Baraka Gems

I am extremely disappointed with my experience at Baraka Gems and would caution anyone looking to reset an heirloom piece. I brought in my great-grandmother's vintage diamond ring to have the stone reset, hoping to match and preserve the original delicate 1920s style. Unfortunately, they did not provide a digital mock-up or image of what the final ring would look like before doing the work. I trusted their expertise(my fault), but when I picked up the ring in November, I was incredibly unhappy with the result. The new setting looked detached and heavy, completely losing the delicate aesthetic I was promised. When I reached out a few months later to see if it could be modified, I was told that blending the setting to make it look right would require extra labor and gold, meaning I would be charged even more. I declined, not wanting to throw more money at a disappointing situation. To make matters worse, less than nine months after picking it up, the diamond is now so loose that it wiggles and bounces around in the setting. In no way did I knock it - im in an office all day. They are not taking any responsibility on the counter review and rather blame the customer. I can no longer wear it because I am terrified the stone will fall out. When I contacted them about this structural failure, they told me that there would be a charge to tighten the prongs, blaming the issue on "general wear and tear". My previous setting lasted over 20 years with absolutely no issues. The fact that this new setting failed in under nine months—and that the company expects me to pay to fix their poor workmanship on top of delivering a design I didn't want—is incredibly frustrating. Save yourself the heartache and go to a jeweler that provides visual mock-ups and stands behind the structural integrity of their work.

A really lovely experience! I worked with Lauren to turn a family heirloom into a new pendant for my wife and I couldn’t be happier! I’ve never done a custom jewelry appointment before and was a bit overwhelmed, but Lauren and the team made the process super easy. The shop is beautiful and the vibes are super welcoming (queer friendly & affirming). All that to say: thank you to Lauren and the Baraka team! I’ll be coming back for any future project I have. 🫶✨

I first encountered Baraka when my partner and I were looking to custom design our engagement and wedding bands. I can’t speak more highly than I can of Taylor who was incredibly professional and helpful as we were considering our options. While we ultimately didn’t choose Baraka, it was more about timing and schedules and less about craft, price and expertise. I highly recommend considering Baraka and working with Taylor if you are a queer couple looking for unique rings. I most recently worked with Baraka as I was searching for a new gold chain and to get two costume jewelry pieces (a bracelet and a pendant) gold plated. Baraka has an excellent selection of estate jewelry and Jo was thoughtful, kind and knowledgeable and they were walking me around the showroom. Jo also talked me through proper ways to care for my gold jewelry and also things to consider and be aware of when it comes to gold plating. I think Baraka’s prices for labor are fair if not on the higher side but in general I appreciate investing in artisan and small businesses for special things like jewelry. Don’t hesitate to check out Baraka!