Little King Jewelry NYC

I commissioned a custom piece of jewelry from Michael as a Christmas gift for my husband. I wanted him to create a family heirloom that we could pass down to our son one day. Michael designed the perfect bracelet in the exact style we love. The craftsmanship and creativity were amazing. We are simply blown away by what he created. This bracelet is something we will treasure forever. He also designed our wedding rings and other special pieces we love. I highly recommend working with Michael; he’s a piece of New York history and a skilled designer and craftsman.

My wife and I have several pieces created by Michael, and we absolutely adore each one. It all began with engagement rings when he was based in SoHo, and since then, we’ve expanded our collection to include pendants, cufflinks, bracelets, and more. Michael is a highly skilled jeweler with an exceptional eye for design.

My wife got me this ring for our June 2022 wedding. Within 2 months, the stones and the metal setting fell out. Luckily, I heard it fall and was able to recover the setting with the stones. We contacted the company and they told us they’d replace it… but she had to pay for the engraving and shipping for the replacement ring. Well, 2 months later, the exact same thing happened to the new ring. This time, however, the setting with the stones was missing. We were understandably frustrated. Contacted the company for a refund. They told us they don’t offer refunds after 4 weeks. They’d exchange it… if we paid for another engraving and shipping. Of course they claimed they would be generous and waive the fee for the lost stones. I want quality wedding ring, something I thought I’d picked out. Instead, it’s a company that doesn’t stand by their product and profits off ring replacements because their product continually falls apart without any recourse for customers. We haven’t even had the ring for 6 months. I couldn’t be more disappointed in a company and a product.

Michael is fantastic and he'll do anything custom too. Great eye and workmanship, and a nice guy to boot. Got my wedding band here and hope to come back for more on the next occasion

I am so incredibly proud to own Jewelry crafted at Little King. My silver and gold crown and palladian "Bridge Ring" ruby are quintessential Jewelry perfection! Elements of both the Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridge were crafted into the design. Purchased in 2013, they have withstood daily wear perfectly. When other jewelers see them, I am asked of their origin and to remove them so they can have a closer look! Thank you once again to Michael and Jennifer. All of these years later, the rings are stunning, carry memories and are treasured.

You know those places that you want to say, "No, really, this is five stars"? Little King is definitely one of those business. Thanks to Yelpers, I came here to get my ring resized. Jennifer (one of the two!) was incredibly friendly and knowledgeable about my engagement ring, actually guessing quite quickly its previous size and the size I would need. Furthermore, she was able to educate me about my ring, even though it wasn't originally through them, specifically about the metal. What I'm most grateful for is the speediness of service. I brought my ring in a 1:30pm on a Friday and mentioned I wanted the ring for my race the following day. (My ring - again, not originally made by Little King - was going to require an out-of-shop resizing because the metal needed to be redipped.) While regularly this would be done on a 24-hour schedule, I was able to get my ring back by 6:30pm, and I was able to have it for my race. My fiancé and I will be back to look at wedding rings, for sure!

Awesome, awesome, awesome people to work with! After being horrified by cheap, cookie-cutter jewelry at Zales and snubbed at Michael C. Fina's sample sale ("We don't have any settings for less than 1 carat," the man sneered at me), we found Little King. Both Jennifers and Michael helped us every step of the way. They could have laughed us out of the store with our modest budget, but they didn't. Instead, they welcomed us, worked with us, and designed the most gorgeous pieces of jewelry I will ever own. Instead of a ring that every other girl has from Kay or Zales, I have the most gorgeous little half-bezel asscher solitare. It has clean lines with a classic flair, and I love it. It will never go out of style. They get to know you, and they make something that is you. They don't try to pressure their aesthetic on you. I don't know how they do it, really, but trust them! They are true artists and warm, fuzzy business people, too! The jewelry is so high quality with no pressure! I think to get the best results, you really should have an open mind. When you go, tell them your jewelry likes/dislikes, and then give them the reigns to do what they do best- I did that, and everything turned out better than I could have ever imagined! We just picked up our wedding bands yesterday. Our jewelry commission sequel turned out just as well! My half-eternity wedding band is the most beautiful compliment to my engagement ring, and my fiance's wedding band is super sleek and modern, looks great! We're getting married in two more weeks- and everything was done ahead of schedule. Thanks, Little King! Your laid-back-yet-professional attitude showed us that not everyone involved in an aspect of the wedding industry is insane. We sing your praises to anyone who asks (and I get a LOT of compliments on my ring), and we will tell all of our friends to come to you when they are in need of quality, unique baubles. You rock!

