely the respected ShaneCo. When I got there and said I needed a resizing, they said it would cost $73. Then they said the gold would need polishing to look prettier. Cost: $29. They also said the ring would need more gold (reshanking) and that was going to cost $200+. When I asked them if sizing down would naturally make the band thicker, they said no. Luckily I wasn't born yesterday. I went back to Mark. He confirmed what I had thought. I wouldn't need more gold. Also, when you resize, and the gold goes under the flame, it gets polished on its own. Another charge avoided. He said he would resize it and it would cost me less than $100. And did it ever. It was only $40! In summary, Mark Watson is honest and professional. He's also not in the business to squeeze very last dime that he can out of you. I sincerely recommend Mark for your jewelry needs. read more

I was a little apprehensive about going in for an appraisal of an engagement ring (no, not mine; I've been patiently waiting for that from my partner now for, oh, 14 years). My apprehension was born from the fact that I feared I'd be told that the spectacular ring left to me wasn't as brilliant and spectacular as I had thought it was (with diamonds, this can get very personal). I was warmly greeted by Mr. Andersen at the front desk. Although he was on the phone when I entered, he dutifully took the ring from me, left the room and went about cleaning it for an accurate appraisal. I was flattered that he'd double-task on my account (and I arrived 10 minutes early, so he would have been perfectly in the right to just ignore me and continue with his call. Alone then, I couldn't help but admire the hell out of all the spectacular shiny objects which make dullards such as myself (and Homer Simpson) virtually distracted of anything else. After he had properly cleaned the ring, Mr. Watson invited me back to his equally bejeweled office and quickly calmed my fears with his enthusiasm over the center stone and the entire ring design, echoing my feelings about it. He went on to prove himself an incredibly knowledgeable gem expert and techy, too. It appeared to me that he's in possession of the most modern methods of accurately evaluating and grading precious stones. After a friend highly recommended him, at nearly a third of the price quoted me by the other appraiser's I had contacted, I wasn't expecting much more than a jeweler's glass and a tiny scale, so yeah, I was awfully impressed with all the high-tech gadgetry and thoroughness of his evaluation (which he instantly emailed me and included an amazingly detailed photo of the ring in three positions). After that positive experience, I expect I'll return shortly for appraisal's of some of my other older pieces. However, my confidence in him doesn't seem to stave off my neurosis that he'll find nothing interesting about the next piece I bring! read more

Wow! Mark is very professional and knowledgeable. I found them here at Yelp because I was looking for a place to sell a necklace. I emailed him first to inquire if I needed an appointment to sell an item. He promptly replied and I called and set up an appointment. When I got to the place, I was expecting a store front but it was more of an office type of place. I showed him the necklace and took his time to look at it. He was very professional and made me feel at ease as he asked me how much I wanted for it and offer me two options. He definitely knows the value of jewelry compared to other jewelry places in the area that will just eye your item and offer you a ridiculous price. Mark gave me a great offer, twice as much as I was offered at Maxfred! Overall, I recommend Watson & Son. They have great jewelries as well and i'll definitely buy their jewelry in the future. read more

I made an appointment with Mark after seeing several glowing Yelp reviews and what a great decision it was. Unlike the jewelry store status quo, Watson & Son offer unparalleled service, knowledge, and attention to detail. Mark recognized that I'm a detail-oriented guy with a particular taste. He worked with me on my own preferences - interjecting with important considerations - and was brilliant at making things happen once the final decision was made. My fiance is over-the-moon for her ring and she and I are happy to have someone in the jewelry business that we trust implicitly. Needless to say, we are now loyal clients. read more

Just had my solitaire engagement ring appraised (for insurance purposes) at Watson & Son, and couldn't have had a more pleasant experience. Ryan welcomed me & immediately offered to clean my ring; I admit I deserved the little bit of friendly tsk-tsking for not being better about cleaning my beautiful diamond. ;-) Mark conducted the actual appraisal, and did a fantastic job of explaining every step of the process as he worked. I learned more about my diamond in half an hour than I have in the 7+ years I've had it! I was charged a very reasonable appraisal fee of $100, whereas other jewelers were charging upwards of $200. I don't often need a jeweler's services, but if/when I do I'll for sure go back to these guys. Thanks for making my diamond sparkle! read more

Highly recommend. Mark was very knowledgeable and shared his knowledge about my pieces as he was appraising them. He also gave helpful tips on jewelery cleaning, etc. I will definitely return for all my appraising needs! Thank you, Mark! read more

Our experience with Watson & Son was easy, interesting, and convenient! Thank you!

