J. Yontef Diamonds & Custom Jewelry

Anyone can find diamonds online but it's not clear why they are different prices. J.Yontef explains every aspect of what makes a diamond great and uses his expertise to help make sure that you don't receive a turkey. At the end of the day diamonds are made by the earth quite by accident so there are good ones, and there are bad ones. There is a visible difference. Unless you're a certified gemologist (which J is, with over 3 decades of experience) I would recommend dealing with J. He's kind of like your guardian angel for diamonds and jewellery. Or your independent wedding planner for the engagement/wedding ring. He stays in business without a fancy retail store front. That kind of says it all. If you go see him you must ask him about where he's worked in the past and who he's worked with - you'll be SERIOUSLY impressed and you'll get a warm fuzzy from knowing that you went to THE MAN in Nashville for diamonds and jewellery.

Pros: Extremely knowledgeable - he REALLY knows his jewellery

Posted 12/10/09

When I finally decided that it was time to pop the question, I arrived at the reality of, "I have no idea how to shop for or buy a ring!" I immediately consulted my sister, and she agreed to help me pick our the perfect engagement ring. After having been to several jewelry stores trying to hone in on exactly what we was looking for, I found that I still had a multitude of questions regarding diamonds. What is the difference between G.I.A. and E.G.L.? What is the importance of the proportions of the stone? Do these things even matter?

During our first appointment with Jay, he gave us a 30 minute crash course in diamonds (tailored to the princess cut which we had decided upon), and we learned more than we had in the previous weeks of jewelry store searching and internet researching combined.

Not only was Jay extremely knowledgeable and passionate about his profession, but he was also incredibly patient. I wanted to give my fiancee a ring that would make her smile for many years to come, but still maintain a reasonable cost. I knew I wanted a large stone but also a stone of high quality. Most jewelers would have been frustrated with my high demands and strict budget, but Jay never pressured me and he searched tirelessly until he found the perfect stone.

Once we got into the design of the ring, Jay was great about keeping us abreast of the progress and sent us several pictures of the mold. Again, Jay's patience prevailed as we came in several times to make minor tweaks to the mold before the final product was produced.

Oh and that final product... BEAUTIFUL. Despite all the pictures and molds that we had seen, my sister and I still gasped the first time that Jay showed us the ring. The weeks (maybe even months) of hard work had truly paid off, and we owe no bigger thank you than to Jay Yontef.

Another asset that Jay provides is reliability and assurance. Throughout the design process, Jay was always more than happy to answer the phone, listen to my questions, and put my worries to ease while not dismissing my concerns at the same time. I remember one specific occasion when I called Jay, forgetting that he was out of the country on vacation. He didn't answer the phone at the moment, but he returned my call within 5 minutes. Just another testament to Jays passion for jewelry and his dedication to his clients.

All in all, Jay Yontef has the ability to take a the potentially nagging process of designing a ring, and turn it into a memorable experience that you can't wait to repeat!

Pros: Friendly, Patient, Knowledgeable, and Trustworthy

Cons: None!

Posted 11/20/09

When I finally made the decision to show my true feelings for the wonderful woman in my life, I went onto City Search to read reviews of local jewelers in the Nashville area so that I could get the best engagement ring possible.
My eye was drawn to J. Yontef Diamonds and Custom Jewelry. I took the time to read each of the many reviews regarding this business.
I was very favorably impressed by not only the number of reviews, but also the incredible number of the reviews that extol Mr. Yontef's honesty and professionalism.
I called his office and spoke to Mr. Yontef who made an appointment to have me come in to see him. He was ready at the appointed time and at once put me at ease. I knew that I had found a consumate professional who would provide me with exactly the special ring that I wanted.
He did not rush me or try to upsell me. He listened intently, making copious notes of what I wanted.
Mr. Yontef kept me apprised of the progress of my ring so that I was always at ease that I would have the ring on time and it would be the special ring that I wanted.
The ring was ready on time and was exactly what we had discussed.
Keeping my special lady happy meant that she would keep me happy. I am so glad that I went to Jay Yontef Diamonds & Custom Jewelry and would recommend him to any of my friends and business associates who need a unique piece of jewelery .

Pros: Cares, listens and provides a superior product

Posted 11/19/09

I have one word to describe J. Yontef Diamonds and that word is "SEQUEL." My husband and I have commissioned Jay several times over the past few years to create different pieces of jewelry for one another...Jay, you do not disappoint! "Girls eat your hearts out!" This last piece is just fabulous! I am oozing with gratitude, big kisses to you and my husband on another fantastic collaboration.
Oops, I almost forgot..."SEQUEL"...Service, Excellence, Quality, Understanding, Effect, and Lasting. This piece of work is complete in itself but continues the narrative of all your preceding pieces...We will be back again!

Posted 11/19/09

- My fiancee's rings that we designed with Jay came back from "his people in New York" a 3/4 size too small. Also, it wasn't exactly what he said it would be but said that he took some creative license.

-Jay sent us to Tiffany's to have them measure her finger before he sent it off to be re-sized. I'm still not sure why but it didn't feel right wasting their time to do his job.

- When the rings came back from being re-sized, one sapphire was cracked from heat, there was yellow gold on the palladium ring where they patched it, and the diamond setting was loose on the ring shaft.

- I showed Jay the cracked sapphire while still sitting in his office. His response was "shit happens" and that he guessed they heated it by accident while re-sizing the ring but he would fix it.

- My fiancee found the yellow gold patch and loose diamond. When she showed them to Jay he said the diamond was just bent and that they forgot to dip the ring in palladium after patching it.