Be very clear on what you want! Do not let others tell the designer what's to happen to your ring design. Speak with him directly, and, if necessary, reiterate yourself. My partner had a ring made, combining his ideas with the owner/designer's creative mind, and came up roses. So, his ring gets an 'A-OK!' I, on the other hand, was not so fortunate. What was to be a simple head replacement morphed into a bit more. My jewelry (my mother's wedding set designed and made for her that is now my wedding set) was marred by a rush 'fix' after the initial job. I'd left the shop, put the rings on, and found that they no longer fit together (the engagement ring was made to partially overlap the band). The designer then simply had the engagement ring heated up to a temp at which he could manipulate the shape of the ring, which in turn damaged the original design, and, whoop, in a matter of minutes, the two rings 'nested' again as they should. Ah, well. Mom has since seen the ring and thinks it looks fine. I, on the other hand, mostly only see the mark where the ring was manipulated. 'Meh' for me. The vibe in the store is fairly 'punk rock', in a good way. And, of course, there's lots of lovely jewelry to look at as you wait to chat with the jeweler. Go with the flow in as much as you can, but make your voice heard, nicely and clearly.

Update since last post: my husband and I got married two weeks ago and already diamonds are falling out of my custom-made wedding band by Little King. Last I heard they were going out of business and I assume they have since even when I was looking for a recommendation for jeweler to appraise and clean my rings prior to the wedding they completely stopped responding. No wonder - they certainly didn't want me to take my wedding band to someone to find out that we got completely ripped off. Maybe it was because they were leaving the business and they didn't feel accountable for their work, but I couldn't be more disappointed in a group of people I once trusted. Turns out, they used mismatched diamonds that didn't even fit into the prongs. These are diamonds that were likely reused as some were single cut. I luckily found a jeweler to overhaul the ring. They are only charging me half of what I paid for the shitty diamonds that were set the first time. It's really sad how people will rip someone off just because they can. If these guys ever start doing business again stay far, far away! Old Post: My now fiance and I were doing some preliminary engagement ring shopping and based on the number of positive reviews we stopped in here first. We were not going for a traditional ring so this place was perfect for us. The staff here is incredible! They immediately made us feel at home, asked questions about our tastes and pulled out some loose stones for us to look at. There was no pressure, they let us look around the store and get a feel for what they have, but let us know that once we were ready to have a chat because they make everything in house and can have something custom made for us. After about 10 minutes they handed me a ring and I put it on my finger and was blown away. It was perfect. After doing some shopping in cookie cutter jewelry stores, all we could think about was that first ring, that is now on my finger. It's a light blue sapphire set in a unique palladium band. They added a few diamonds down the side for flare at minimal cost. Love that they source their own stones and make everything themselves. We are planning to get our wedding bands made there as well.

Little King is this unique and hippy jewelry store in East Village. I swear I walked by hundred times but I never know what it is and what is inside. Finally, I saw some reviews on Yelp and it seems like a cool place to check out. My boyfriend and I went in for some consultation. Jennifer was very funny and helpful and showed us some really unique pieces. We are still debating what we want to get but I really like the casual and easy-going vibe here. They don't try to upsell you and offer you options of different metals.