Mark Watson is the GREATEST!!! Recently, I inherited a collection of jewelry. I really did not need the jewelry but was in need of the funds. I had no idea how to sell the jewelry until another jewelry store referred me to Watson and Son in Union Square. My wife and I met with Mark Watson and found him extremely professional and very knowledgeable. He took his time and explained many interesting facts about my family jewelry. Mark then gave us several options. One was to do direct purchase and the other was to leave the items with him on consignment. We decided to sell some of the pieces and leave the rest on consignment as it brought more value to the jewelry. It has since been only a few weeks and most of the pieces on consignment have already been sold! I would HIGHLY recommend Mark Watson for making easy what seemed an overwhelming task. read more

After researching diamonds and engagement ring settings for over 3+ months, I can personally say that Mark Watson offers the best one-stop-shop in town (and possibly the country). Mark Watson and Sons was the best for the following reasons: Price. Mark has some of the most competitive prices around. Mark was able to beat online retailers including BlueNile and Union Diamond. In addition, his prices were also cheaper than competitors in the SF Jewelry Mart as well as other brick and mortar stores in town. Knowledge. Mark has been in the business for years. He not only provides you the knowledge other jewelers may, but he has an eye for the unusual. In fact, other members within the jewelry community seek council from Mark because of his knowledge. Service. Mark aims to please. He replied within minutes of sending an email or leaving a voice message every time, even after the sale. Mark will make you feel as though you are the most important customer. Honesty. Perhaps the most important reason when choosing a jeweler is honesty. Mark is someone you can trust. When I was investigating diamonds, he did not pick the most expensive option. He helped me pick the option that was best for me. In addition, wealthy families of San Francisco trust him to unload their family assets discretely. Since my experience has been so positive, my fiancé and I intend to purchase our wedding rings through him. I have also recommended family and friends to use him as well. read more

Loved my experience with Watson and Son! Mark is quirky, but he is extremely knowledgeable and fun, and his expertise is clear. I went to him to have an antique engagement ring I bought for my fiancee appraised. I was referred to him by Lang and several other reputable jewelers in the area and I was very happy with my experience. He was very patient, educated me a lot about the piece and how to care for it, and was honest and open about his appraisal which gave me a lot of confidence. I would definitely go back. Eric read more

I was a little suspicious of a Brit wearing a bow tie, but Mark turned out to be a delightful, professional, imaginative jeweler and friend. He has done many custom pieces for me in the last couple of years. Before that, he would re-do from the original four different earrings I lost, jobs all done so wonderful and elegant, I just call Watson & Son, Swellegance, Ltd.! You will love Mark and his gorgeous pieces. A real champ and he appears to have a bit of a sense of humor, who knew?? read more

I had a wonderful experience here. I needed to get an appraisal on my engagement ring for insurance and found Watson & Son on Yelp. I have an old stone without any certification and Mark was exceptionally detailed in the documentation of my special ring. The final document has very clear descriptions and photos. The price of the appraisal was comparable to what others charge and the best part is that Mark did it while I waited. So, I got to watch the entire process and received recommendations for caring for the ring. He is very knowledgeable and has a great sense of humor. I appreciated his sincerity and advice. I am considering buying my wedding ring here simply because he is so trustworthy. Thank you, Mark! read more

Took my 18K GMT Master 2 Rolex to Mark to get it appraised for insurance purposes. The appraisal took 30 minutes. Mark was professional and entertaining. The appraisal paperwork was clear, concise and most importantly exactly what my insurance company needed to approve the coverage. read more

I had the best time ever at my appointment! I needed my engagement ring appraised and Mark was incredibly thorough and I learned a lot about my ring and jewelry fabrication. I did have a bit of a wait but Mark apologized and patience is a virtue. I will definitely be returning for my jewelry needs. read more

My fiancée and I needed an appraisal for our ring. We searched different places downtown and ended up going to Watson and Son. We picked Watson and Son over the other appraisers since it is run by the owner and he does the appraisal while you wait. Mark gave us individualized service unlike the other places we went to. On the day of our scheduled appointment, Mark made a mistake, and triple booked the same time frame for three different customers. Hi colleague called us and asked if we could arrive one hour later. Initially we were a little surprised, but managed to get there one hour later. The appraisal that was supposed to cost $200, ended up being FREE because of the one hour delay. I appreciated Mark's service and the way he treats customers. We'll definitely buy our wedding rings and other jewelry from him. He also had our ring re-sized. We are very happy with the results and the price. I highly recommend Watson and Son. read more

Mark provided me a quick and accurate appraisal of our engagement ring. He's a knowledgeable professional and a fun guy to boot - has a proclivity for bow ties. read more

From start to finish, a high quality, professional experience. I recently went in to have a diamond appraised. Mark is professional, efficient, and very reasonably priced for what you get. He explained why he thought the diamond was a good stone and made me feel good about how much I paid for it. I will continue to go back for all my appraisals. Highly recommend! read more

I agree with the other reviewers that Mark Watson provides an excellent service and experience. My appraisals took 3 sessions, and with that I have all of my most treasured items appraised. Both he and Demetria are wonderful to work with and highly professional. I learned a lot more about my jewelry than I already knew, and that was fascinating in itself. Today he identified a chain as gold fill that a previous appraiser had appraised as 14K. I truly appreciate the thoroughness of his work. read more

I got my engagement ring appraised here after reading all of the other reviews. It whole process was really quick and totally painless. I got an appointment the same day I called and was in and out within half an hour. The staff was very well informed and very quick. I received an copy of my appraisal when I left and received an email copy immediately as well. read more

I went to Watson & Son to have an antique ring from my grandmother appraised and immediately Dimitria made me feel comfortable. She took her time to really tell me about the history and age of the diamond and the setting, and her and Mark really knew what they were talking about. Thanks for a great appraisal experience! read more