- He told us it was fine and that he would fix it after our honeymoon because he was going on vacation.

- A few days later the diamond fell off the ring shaft and we were lucky in that my fiancee just happen to notice it laying in a chair next to where she was sitting.

- I e-mailed Jay to tell him I had no ring to get married with the next week because he was out of the country.
-He e-mails back and tells me to mail it to an address in New York and hopefully it would be back for our wedding.

-Also, during this time "his people in New York" forgot to do our engraving that we paid for so we had to run around and get that done.

- We were so disgusted and the ring looked like such a piece of junk by this point that we asked for our money back and he obliged. But not until after our honeymoon and his vacation.

- As things went bad he was not apologetic and seemed to have an air of arrogance when he was shown the poor quality of his work.

- Even though he returned our money we feel really taken advantage of. We wasted so much of our time because of his poor service and poor quality of product and then we still didn't have a real ring for our wedding day.

-Also, don't let him talk you into palladium. We took the broken ring into another established jeweler's in Nashville to have the poor quality documented and the palladium just looked and felt cheap compared to platinum or white gold.

-This is the worst consumer experience I have ever had.

-When we went to his office to return the rings he wouldn't even speak to us and had his wife refund our money. She did apologize.

Pros: none

Cons: quality and service

Posted 11/18/09

The two most important things to know before starting this review:
1. She said yes.
2. She loved the ring.

I started looking for engagement rings back in July. "Plenty of time," I thought, "before I plan to propose in November." I started looking at some other local jewelry stores while I gathered information on my girlfriend's ring wishes through friends. The more I learned, the more confused I became. The descriptions I was getting were vague, daunting, and sometimes contradictory. The list of adjectives describing her perfect ring didn't even belong in the same dictionary, much less on the same ring.

Suddenly, the large chunk of time I left myself was evaporating as I scoured local galleries for a ring that embodied everything she wanted. To be fair, everyone I spoke with was nice and trying to be helpful, but they were listening to what I was saying through the filter of trying to sell me something out of the case in front of them.

Then I found reviews for Jay online describing his methods, his attention to detail, and the quality of his work. "This has to be worth a try," I thought.

Jay's office is just one white door in hallway filled with identical white doors, the definition of nondescript. When you enter, you won't find glass display cases or other conspicuous examples of his work. Just a desk. Jay pulled out a notepad and began asking questions. He listened, not with the intent to sell but the intent to create. We looked at pictures of my girlfriend on my laptop, and he correctly guessed her ring size from the photos. He taught me more about diamonds in 30 minutes than I'd learned online or in other shops over the previous three months. And when I left, we had a ring design that perfectly fit the bill.

Even with a (by that point) tight deadline, Jay had the ring ready on time, the work was impeccable, and the price was better than I had a right to hope. His enthusiasm for gemology and jewelry is infectious. And his instincts were right on; despite the hodge podge of descriptors I had to go on, the first thing my girlfriend, ahem, fiance, said (after "yes"), was "It's perfect."

In hindsight, it seems ridiculous to consider any other way to shop for jewelry. Next time, I'm saving myself the trouble and making one call to Jay.

Pros: Excellent, knowledgeable, custom work

Cons: I only have the one occasion to use his services

Posted 11/16/09

My experience with Mr. Yontef was fantastic. I wanted a gem stone engagement ring for my girlfreind, and had decided on Alexandrite. I met with Mr. Yontef and 1 day later he had a number of stones from various sizes and color changes for me to look at. We picked a stone and from there went forward on design. I even changed my mind on the design, adding white sapphires on the sides after I had ordered and Mr. Yontef was very accomodating. Finally, I needed the ring in a short time and Mr. Yontef was able to help me go from our first discussion to having the ring in my hands within 2 weeks. The ring came out beautifully and my fiance loves it. I would recommend Mr. Yontef to anyone interested in having a personalized experience in picking a ring.

Pros: Great stones in a quick time

Cons: None

Posted 11/04/09

When all other jewelers said it could not be done, Jay worked with me and made my request happen in a timely manner. I needed a Canadian mined diamond and he was able to find the perfect one for both my likes and budget. He also customized the band for me, which added the extra special touch for the occasion. Jay was a pleasure to work with and his attention to detail made the experience very pleasant and enjoyable. Jay has earned my respect and all my future jewelry business. Yes, she loved it!

Pros: Attention to detail, great to work with & attentive to needs

Cons: None

Posted 10/25/09

Having visited the majority of well repudiated stores in the area I came across the Yontef's while browsing Citysearch. Like all the glowing reviews before, he delivers the total package when shopping for jewelry. The process is exactly as others have indicated: first a consultation where he gets to learn your tastes, budget and wishes (even asking me to bring in a picture of my now fiance) at which you select a stone; second another visit to view the stone as he walks you through its characteristics one by one, ensuring you are fully satisfied; next choosing the perfect setting; and finally picking it up, the custom made piece you worked to design from start to finish.

Jay and Adrienne were a pleasure to work with and will be getting my business from now on whenever I am buying jewelry!

Pros: Hassle free, excellent prices, extremely knowledgable

Posted 10/07/09

Are you looking for an experienced, quality jeweler that you can TRUST?? Someone who you would turn to in order to get that perfect engagement ring, necklace, or other special piece of jewelry? Look no further than Jay Yontef. Let me just say it, Jay is THE MAN.

Don't even bother going anywhere else in Nashville or even online----trust me, I went everywhere (seriously, I went down the list of highest rated from right here on Citysearch and visited them all).