My husband and I truly admire and appreciate this wonderful and unique jewelry store. It all started when my then fiancé first brought me in to have a look at engagement rings. Gorgeous one of a kind rings very well priced with lovely details. I found a ring I loved and we customized the stone and gold type. The guys and gals at Little King were amazing to work with - super patient and accommodating to our requests. They are just nice, smart, very cool people who don't believe in all the sales talk. After one successful ring purchased, we now depend on them for everything including: ring resizing, his engagement ring present, our wedding bands, a custom silver pendant with a stone I brought in and amazing cuff links. We are hooked. These guys get it right (if not they will gladly work on it and its perfect) and they get it on time. We heart you Little King!

Awful Service - 3 Strikes and You're Out I really wanted to work with Little King. They are extremely talented and have great taste but there are only so many disappointments a girl can handle! Getting a custom engagement ring made is suppose to be a happy joyous experience and Little King just ruined for me. Strike 1 - First Impressions Count As soon as we walked in, the place was buzzing and we were eager to talk to someone about designing a custom engagement ring that my boyfriend would design. However, when we asked the tall blond woman about custom engagement rings and diamonds, she simply pointed to a bunch of boxes and said go look over there. Her cool attitude was unexpected especially given the positive reviews on yelp. We were looking to spend a significant amount of money and she acted like she couldn't care. We were completely taken back but shortly afterwards Jennifer, the owner came by. She was warm and eager to help so we decided to put the first impression behind us and give them another chance. Strike 2 - I Don't Read Email A few weeks later we started to swap emails with Jennifer, telling her what type of diamond we wanted, and made an appt to come see her. Via email she assured us that she was going to get some diamonds available for our Sat visit. My boyfriend confirmed that week that we were coming in and she said sure! I was really looking forward to it but when we arrived - not only did she not recall swapping emails with us but she did not get any stones and had nothing prepared. Her only defense was that she is bad with emails! WTF. Not only did she say specifically that she would get diamonds that week but in a followup email confirming our visit, she said Sure! How many emails does she respond to a day that she can completely forget about swapping emails with us? I was soooooo disappointed that I had to fight back tears. As soon as I left the store, I broke down in tears because I was really excited about starting the process. But once again Jennifer promised that she would have a few diamonds if we came in during the week and so I bit my lip, and decided to gave her one more chance. Strike 3 - When is 2 a Few? When I came in on Tuesday night, all Jennifer had were 2 diamonds - when is two "a few?" A few means more than 3. How does she expect us to decide on such an expensive purchase by looking at only ONE diamond. The reason why I said one even though she showed us two was because one did not meet our requirements which made it irrelevant. The second was a cushion diamond but every cushion is different. ONE diamond gives us nothing for comparison. When my friend shopped for diamonds in the diamond district, they showed her 15 diamonds that met her requirements. I don't expect Jennifer to do the same, but come on, when is 2 a few? 3 would have been the minimum we needed to see for comparison - I am SURE there are more than 3 cushions that meet our financial limits. Her defense was that she could not take more than 2 at a time - Why didn't you say that in advance to set our expectations? Also did she not feel the need to redeem herself after completely forgetting our first appointment? Once again, I was so disappointed that I had to fight back tears. This is suppose to be a happy joyous process. So I tried to be polite and said maybe we will find some in the diamond district and bring it back for her to put in the setting that my boyfriend wanted to design specifically for me. However after we left the shop, she had the audacity to email us and say that she does not want our business. I am speechless. I really wanted this to work out. We were really excited about working with Little King but after 3 strikes and a bonus, one of the happiest moments in my life so far was filled with nothing but tears. Thank you Little King.

She said yes. Our search started a few months ago when we found a New York Magazine online wedding guide that listed the top shops for engagement jewelry. After checking out each of their websites, we narrowed that list down to five or six stores. Of that short list, Little King was the winner. One of the things that set Little King apart was how confident they were in their work, with each piece custom made in the back of the shop to your exact specifications. We were helped by Jennifer, who was both professional and plain-spoken. We told her what we wanted, and she got it. She was tuned into what we were looking for. Some of the other salespeople we'd spoken to at other shops were clearly not into their jobs. Getting this kind of service was a relief. What was also a relief was how we both fell in love with the ring. Of the 30 or so rings we tried on, there were a few my fiance liked that I wasn't so into, and some that I liked that didn't drive her crazy either. But when she tried on this particular ring, we both had a genuine "a-ha" moment, and knew this was the one. And while things were a little hectic picking up the ring (I was making my purchase from San Francisco, Little King is moving to their new location on Lafayette, and there was a little hurricane sweeping through New York the weekend I proposed), they were flexible and kept in touch by email and phone every step of the way. As the folks at Little King were making their final preparations for vacating the store, everything was gone, save the one little box in my hand. And upon opening it, I was completely speechless. Jennifer gave me a hug. If I could do it all over again, I wouldn't change a thing.

