Knox Jewelers — Attraction in Minneapolis

I honestly can't say enough about the wonderful experience I had with Knox Jewelers, and with Emily, the design consultant with whom I worked.

When I started looking for an engagement ring and decided I wanted to find a local business from whom I could purchase it, I was initially drawn to Knox for three reasons: one, that they have a focus on custom-made rings; two, that they specialize in vintage-inspired ring designs; and three, their commitment to using only responsibly-sourced gemstones. After reading great reviews, I will admit I was still a bit nervous/intimidated by the process, which I'd never gone through before. All of those nerves were gone within a couple minutes of my first appointment with Emily. She was clearly familiar with working with people who are doing all this for the first time, and after I'd told her a few things about the sort of ring I wanted, she immediately started showing me options that were exactly what I'd been envisioning, and also so much better. She was able to confidently help me pick out the exact design elements I wanted to construct a custom ring while never making me feel pressured in any way. By the time our first one-hour appointment was over, I had a good sense of the ring I'd eventually have, and I knew that I'd found the perfect jeweler to create it.

From there, I was truly impressed by the level of communication and the speed of the process. Emily was consistently in touch with me to confirm the aspects of the band design, show me options for the gem (which she sourced), and answer all my questions along the way. The process never felt rushed--she always gave me ample time to consider my options--nor did I ever feel that I wasn't her top priority when I was ready to move forward with a step in the process. Many of the decisions could be made over email, but I did come back into Knox two or three more times over the course of the process to look at gems, confirm designs, etc. Availability for appointments was fantastic - I was typically only able to sneak out in the early afternoon on weekends, and there was always a time slot available. As if the process couldn't have been better, the final ring was ready more than a week ahead of the already-reasonable schedule they'd originally laid out.

When the ring finally arrived, it was perfect. Everything I had hoped for. And my fiance is in love with it. The ring needed some resizing, and Knox did it quickly and efficiently. They also let us know that we could bring it in for periodic cleaning, repair, and resizing as needed - one of the reasons I'd been so eager to go with a local jeweler in the first place.

If I could give Knox and Emily more than five stars, I would. I know everyone's tastes in rings are different, but if the sorts of rings in which Knox specializes are what you're looking for, I can confidently say that you couldn't find a better experience...

We are so SO thankful we came across Knox jewelers when beginning our engagement ring shop search. I honestly cannot imagine a better experience, and now I have a ring I absolutely adore. Emily and her team were incredible to work with! Even though we now live out-of-state, we will be coming back to Knox jewelers for our wedding bands.

The Process: We had several pre-production appointments to choose gem type, shape, carat size, design, etc. I never felt rushed to make decisions, and I felt increasingly confident as we progressed through the process that I was getting my dream ring. I am grateful they brought in several different cuts/sizes of the Alexandrite gemstone I was interested in, so I could see them in person on my finger and in different lightings in the store. Once I selected a gemstone, they mocked up and priced out several designs based on my photos/ideas. Once we chose a final design, they created a rubber mock-up so we could visualize it in 3D with the center stone. Once we gave the thumbs up that no adjustments were needed, production of the ring began! At each production step, we received photo updates - it was so cool to see the ring come to life right before our eyes :)

Things we particularly enjoyed: --Their selection of samples in store. As a visual person, I need to see things on my hand, against my skin color, and in different lighting to get a true sense of the ring/gem. Their selection of colored & colorless gemstones, metal types, and band examples were extremely helpful. --Very responsive by phone & email; communication was consistent and clear --Friendly, knowledgeable, helpful staff --Quick turnarounds - they helped us stay on production schedule (even though we had an accelerated timeline). Special shout-out to Kristin who helped our project stay on track when Emily was out of the office - another sign that Knox was dedicated to our project :) --They were very knowledgeable about “gemstone safety” - for my ring, they incorporated a bracket designed to protect my pear-shaped gem’s point (something that many designers shouldn't skip, but unfortunately do) --Photos shared during each step of the production process --Very comparable to non-custom prices we were finding (and this process was much more fun!)

Favorite part of the whole process: The rubber mold replica of the final ring design was seriously the coolest part - it mimicked the exact shape and size of the metal ring, and could actually hold the center stone we chose so I could get a really nice preview. This was done right before production started, so any last tweaks could be made. The cherry on top was that they painted the rubber gold so I could visually see what it would look like. I instantly got giddy when it was on my finger, and felt 100% confident that we had designed my perfect...

My wife and I have a long and important history together with jewelry. Her original engagement ring was designed and presented to her mom by her dad, before he passed away when my wife was 4 years old. As a young and broke Army Lieutenant, honor was bestowed on me to present this ring to my wife on our engagement. Last year we lost this original ring to damage and the passage of time, but back in 2011 she had found an online retailer, Knox Jewelers, and she fell in love with a particular unique ring design they offered. Since that time, my wife always said that if something ever happened to her family heirloom ring, the Knox Jewelers design was her only other choice. For her "big 'O' " birthday this year, the time had come for this investment.

Earlier this year I reached out to Knox Jewelers from out of state, and Emily Chelimsky provided an incredible level of customer care and support as she helped guide me through the design and purchase of my wife's forever ring. I can't say enough about Emily's professionalism, attentiveness, and detail-oriented help though the entire process. I want to specifically call out the "design journal" online resource that this jewelry establishment offers, which not only provided me a strong sense of involvement as an out-of-state customer, but also instilled even stronger confidence in the final quality of their custom work.

The ring was a stunning success, and my wife is overjoyed at this precious gift. She has declared it a worthy replacement for her parents'precious treasure, and the delight in my wife's eyes when she sneaks a look at her sparkling ring in different lighting, (indoors, outside sunlight) makes my heart explode. One of her best ever birthdays in the 3+ decades we've been together.

Thank you Emily and Knox Jewelers for a remarkable custom diamond ring experience, and we can't recommend your...