I went to Jay to create an engagement ring for me after going to every jewelry store in Nashville. Jay spent plenty of time with me, discussing diamonds, what kind of stone I was looking for, the quality I wanted, everything. I even had brought a stone with me that I brought from Blue Nile after thinking that it was the best price. Jay took a look at the stone, evaluated it (he nailed the GIA cert exactly), and told me that he could get me a better stone for a better price. I was somewhat skeptical at first, but thought sure, why not? Let?s take a look.

Sure enough, two days later, Jay had a better stone that was more brilliant, and for thousands less (yes, thousands). The man has access to resources and jewelry systems that are awesome. Anyway, after selecting the stone, and bringing all my design ideas with me, I trusted Jay to turn my dream into a reality.

Now you have to understand something on this point. Don't be fooled by Jay's somewhat unorthodox style. The man keeps piles of yellow notepads in his office and writes your ideas down on a sheet of paper. On your first visit you might think, "I wonder if this is how he always works?" Trust me-- Jay has his system and it WORKS.

It took about 8 weeks from my last meeting to the time I received the ring (there was some custom work done) but Jay overnighted me the ring when it was done (I actually got it this morning). Anyway, I opened the box and my jaw literally dropped. To the floor. I was stunned, awestruck, blown away, (insert your own word here)..........the ring was simply beautiful beyond my wildest expectations. MY heart actually started beating faster when I stared at it. It is UNREAL.

I'll stop here so you don?t have to keep reading my long-winded review, but for all you guys out there, skip the other stores and other jewelers. Whatever your budget is, Jay can work with it. Ladies, if you want some jewelry (earrings, necklaces, whatever), you need to see Jay.

Finally, to Jay-- you have earned my business for life. But more importantly than that, you've earned my trust, respect, and gratitude. Thank you for everything that you have done and will continue to do for me.

Pros: Personal Service, Amazing Products, BEST PRICES, Reputation

Cons: None Whatsoever

Posted 09/24/09

I found Jay right here on CitySearch and he had 155 five star ratings so I though he must be good. I had a call with him, told him what I wanted for my fiance and when I came in, he had several options waiting for me which were perfect and in my price range! My fiance is VERY happy and I would recommend him to anyone! - Josh Byrd

Pros: Friendly and Knowledgeable

Cons: NONE!

Posted 08/10/09

I was referred to Jay by a good friend of mine who knew I was searching for an engagement ring. My friend had always told me that "When the time comes, come talk to me. I have got THE best diamond guy in the country." To this day I cannot thank him enough for referring me to Jay. The service Jay provided is unparalleled in the industry. Jay made sure I was educated on the 4 C's, discussed my budget and then went to work in NYC to find the perfect diamond. Jay did exactly what he said he would do and delivered the final product on time. The engagement ring Jay created is absolutely stunning and my fiancee gets complements all the time. I am so grateful for the referral to Jay and would recommend him to anyone.

Pros: Unbeatable product and pricing

Posted 08/10/09

I cannot say enough good things about Jay and the service he provides! My fiance and I first met with Jay to discuss my engagement ring. Although we had been to several jewelry stores, we didn't know much about diamonds. Jay patiently taught us the basics of diamonds (color, cut and clarity) and showed us some examples of the jewelry he had designed. From that one encounter, we were hooked! I gave Jay the basic idea of the ring I wanted. After that, I left the details and design to Jay and my fiance. When my fiance proposed, I was shocked -- not only because I was going to marry the man of my dreams, but also because the ring was perfect! It was like Jay had read my mind. And, because Jay doesn't have the same overhead as a "typical" jewelry store, my fiance was able to buy a better diamond than we ever imagined. Nearly flawless! Jay did another amazing job with my wedding bad -- one meeting, a basic description, and the perfect ring!

Thanks to Jay, I now have two, beautiful, custom-made, heirloom-quality rings. When my fiance and I started this process, I never expected to end-up with a jeweler. But I can't imagine ever buying our jewelry from anyone else! Thanks, Jay! We hope to see you and Adriane at the wedding!

Pros: Gorgeous, custom-made jewelry; great customer service!

Posted 07/27/09

For my 40th birthday, my mother gave me the diamond from her wedding ring; this diamond had previously belonged to my grandmother. I met with Jay and discussed how he could take the diamond and create a custom ring showcasing this beautiful stone. I had some thoughts and a few pictures and Jay and Adriane provided feedback and great ideas. When the ring arrived I was confident it would be pretty...my expectations were exceeded, as the ring is absolutely stunning! Jay's expertise, precision, professionalism, and love for his craft are apparent in each piece of jewelry he creates.

Pros: beautiful work, custom jewelry

Posted 07/14/09

I had a uniquely shaped engagement ring and wanted to have my wedding band custom-fit to the ring, and have my husband?s ring made. After calling around to several jewelers in Clarksville and Nashville, I finally found Mr. Yontef, who was able to make a beautiful set of rings at a very competitive price for custom jewelry. Mr. and Mrs. Yontef are amazing individuals who are very knowledgeable and really take the time to discuss the product with their customers. I would highly recommend any jewelry purchase through them. I?ll never shop with another jeweler after this experience!

Pros: Great Prices, Excellent Quality

Cons: None

Posted 07/10/09

My fiance and I are repeat offenders at Jay's. My engagement ring was done by Jay and turned out beautifully. Trying to find a wedding band was a bit of a challenge for me since I was looking for something very special due to the significance of the diamond in my engagement ring (it was my fiance's grandmother's and is a European cut diamond, cut around 1910 or so). I did not feel a typical, run of the mill wedding band was really what I was looking for and wanted to nod at the fact that this was a unique and antique diamond.