Warning! Never go in here!!! There jewelry is too beautiful and one of a kind. The staff is too nice You will leave here with new jewelry even if you just came in to use the restroom. You've been warned.

The clasp on my favorite bracelet broke and I went here to get it fixed. They charged $20 and it took about 3 days. When I went to pick it up, I noticed there were dark spots that I'd never seen before. I pointed these out to the pretty, blonde sales woman, and she told me that they were there when I brought it in. I was annoyed because I wear the bracelet every day, and I would definitely notice and be bothered if there were dark spots. The customer is not always right here, according to her at least. She brought out Jennifer who told me all they did was replace the clasp and take out a few loops like I had asked, Michael came out and confirmed. Michael then took the bracelet back to the workshop, and while he was doing so, the blonde lady and Jennifer were whispering something about the situation/me while I was standing two feet away and was the only person in the store. Awkward. Couldn't they have waited until I left? I asked the blonde lady what she was saying, and she looked at me innocently and pretended not to know what I was talking about. Jennifer jumped in and explained that they were talking about the store policy and why they don't tend to repair costume jewelry because of problems like this. Michael came back with my bracelet and it looked great. It just needed a little buff-- it had oxidized probably because it was damp the last few days. He was very friendly and provided helpful information about my bracelet, explaining that they didn't polish mine at first because sometimes they would polish the jewelry and then be asked to unpolish it because the customer liked the worn look. Jennifer was very apologetic and my bracelet looked as good as new. Overall, Little Kings is very knowledgeable and skilled at what they do, but I don't like to be greeted in stores with an attitude.

Little King is not a warm-and-fuzzy jewelry shop where they'll remind you that "every kiss begins with K". This is your no-frills, no b.s., mom & pop (or rather, husband & wife) jewelry shop where they take pride in their designs and craft. That's not to say they aren't nice - they are - but they won't gush over you and give you a hard-sell on their jewelry. And they don't try to up-sell you on their designs either - on the contrary, they're straightforward about the fact that their simple bands cost more than the bigger stores because they do everything in-house with their small staff. They'll also explain why their jewelry is priced a certain way (craftsmanship vs. size of gems, etc.). There's no pretension here - and no pressure. They let the jewelry speak for itself. My then-fiance (now-husband) and I came to Little King looking for wedding rings. Initially, we had discussed getting matching bands - we had both wanted something simple - but after seeing them next to my engagement ring, it didn't look quite right. My husband had given me a gorgeous vintage engagement ring, and while I didn't want my wedding ring to take anything away from it, a simple band looked too modern and anachronistic next to it. We had actually gone to a few other jewelry stores after our first visit to Little King, only to return a few days later. I was intrigued by their unique designs and wondered if I could find something to complement my e-ring. Jennifer, one of the owners who runs front-of-house (her husband and co-owner, Michael, is always in the back working on jewelry), gave us full reign over their many drawers of ring designs, all in brass moldings. You can work with them to make a custom design, but that'll cost you at least a few extra hundred dollars. With all the designs they had already made for previous clients, I figured we'd find something for me. And we did. I found the perfect wedding ring to complement my engagement ring. The design was so unique and intricate, with tiny diamonds accentuating the band, etchings along both edges all around, and a curvature that sat so nicely with my engagement ring. The two rings looked so beautiful together, like they were meant to be. And I could even wear it by itself and still have a bit of a sparkle on my finger. It really was perfect. But it was also pricey. And if you've read my reviews, then you know that I'm a pretty thrifty gal. Even getting the rings made in palladium (not as expensive as platinum, but in the same metal family, thusly having many similar qualities), it was still much more than we had intended to spend. But my husband is much more prone to splurging than I am, and he reasoned that since we would be wearing these rings for a lifetime, it would be money well spent. And we would be supporting an independently owned local shop. Plus, it was the *perfect* ring. (Yes, this bride was having second thoughts on getting a beautiful, blingy piece of jewelry that her groom convinced her it was okay to have. How crazy is that/lucky am I?!) And with that, I was sold. Or rather, our rings were sold...to us. They gave us an estimate of three weeks to complete the rings (they were on time), and they also offered to polish the rest of my wedding jewelry for free leading up to the big day (something I regrettably ran out of time to do). And at some point, my husband will take them up on their offer to engrave his ring (a free in-house service as long as you just use block letters, anything fancier has to be sent out). If you're looking for one-of-a-kind designs and have the extra cash to spend, I highly recommend checking out Little King. You may just find your perfect little ring.

