Schwanke-Kasten Jewelers — Local services in Whitefish Bay

UPDATED BELOW*

I really want to build a relationship with a local high end watch dealer, and I want to keep my dollars local, but Schwanke Kasten has made it so difficult to want to do business with them. Let me run down my experiences with them;

-Four years ago, my wife went in looking for a replacement Breitling bracelet, she said she was ignored after waiting in the store. When she finally was approached, when was "spoke down to" by the sales person.

-Three years ago, I called to speak to their Breitling watchmaker about a replacement endlink. One sentence into the conversation with the watchmaker, I was interrupted and told "Come on, come on, I'm in a hurry-".

-Two years ago, I had a Breitling serviced by them, and everything went perfectly, reasonable charge, and pretty quick turnaround, A+

-Two years ago, I called looking for a Breitling Emergency 2, they said they didn't have any and would call me when they did. I never got a call, Six months later, I happen to stop by and saw that they had several on display.

-One year ago, I called looking for a Rolex Deepsea, they said they didn't have any, but would call me when they did. I get a call ONE YEAR LATER, saying that they have one available. It's not a common piece, but was easily found elsewhere within a couple months.

-This past weekend, I had the rare opportunity to actually get to their store during their limited hours (M-F 10-5:30, Sa 10-4), only to find out they had closed fifteen minutes early. The display cases were empty, doors locked, and no one in sight.

While none of these are a particularly awful offenses, none of them speak of a company who values my business or wants to actually work for my dollars. For an industry that often gets it's edge from customer support and loyalty, I have been less than impressed with Schwanke Kasten and will not be giving them any more chances for my business.

**UPDATE: After a conversation with management, I am willing to chalk previous experience to isolated incidents. Management reached out to right what was wrong. With the right personnel, they ARE willing to work for their customers' business, and have proven that to me. I will...

I’m usually uncomfortable in luxury stores, but Schwanke-Kasten Jewelers completely changed that for me.

My husband, on the other hand, is a watch enthusiast and a regular customer at this store. Recently, he and the owner, Charlie, worked together to find a rare watch they knew I would love - elegant, simple, and in my favorite color.

I had no idea they were planning this. One day my husband asked me to take the day off work, and he surprised me by bringing me to Schwanke-Kasten. Honestly, I had a mini panic attack walking in because this is not the kind of shopping I usually enjoy. But he encouraged me to give it a chance.

From the moment we entered, Charlie welcomed us so warmly. He even offered me a quiet, private space where he had prepared a thoughtful presentation with personal touches just for me and also one for my husband which he didn't expect either. For the first time in a store like this, I felt calm, comfortable, and truly special.

And then I saw the watch - it was perfect. They were both right, I did love it. Charlie sized it so I could wear it home right away, and they even put my name on the receipt, making the whole experience feel so personal.

The watch is now one of my most treasured possessions – not only because it’s beautiful, but because it connects me to my husband in a way words can’t describe. It’s about to join me on my first ever international trip where I will also get to see family that I haven’t seen in many years. I’m excited for all the places it will go and the people it will meet with me.

I know this must have taken a lot of effort behind the scenes, and I deeply appreciate Charlie for helping my husband and I create a memory we’ll...

This was a totally unexpected stop on a whim. My wife and I were traveling through the area on a road trip. We stopped in the store to look at some watches for the heck of it. We saw that the front of the building was undergoing construction but we were invited to come in through the back.

We met with Karen, who was happy to take us upstairs to their private event space which was currently being used as their showroom. It was outfitted very nicely and made for a very exclusive feeling. The store did not have what we were initially looking for (not their fault - manufacturer inventory issues) but Karen spoke with us and found out what else we liked and showed us more of their extensive inventory.

At no time was she pushy towards us; she was extremely knowledgeable and after listening to our tastes she paired us with other items we loved! My wife and I each purchased an item together. We spent nearly 2 hours chatting and getting to know Karen and learning all about the store and city which we’d never been to. The other staff was overly helpful, kind, and accommodating even while the building was still being worked on.

She took two out of town strangers off the street and made us feel like we were old friends. She was a true pleasure to deal with and made one of the highlights of a road trip for us. It was hands down the best jewelry store experience my wife and I have had to date. I would emphatically recommend this store to anyone, and would absolutely...