I searched high and low and finally found a ring I loved through an antique dealer but I knew that I wanted it set in platinum to match my engagement ring so I e-mailed Jay. Without hesitation Jay took on the job of creating the ornate c.1910 ring that I had found and fallen in love with. He took my engagement ring with him on a trip to NY to select diamonds for my ring so they would all match (and all be European cut). We had numerous phone conversations with him while he was in NY where he was incredibly patient as my fiance and I deliberated over what diamonds to purchase, never once pressuring us to make a purchase or immediate decision. We did finally make a selection, sight unseen, and Jay assured us of our decision.

After Jay's return from NY he got started working on the ring and my fiance just picked the ring up yesterday and all I can say is WOW! It truly is an identical replica of the ring that I saw and is even more stunning than I could have ever imagined. During the entire process we did not see the ring mold or any type of sketch regarding the ring, just the final product and as my fiance and I discussed last night it never once even crossed our minds that Jay would not do a phenomenal job. We knew we had left the project in good hands. The craftsmanship and quality of the work that Jay does cannot be compared to anything I have ever encountered. I cannot wait to wear the ring (our wedding is not for another year) and tell everyone who made it for me.

I cannot express how kindly he has treated us, how understanding he has been and how stunning his work is. I was awe struck when I saw my engagement ring and was out and out speechless when I saw my wedding ring. I know we will be going back to purchase my fiance's wedding ring and as my fiance has said we will never go to another jeweler no matter where life takes us.

Posted 06/19/09

I had inquired at a jeweler for an engagement ring before getting cold feet and wanting something more personable. I found in J first a mini-educational seminar on diamond grading, which manifested when I examined the diamond with him under the microscope before making my final decision on the stone. I then had a band made custom just the way I wanted it. The preview wax model pictures I saw a week before the final product arrived were low-quality and hard to see, but the final product was anything but! It is a beautiful ring that my future wife loves, as well as me. Also, the ring came in three days after he said he'd hoped the ring would come in, but in the end it didn't matter much. My proposal was a great success, much in part because of J. Yontef. Don't just go into a jewelry store, become a part of the process.

Pros: Custom-made, educational experience, one on one time

Cons: He's only one man, so communication wasn't always fast

Posted 05/19/09

My fiance' and I didn't care much for the current engagement ring style in the jewelry stores and my fiance' was interested in various custom extras, but we also didn't want to spend an enormous amount of money. I had already done some research about gem quality and various rating houses, etc.

I contacted J. Yontef while at the same time being concerned that perhaps I wasn't in the price range for a custom ring. He and his wife made me feel right at home - and I ended up getting a better quality stone for the ring that I could find myself at all - anywhere online. Even though my fiance' and I wanted a host of custom features in my ring, the price remained very reasonable.

We have a wonderful ring that gets everything right that my fiance' wanted. They did an amazing job.

Pros: Personalized service, gorgeous jewelry

Cons: none - they really are that good

Posted 05/11/09

I had been looking for a unique engagement ring for some time and had heard about Jay through a co-worker and could not have been more pleased. My ideas of what I wanted were not exact, but Jay and Adriane really helped me put together a beautiful one of a kind ring. I wanted a good qualitiy stone within my budget, and they were very good explaining my options and hepled me pick out a beautiful stone. I would recommend them to a someone with any level of jewelery expertise.

Pros: Great designs and service

Cons: None

Posted 03/31/09

Jay and Adrianne love their work and their customers. They offer creative solutions and deliver one of a kind jewelry. we couldn't be happier!

Pros: Great ideas for our wedding rings and quality gems

Cons: None

Posted 03/26/09

We went to see Jay and Adriane after reading some of the great reviews on Citysearch. We weren't sure if it would be possible to design a wedding ring to perfectly match a c.1930s family engagement ring, but Jay made it happen. The finished project is absolutely stunning and far exceeded my already lofty expectations. We could not be happier! Moreover, I cannot say enough good things about the Yontefs themselves. They are incredibly friendly, extremely knowledgeable, and clearly take both pleasure and pride in their work. I would recommend them to any and all of my friends.

Pros: Beautiful work, superb customer service

Cons: What are the drawbacks?

Posted 03/25/09

OK, so I admit I was skeptical. This Jay Yontef guy has like 150 reviews and all but one are 5 STARS. Who gets that kind of universally positive feedback?

However, being the analytical, painstaking kind of person I am (Engineer, go figure), and prepared to spend a SIGNIFICANT amount of $$ on a new diamond set for my lovely bride (of 32 years!), I figured what do I have to lose by talking to the guy? In a nutshell, I found I had nothing to lose, but everything to gain!

Having been married for over 30 years, and being the veteran of a few diamond purchases, I felt I had a pretty strong knowledge of diamonds and what to look for when buying (color, cut, clarity). Jay took the time to educate me to a much greater degree - sure there's the "three "C's" but after talking to Jay for a while I swear I could get an amateuer gemolgoist degree - "How's the Culet on that stone? Open or closed? Does it have any fluorescence? How about the girdle thickness?" OK, admittedly, maybe more than you even WANT to know, but still...

So here's the deal: AFTER I talked to Jay I visited a number of other local Jewelers (some local businesses, another with the little blue bag if you know what I mean), and I talked to their sales people. Good folks all, but focused on selling anything OTHER than the quality of the stone and workmanship. Face it folks, if you go out and buy a fancy new car to show off to your friends, how many of you say - "If you think my new sports car is something, wait until you hear what dealer I bought it from!" Please, spare me.