I went here for to buy a setting for an engagement ring on the basis of the good reviews on here. The previous reviews are true to my experience. The best thing about this place is the personal service and the ability to design exactly what you want without paying crazy money for it. I think it would be helpful to come here with some idea about what you want because the staff has very little on hand to guide you in your decision. What they have is bronze models of some of their rings, which makes it very difficult to judge the final product. I came with some idea of what I wanted and still felt a little on my own when it came to the design of the ring. This is neither a pro or a con really, just be prepared to tell them exactly what you want. The philosophy at this place is 21st century heirlooms. And that is exactly what I feel I got. In fact my fiance has remarked that people often ask her if the ring has been in the family for a while. It is totally beautiful. So why not 5 stars. The main reason is this. When I went in to order the ring I told them the size was 5.5. When I proposed I went to put the ring on my fiance's finger and oops! It doesn't fit! Ok. Call little king and they say come on down. They immediately size the ring and say it is a 4.25. WTF? How did that happen I ask. They have no idea, apparently they never wrote down what size the ring was supposed to be. That was their excuse. So... you just guessed and made a ring for a midget? I would rate this place lower on the basis of this but the bottom line is that they fixed it and in the end I got an amazing unique ring at a fair price. Update: Recently came back to get wedding rings done. They took a band that I gave them that was a family heirloom and completely reworked, resized and redesigned it to my specifications. The end product was totally outstanding, it was exactly what I had imagined. And they did it for an unspeakable price, really, I won't even say. This place is the only place to go for your custom jewelry needs.

In other news, A.J.--the shop dog and mascot--has been named "best shop pet in New York" in the Village Voice's annual poll. http://www.villagevoice.com/bestof/2012/award/best-shop-pet-3764994/ A.J., with his "Elvis" sneer, has probably sold more wedding rings than any other dog; he's also a great spokesdog for Animal Haven, the shelter across the street, which is where he came from. Little King's new space--although they've been here probably a year already--is a far cry from the basement space they occupied on 9th street; they were forced to leave that space because it wasn't zoned for manufacturing. They've earned this opulent new space, which is a perfect showcase for their jewelry.

Little King is awesome. Michael and Jennifer are people who love doing what they do. They're accommodating. They'll make recommendations. They'll fashion something based on your aesthetic preferences and your budget. And there's not even a hint of snobbery or pretension about them. Their progress on a custom project can be slow, depending on what's going on. But the wait is well worth it. I stumbled into this place once and bought my then girlfriend a pair of delicate gold leaf and sapphire earrings. Michael designed my then fiance's Byzantine-style vine and leaf engraved ring. And then he designed a matching ring in relief, and a wedding band for my wife. And then we bought one of those exquisite vine and leaf necklaces. All of it cost far less than many people spend one cookie-cutter 'look at my rock' ring. The jewelry is creative and classical - the kind of stuff I will enjoy, but also dream of giving it to my kids. The only downside is that if you're looking for a custom design, you've got to know that it's going to take time and you have to follow up. They're a small business, and they don't seem to me to be the types that want to expand into being mere managers. They're too into the art and the people they make it for. So, they get overextended. I can see how this would frustrate some people. But if you're going for an engagement ring/wedding ring/future heirloom, well... What's a little devotion, time, and follow-up?

