Weddingbee boards

Hello fellow DC bees,

BF and I are starting the process to look for engagement rings and although I've flagged umpteen things online, I need to go try things on and actually see what I like versus pictures online. I am really interested in natural blue sapphires so want to go to a jeweler who has those. I also really like Kirk Kara rings and know I Gorman has those. Can any DC bees guide me to the best place to at least start my quest?

I Gorman is good.  They have very modern jewelry and the owners are very friendly (and it is family owned and all of them work there) but they are a little pricier than most so be prepared to pay for their prime location.  Of all the DC metro jewelers, the only place I personally would avoid is Charleston Alexander.  In my opinion, they are shady -they threatened to sue my friend for posting a negative review on Yelp and the sales rep's husband sent him harassing and threatening messages. 

Ironically, since you used the word in your post, I used Quest Jewelers over in Fairfax.  I can't say enough great things about them.  Huan, the owner, ordered a diamond I found online for me, he can order anything, and had it in the next day by noon.  He sold it to us at cost because they don't specialize in stones, they're a custom jeweler.  They are also family owned and they can make any design you want from scratch.  You draw it and they'll design it for you.  I also liked that when I went to get it resized they did it in 15 minutes right there where some places actually had to send it out.  I never went to Mervis, but I did go to Washington Diamond, which I liked as well, and Ascot in Arlington.  I really liked Ascot too, but they were a little expensive and probably too small to get what you'd like.  The owner tho is awesome.  He taught me everything I know about precious stone shopping. 

My FI loved Dominion Jewelers - he wanted a custom ring and they have designers who will do that.  They made sketches based on what he showed them/told them and made a wax mold for him to approve before they cast the ring.  He chose to buy a loose moissanite and they set it in the custom setting for him, but you can also buy complete rings from them.  He said they were incredible during the entire process (and my ring is amazing!).

I third Quest Jewelers!  We worked with Pete who is AWESOME and one of the brothers in the family owned business. When we arrived for our appointment, my fiance made it a point to say "I'm not going to buy a diamond today" and after meeting with Pete and seeing the diamond we picked out he said "go wait in the car"! We we'll be going back in a few months for our bands! My ring was custom made.

We went to Dominion Jewelers and we liked them but our rep wasn't that responsive. We were going to go with them but my fiance got a better feeling from Quest.

Another great place was Protea Diamonds.  I think I found them through the Washingtonian. Awesome experience, the owner (I think?) Anthony was very very nice and knowledgeable. We found them to be out of our budget though.

There's a place out in Tysons right across from the mall that two of my coworkers got their rings from, but good grief I can't remember the name.  Family owned as well I believe, and it's not Mervis or anything like that. 

FI and I bought my ring at Boones and Sons.  They have a location in Chevy Chase, Downtown DC and McLean (sorta near Tysons). They were great- so friendly and they give really good discounts and they work with you on price.  If you go to the one in Chevy Chase, ask for Holly.