Here is the bottom line - If you want the MOST out of your diamond purchase, go see Jay. You will select from literally thousands of stones, get to look at only those that precisely fit your needs, and then select the one that is PERFECT for you.

The best news is you get a MUCH better quality stone, at a much lower price than you will get anywhere else, and you will have a world-class expert guiding you all the way!

Pros: Personal Service, Educates the Buyer, No Pressure Sales, Easy to deal with

Cons: Does not carry a big inventory - you select the stone you want and wait a day or two to see it.

Posted 03/10/09

I went to Jay to buy my wife's engagment ring a few years ago and just went to him again to buy a saphire and diamond ring. The day after I talked about wanting to get this ring for her, he had 4 saphires in form me to look at that were in different price ranges and I picked out the one I wanted and a few weeks later, the ring was here. The ring came out better than I could have imagined and my wife loves it. I would definitely use him again. Thanks for your help Jay! Have a good trip to Tuscon.

Pros: He can get you/make you anything you want

Cons: none

Posted 02/06/09

After a bad experience at another jewelry store, I started seeing Jay & Adrianne for my repairs. Another company replaced my diamond with a cubic z. Obviously, after that I was very leery to let anyone work on my jewelry. Then I meant Jay & Adrianne, I won't go anywhere else. After years of having them work on my jewelry and admiring their creations, I mentioned to my husband that I would love for him, Jay & Adrianne to build me a custom ring. My husband had an idea in mind and Jay & Adrianne picked up so quickly. I'd almost call them mind readers. Not only did they catch onto the design concept, but they also understood what I was talking about with the color of my chocolate diamonds. They searched hard for the perfect color & did an amazing job. My ring is so gorgeous and the compliments I receive are numerous. If you are looking for the perfect gift, nothing is better then a customer piece of jewelry because it's just that, customized to you! And the price is right with Jay & Adrianne. I'll never go any place else!~

Cons: None

Posted 01/07/09

I was recently shopping around Nashville for engagement rings and visited most of the places throughout the city. Unfortunately, I found many of the nicer jewelry stores around town to be very unhelpful, somewhat dismissive and unpleasant to work with. Then I found Jay. I made an appointment to visit him in his Green Hills office and could not have been more impressed and satisfied from the very beginning. After introducing me to his lovely wife, who also works in the office, he asked what I had in mind for the ring and what my budget was. I also brought in a picture of my girlfriend (at his request) so he could get a better idea about who he was making the ring for. As I knew nothing about diamonds and engagement rings, he taught me everything I would ever want to know and made it a great learning experience without being at all intimidating. It was the only place where I didn't feel like an idiot for asking basic questions about diamonds and rings. He then had a few choice diamonds brought in for me to take a look at and taught me exactly why each diamond was graded the way it was, including showing them to me under the microscope. After picking a diamond and finalizing my design, I picked the ring up in a few weeks and it was perfect. It was as high quality as any of the high-end retailers (including Tiffany's) and he was able to construct my design exactly the way I visioned it. He was also very flexible in accepting payment.

Throughout my entire experience with Jay Yontef, I was completely satisfied with his professionalism, passion, knowledge and quality of work. It was also a much more fun and personal experience than I had imagined, and he was not at all intimidating and always very patient. I would highly recommend Jay for anyone who is interested in an engagement ring or any other high-quality jewelry. He made me the perfect ring at the right price and helped make my fiance very happy (she loved it!). You won't be disappointed.

Pros: Quality of work, personal experience, office location

Posted 01/07/09

I would recommend Jay and Adrianne over any jeweler or store anywhere. I am a graduate student with a very limited budget and was searching for an engagement ring for my girlfriend. The only thing that I was sure of was that I did NOT want to buy from a chain or large, impersonal store. I found Jay via CitySearch and somehow immediately knew that he was exactly what I was looking for. He has no jewelry in stock, so I was never pressured to buy ANYTHING. He never once asked me my budget until I finally offered it up to him. Before we even talked about rings, Jay wanted to sit and hear about me and my girlfriend...how we met, what she likes, etc. Knowing nothing about jewelry, Jay sat with me for over an hour and taught me the "ins" and outs" of buying jewelry and exactly what I should look for in a diamond. He was helpful and I always felt comfortable and confident that I was able to choose what I wanted, as opposed to some jeweler telling me what I should buy. I am confident that if I would have walked in with a $500 budget, Jay would have worked hours trying to find me the perfect ring to fit my budget. If you're looking for special, custom-made jewelry for any budget, there is no one more fitting than Jay and his wife.

Pros: very personal, willing to work with any budget, excellent service and the ring was perfect!

Posted 12/29/08

Jay and Adriane are easily some of the friendliest professionals I have ever met. I was looking for a local jeweler to find the perfect engagement ring for my girlfriend. Speaking as someone with a small budget just out of graduate school, I was worried that Jay would be out of my price range. I mean, take a look at his website (its phenomenal!) But I made an appointment and strolled into an office where there was no pressure to buy anything I didn't want or look at anything I didn't need. In fact, I brought in a family diamond that Jay was excited to work with and even educated me about the diamond I had. He appraised the stone and set it in a beautiful platinum setting. My girlfriend was so surprised! The diamond sparkled so much more in the new setting and looked like I had spent a small fortune on it. We had to have the ring resized twice, but I feel that sizing issues are standard and this in no way changed my opinion about the quality or the experience at Jay's. He gladly resized the ring and in a few days, had the perfect fit for my new fiancee. If you are looking for high quality and professional service at a great price here in Nashville, forget Tiffany! Go see Jay Yontef!