After reading glowing reviews on Yelp, I decided to have them do a custom-designed ring for me out of a couple loose diamonds I had given them. I was really nervous about it - I'd never had anything custom made before - but it turned out to be gorgeous. It was designed and crafted beautifully. The next day I'm still transfixed with it the same way a 20-yr-old coed is transfixed with her new engagement ring. I can't stop staring at it. Also, the price turned out to be LOWER than what they originally quoted me. The owners, Michael and Jennifer, are great people. Each time I went in they took time out to hang out and talk with me like we were old friends. I also found their staff to be just as friendly and personable. Not a pretentious one in the bunch (which is rare to find in the fine jewelry industry if you ask me).

I want to tell you the sweetest story - ever. When my fiance and I were in there browsing (aka him getting a feel for what I like) we overheard the designer and owner talking to a couple who were ring shopping. I can't remember 100% what was said, but it went something like this: I hear all of these stories and I can't stand it. Guys come in here and they say they were at Zales or Kay Jewelers and they wanted an engagement ring, but they only have $1200. To them, that $1200 is the world, and it's as precious as the $7000 that you can spend. They are in love and they are excited because they want to marry the girl that they love and some ignorant sales person tells them to bugger off because you can't get a diamond ring for that much money. They come here and they think they're totally defeated. What can I do? I make them a ring for $1200 and he is happy and she is happy and it's the best part of my job. Are you teary eyed? Because I was. I said "When you get me a ring, please get me a ring here? Please?" It turns out I didn't have to ask because he already had something in the works there and just wanted to be sure he was on the right track. I wanted to start my review with that because I think it's important. The people who work here are so genuinely good and awesome. That kind of genuine righteousness goes into every piece of jewelry I have seen in their shop (and on my finger). The ingenuity and freshness of the designs can sell themselves, but the exceptional craftsmanship and evidence of care that goes into the shop and the custom work keeps you coming back and also allows you to leave with confidence in your purchase. You know that the materials being used are top quality (no blood diamonds), and the work will withstand the test of wear time - and they will be forth coming with what they can do with your budget - a rare and commendable quality in proprietors. I can't wait to get our wedding bands their. I love going back to browse, buy non-bridal jewelry, presents, etc.

You can see from their website that the work Michael and Jennifer do is exceptional, funky and unique. But you might not know just how honest, accomodating, and pleasant they are to work with. Here in follows a medium-long tale. My wife and I got wedding bands designed there. They are totally cool, as you would expect from THE above. Little King was so easy to deal with that we brought in a special ring -- my wife's grandmother's -- for resizing. We had brought it around to the guys in the diamond district. What a sleazy experience! They wanted to melt it down and take it all apart and put it together again. We didn't know what to do. Then comes Michael Regan, who calls bullshit on all that. Further, he tested all the stones in front of us, and found three fakes! Someone had actually sleazed Grandma, way back! Anyway, he resized the ring, let us dispose of the fakes, and the whole thing was inexpensive and timely. Don't waste your time with another jeweler. You can TRUST Little King, and that means a lot.

I can't say enough about Little King. I started on the engagement ring hunt fearing I'd wind up spending more than my budget and wind up with a ring that wasn't actually suited for myself or my fiance. Jennifer and Michael of Little King are really amazing people- they have books and books of designs they have done, and they can customize any of their designs, or work with you on your own. They can work inside any budget and I had my finished ring within two weeks from when I had a design finalized. All the work appears to be done on premises, and you can tell they put a lot of love into their work. The end result is not only a unique and high-quality ring, but an experience that that is enjoyable from start to finish. This place is a must for people that don't want to deal with the "normal" industry.