Posted 12/12/08

I don't know what I could say that has not already been said...It was the reviews we read that brought us to Jay in the first place. We visited a couple local jewelers in the area looking for an engagement ring. Each place claiming their diamonds were the best or their prices were unbeatable. We had done some research on our own and still didn't know what "C" was the most important in choosing a diamond or how each one made a difference in the diamond overall. Heck they were all pretty.

We arrived at Jay's door slightly overwhelmed and quite confused as to which direction to go in. Upon our first meeting with Jay he did not offer us a sales pitch, but rather his knowledge. He even gave us a pen and told us to take notes. It was a low key, no pressure atmosphere. It made us feel comfortable to ask questions, and in the end helped us to figure out what qualties were important to us in a diamond.

Jay ordered our stone, (which knocked our socks off), and worked with us in designing an engagemement ring that is a one of a kind. (Not to mention for less $'s than other stores with better "C's".)

Jay shares his vast knowledge without hesitation, is truely passionate about what he does, and takes real pride in the jewelry he designs. We couldn't have asked for a better experience or a more perfect ring made just for us (I love it more and more each day). We will be back for the wedding bands in the near future.

Thank you Jay and Adriane for making our engagement experience so wonderful!!

Posted 11/21/08

This was my first experience with a jeweler, making a large purchase. After checking out some big boxes like Jared with my fiancee, I decided to do a little more research. The big boxes gave me an uneasy feeling and I don't trust them. I found Jay here on Citysearch and after seeing such consistent, positive reviews felt I had to at least check him out. I was impressed by the awards, bio and website. My fiancee and I knew that we wanted something antique / vintage and unique and Jay seemed like he could pull it off based on his website. So, we set up an appointment with Jay. Jay and his wife Adriane are very pleasant people and make you feel right at home. They educated us about diamonds, ...more than the research I'd done on the net already and I felt confident that Jay could deliver what we wanted. We took pictures of what we were looking for so there wouldn't be miscommunication.

I later met with Jay to see the diamond that he ordered for me and I must say the stone is stunning. The ring Jay crafted is much better than the pictures we showed him. He actually upsized the side stones to make the ring look right at no extra charge! The fact that it is hand crafted and therefore has tiny "imperfections" makes it much more personal and contributes to the antique feel and look we wanted so badly. They keep it from looking machine stamped and industrial with impersonal feel. The millgrain and engraving work is just awesome. The diamonds have so much brilliance, fire and scintillation, as well as a blue tint in the sunlight. Neither of us can stop looking at it. It is truly one of a kind and will be an heirloom. That's the kind of product that Jay Yontef delivers. Jay was kind enough to work with me on my budget and payment too. If you want something unique, something exquisite and something that is quality, I recommend Jay and Adriane for an experience you won't soon forget. It is a one of a kind ring, for a one of a kind woman.
-Tony

Pros: A private, personal, unique experience unlike the big boxes that feel like Wal-Mart

Cons: None

Posted 11/18/08

I am so happy with my wedding band that I would absolutely recommend Jay. I found him through City Search and I was skeptical at first even with all the great reviews because you just don't know what your going to get. I first went to Jay to fix the setting on my engagement ring (which was made out of state by another jeweler) and when it came time to get my wedding band I knew I needed to go back. Jay and his wife make a great team and they really love what they do. I was confident that he would do an amazing job and he exceeded my expectations! I did some comparison shopping at a few other jewelry stores and I am so happy that I went with Jay. Instead of buying a band I could find at any store, he was able to match my engagement ring exactly and they look perfect together. I couldn't be happier, I LOVE it! Plus, he was able to make the ring in only a few weeks. He is very flexible and will work with your budget. He definitely deserves all these great reviews! Don't waste your time going anywhere else.

Posted 10/28/08

J Yontef's jewelry and service is as good as it gets. When shopping for an engagement ring, my finance and I wanted something that was 1-of-a-kind and we also wanted an unusual cut for the diamond. J was very accommodating, helped us with our design, and offered plenty of useful advice. We got a breathtaking engagement ring that was far superior to anything we had found at the retail stores. This is the place to go for custom 1-on-1 advice and friendly service!

Posted 09/11/08

Jay did a great job in getting me the diamond I wanted within my price range. I also learned a lot about diamonds in the process. He took the time to educate me and explained things thoroughly. My fiance was thrilled with her ring since she hinted at the setting and diamond she wanted. Jay delivered! Would recommend him to my friends and family without question.

Posted 09/04/08

I came to J. Yontef for the simple fact that I wanted to avoid the big name mall jewelry stores. I've been there and done that and the experience was less than stellar. Working with Jay to find an engagement ring was great. There was no pressure and there was no sense that I was an easy mark being a jewelry novice. I had done my share of homework on Pricescope and other online forums and Jay was extremely helpful in explaining some of the fact and fiction to my findings. On top of his straightforward, educational and no pressure service, he was able to make a beautiful ring for me on short notice that met my budget and my deadline. My fiancee loves the ring and that is all I can ask. I would recommend his services to anyone.

Pros: One on one service by appointment

Posted 07/18/08

When my boyfriend and I started looking into engagement rings, I had my heart set on a Tiffany Novo. When we went to look at them in person, though, I was pretty disappointed in how tiny the center stones were--they had looked huge online! Even the tiniest diamond in the style I wanted was a little out of our price range there. We looked at other stores, but I didn't see anything I really wanted. I read Jay's reviews online and scoured his website, sending hints to my boyfriend. On July 3rd I was surprised with the ring of my dreams--it was EXACTLY what I had described to my boyfriend, right down to the center prongs. I was amazed at how huge, clear, and sparkling the diamonds were. He had set up an appointment on his own with Jay, who walked him through each choice after asking about me, him, and his budget. He was told it would take about 3 weeks, but it only took around 1 and a half. Jay told my now fiancee to bring me back after the proposal so we could meet and I could learn how to take care of my ring. I did, and he and his wife were so sweet! I had overestimated my ring size, and Jay was kind enough to take care of it over the weekend and meet me close to my home so I could have it back ASAP! I could not be more pleased with my ring, and Jay will definitely be doing our wedding bands. If you are looking for a specific piece of jewelry, you should definitely at least set up an appointment with Jay.

Posted 07/13/08

My fiance and I visited many jewely stores before someone recommended J. Yontef. We were thrilled to work with Jay and Adriane as we were looking for a unique engagement ring and wedding bands to suit our budget and our taste. Jay and Adriane are very knowledgable and professional and the experience we shared in working with them has made our engagement fun! We have since received so many compliments on our rings and look forward to working with J. Yontef for years to come!

Posted 06/30/08

Although this is my first review, I wanted to share my experience with Jay, just because it was so wonderful.
I discovered J. Yontef through the Best of City Search. I read all of the comments and not one customer was dissatisfied. That's impressive.
A diamond had fallen from my engagement ring. I phoned J. Yontef and spoke with Adriane, who really made me feel at ease. I explained my needs and she said that they would be happy to take care of me. I made my appointment to meet with Jay within the week. When I arrived at the office, meeting Jay, Adriane and Tiki for the first time seemed more like seeing old friends. They are very warm and genuinely interested in you as a person. And the best thing is they love what they do. Both Jay and Adriane are upbeat and excited about any and all aspects of the jewelry industry. They took a look at my sad ring, missing a stone and needing some TLC, and told me, "no problem! We'll have it back in a week to 10 days". While there, I noticed photos of rings displayed in their office. And I asked if they could re-design a ring my parents gave me 20 years ago. It consisted of a ruby and a few diamond chips. The ring setting no longer fit my style and I wanted an updated setting that highlighted the ruby. With great enthusiasm, they both said they would be happy to help with that project. I returned a week later to pick up my engagement ring, which was back to being stunning. I took along my other ring. We looked through a few photos they had on a website and then Jay said, "I know the perfect design!". He showed me his idea. And it was indeed perfect. I left the old ring with him to work his magic a couple of weeks ago. I just picked it up yesterday and I'm in love with my new ring. I couldn't be more pleased. My parents would be thrilled that I'm again wearing their gift to me.
Needless to say I've found my one and only jeweler and I look forward to working on other projects.

Posted 06/21/08

I was preparing to propose to my girlfriend and luckily received an engagement ring from my mother that had belonged to my great-great aunt. The stones in it were very unusual and beautiful but the setting was small and somewhat damaged.

Since I had received this unbelievable gift, I decided that I would take the money that I was planning to spend on the whole ring and spend it on making a beautiful setting that would be very personal to my fiancee and myself.

Mr. Yontef did a wonderful job helping me design the perfect setting and had it manufactured before New Years when I planned to pop the question. He also was very good in reassuring me that the ring was safe in his hands. I don't know about you but it's hard for me to let go of an expensive piece of anything to someone I barely know. These guys will take care of you, trust me.

The ring that they created is beautiful, my fiancee is ecstatic, and we get overwhelming compliments on it wherever we go. If you are looking for the Cadillac of custom jewelers... you have just found them.

Posted 06/11/08

After calling on different jewelry stores for information about resizing my wife's engagement ring
(a rather simple procedure), I grew pretty jaded about customer service anywhere. Every person I talked to made it seem like I was inconveniencing them and would not shoot me straight with what to expect in terms of costs and time. Finally, when I spoke with Jay and his wife, they were eager to help and got my job done in less than 24 hours. It was not only good a encounter with them - It was suprisingly exceptional. I have purchased jewelry from various places in Nashville, and I will not consider going elsewhere in the future if I can help it.

Pros: Customer service, speed, quality, flexibility

Cons: none

Posted 05/06/08

My fiance and I just got her engagement ring from J Yontef and we couldn't be happier. He will work with your budget, whatever it may be, and makes the entire process of picking out (or creating) the perfect ring enjoyable and painless :). J provided us with an educational experience, and we came away feeling like we got the absolute best ring for our money! I highly recommend J's services. There was no pressure or weird pushy sales people to deal with. In my opinion, this is the only way to go. I made the mistake of going into a few jewelry stores before contacting J. Don't waste your time anywhere else. Make a one-on-one appointment with J first!

Posted 04/27/08

When we found Jay on Citysearch, it was evident that he was a highly sought-after gemologist and jeweler. I browsed through his website and was amazed by his portfolio. Knowing of his high-profile clientele, I was not expecting to be able to afford his craftsmanship. However, after setting up a private appointment to discuss my needs, Jay and his wife left me feeling completely confident that they were best-suited for the job. I stayed within the exact grid of my budget (without being pressured at all) and received a product that I'm still amazed with today. He is for sure the best jeweler in town!

Posted 04/05/08

My fiance and I were out searching for a wedding band to match the ring he had given me. I began to google one day and that's how I found Jay. He was great to work with and once I described what I was thinking he immediately knew what I wanted. I had know idea what custom rings cost, but his price was very reasonable. I know our biggest concern was trusting someone with my engagement ring and Jay totally made us feel confident in himself and his work. I am getting married in 3 weeks and cannot wait to wear my BEAUTIFUL band that he made. I know from now on that myself and my family will use Jay for many years to come.

Pros: You get exactly what you want!

Posted 03/31/08

I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I thought I would be browsing the clear glass display cases of a retail jewelry store with a snobby clerk sneering at my working-class blue jeans. Instead, the man at the other end of the phone was the most friendly, down to earth guy when I met him. Sure, I had to call and make an appointment, but that elminated the blundersome task of perusing an inventory of sub-standard diamonds that would have been inevitable at a standard retail outlet.

Jay welcomed me in to his office. We sat down and he asked about me and my soon-to-be fiance. He was very casual, yet his knowledge was reassuring. Jay gave me a very helpful crash course in the four c's of diamonds. We listened to classic rock while I chose which cut, color, clarity, and carrot to look at. There was no inventory. He had no stock to pressure me into buying. I chose the range of affordability. Jay then mail-ordered two stones that fit my criteria.

When they arrived, I came back in to his office. I was greeted at the door by his cute miniature poodle. Jay invited me in and we looked at the two stones. I chose the one with the best color. It was amazing to see the difference between the two diamonds. Both had the same color rating, but one was definately less yellow than the other. If I had not liked either of them, Jay would have gladly taken them back and found some better ones for me. But I was happy with this one, so we went to picking out a ring setting. Jay let me bring in one of my fiance's friends. Together we picked out a great platinum setting.

Beth loves her ring. I am happy, too, because I never once thought that I could afford this ring. I would have probably paid thousands more at a retail store, or have come home with a much smaller rock. I am very happy with Jay Yontef.

Posted 03/25/08

I live in Memphis and my girlfriend lives in Nashville, so when we first started 'thinking' about looking for engagement rings we had a look at a LOT of different jewelers in both cities. Jay Yontef, and his wife Adriane are by far the friendliest, most helpful, and most accommodating jeweler we spoke to. It was great to speak to someone who has experience and knowledge in both jewelery design and in gem stones rather than just a 'store clerk' who has a few rings he/she would like to recommend; which is what we experienced at Tiffany's.
The ring that Jay (and my girlfriend) designed and made was just so amazingly beautiful that I couldn't wait longer than just one day before asking her to marry me. For such a special occasion, it helped to have the personal service, and experience that only Jay provides.

Pros: Personal service, ease of doing business.

Posted 03/06/08

I never cared much for jewelry, but I wanted something special for our anniversary. The problem was that everything looked like the same old thing, everywhere we went. It never occurred to me to have a custom made ring -- until City Search brought us to J and Adriane. What a find! I knew I wanted something Celtic, my husband had suggested chocolate diamonds...and that was all we had when we walked in. J added a little of this, Adrian added a little of that - and before we knew it, I had a design for a unique ring that I adore!

Posted 02/19/08

My husband and I had a great experience working with Jay and his wife Adriane. Their dog Tiki is adorable and so friendly too!!!. It was my mom's 50th birthday and I wanted to have give her a pair of custom made pearl and diamond earrings set in white gold with a "russian loop back clasp". Jay knew exactly what I wanted and they turned out beautiful. My mom was thrilled and the price was afordable as well. Then, we had our first born baby boy and my husband had Jay make me a pair of diamond studs. They turned out gorgeous and they pulled it off as a surprise which was the best part. We highly recommend Jay Yontef and will continue to work with him in the future.

Posted 02/07/08

My fiance and I went to Jay after we got engaged. My mom had given him her old engagement ring from my dad, but we wanted to enhance it. Jay made the entire process painless and fun. I wanted rubies added to the ring, and he let me choose which set of rubies I wanted. I highly recommend!!

Pros: helpful, great quality, good prices

Cons: none

Posted 01/28/08

After searching for an engagement ring for months, I could not find a ring that represented the relationship I had with my girlfriend. I decided to have a ring custom made and found Jay's name on Citysearch. After speaking to him for only a few minutes, he knew exactly what I was looking for and he went to work. I had so much confidence in him that I did not even need to see the molds. The ring turned out exactly how I had it in my mind. Jay knows his trade and knows his work speaks for him. He does not 'sell' his rings because you will be happy to 'buy' them.

Posted 01/09/08

After going to all the ?high-end? jewelers, I decided to buy my fiances engagement ring from Jay because he was a straight shooter and didn't try and shove what he had on the shelf at me. After working with Jay to select the center stone and examining it, we moved on to the setting. I had an idea of what the ring should look like and after working through the details he delivered the most spectacular ring I have ever seen. I would HIGHLY recommend Jay to anyone!!!

Pros: Unique, Personal Service

Posted 12/21/07

My fiance proposed with no ring because he wanted me to pick out what I wanted. I browsed at some very high end jewelry stores, but no one had THE ring. 3 different friends then recommended that I go see Jay, and he really was wonderful. He met and exceeded all of my expectations for my rings. I brought in a picture of the ring I wanted, and what I got was even more beautiful. Jay was easy to work with, didn't try to upsell us at all (white gold is just fine, no need to get platinum, etc.). I highly recommend him- super trustworthy and professional.

Posted 12/06/07

I walked into Jay?s office knowing very little about diamonds. When I left his office I felt like I knew more than a lot of the big chain salespersons! I felt confident that I was being guided in the right direction with Jay, but it wasn?t until I saw the finished product that I was completely blown away. I don?t really give a hoot about looking at jewelry, but the ring I bought is so amazing that I know I will always love looking at it. The experience totally blew my expectations away, and Jay?s expertise lived up to what others had already said. I never felt pressure or uneasy at any point. Jay is fantastic; don?t ask me why he is so great at what he does, just go see him! It will become clear very quickly that you won?t have to look anywhere else.

Posted 11/26/07