Got my Mrs her engagement ring there and must say that Little King is a diamond in the rough and the only place I get my precious her precious stones and metal. You get warm and personable service from both Jennifer in the shop, and Michael in the back who is the jeweler. They do great work and make you feel looked after, aiming to please and understanding budgets while helping you figure out what you want. However, for those who get choked up at "every kiss begins with Kay" on the TV, Little King ain't for you. It's an honest, artsy East Village jeweler who from what I see aren't particularly catering to either the Tiffany or Zales set. So if you're the type of couple who comes out with gems like "I want my wedding day to be the happiest day of my life!" stick to the shopping mall for your jewelry needs and count on being a statistic in more ways than one.

It was a rainy night earlier in the summer. A couple I know purchased their wedding bands at Little King and had a great experience. I made my way over to their East Village shop, down some small steps beneath a giant ring hanging out in front of the building. A four-story brick apartment building built in the 1950's. If you have never been to the East Village look it up. Home to beatniks, counterculture , protests and riots. It is also known as the birthplace and historical home of many artistic movements, including Punk Rock. It's a classic New York neighborhood and the owners of Little King fit right in. Upon entering I was greeted with a great attitude. Truthfully this was my first stop on what I thought was going to be a long search for the best engagement ring. A research project into a field I know little of. A business of countless magazines and theories. Constant opinions on top of opinions. My biggest fear was that I was going to be given the hard-sell. Pressured into buying something by a salesperson monthly quota. I thought that this small couture East Village jewelry shop would be over priced and elitist. I could not have been more wrong and I'm ashamed that I even had that assumption. The small shop is run by artists. In the back is their little workshop. You can see the silicone molds on shelves of all of the rings with brass castings made of most of them. I had a real conversation with them about everything from the neighborhood to motorcycles. One of the owners rides and is the master of the workshop. They do everything onsite except casting of the metal and of-course the mining of the diamonds. I was able to review settings, inspect the molds and even review diamonds straight from their suppliers. No pretense or posturing. No attitudes. I walked in expecting to be taken for a ride (not on a motorcycle) because I knew nothing and instead I was treated like a person. I had an interest in learning about their process and they were willing to share. I did not feel like a customer. I like a hands-on process. I was able to be as involved as I wanted to be. I did not waste their time and vice-versa. They are true artists running their own business in a town where many independent businesses fail. They'll work with your budget and produce an excellent product that is as good as you want it to be. If something can't be done, they will tell you. Little King was recommended to us and since I've recommended it to others. We've brought antique jewelry in to be repaired. That day I walked in and walked out with a setting purchased and the ball started rolling on my engagement plans. My fiancee and I are now planning our wedding. Most importantly, dear reader, she gets a lot of compliments on the ring.

When my now husband and I decided about a year ago to just do it and get married, we wanted it to be simple and in our own style. We were married at city hall with our best friends as our witness so my wedding planning did not consist of that much. But the main thing we wanted to do right was our bands. To us it was a symbol of us getting married and something that would always be in our futures so we wanted it just right. We ended up spending most of our one month of planning looking at rings. Then I found Little King, located just 2 blocks from our apartment it was fate. We walked in one day and spoke with Jennifer to give her an idea of what we wanted in my ring and she got it right away. They had great samples and existing rings to get ideas from or to purchase, but I knew I wanted one made for me. Jennifer and Micheal were both great at helping us figure out the little details. They were never pushy or up-selling. They were really concerned at giving us something we loved. It was like hanging out in someones house talking about jewelry and metalwork. They have also been great at cleaning and fixing my old jewelry. I love my ring, just as much as I love my engagement ring and I'm so happy that it'll be with me for the rest of my life. - hopefully!

Love love this place. Stumbled in and walked out with the most perfect wedding bands. We hate jewelry stores - "He went to Jared" would mean my man didn't get it. I was given a 90 year old family engagement ring and having a really hard time finding anything that matched its elegance and beautiful antique style. My husband couldn't find a single ring he liked. Until we met Michael & Jennifer. They are really great at what they do and really helpful. Michael is really an alchemist. Modern, rock n roll, antique, traditional...whatever your style, he seems to be able to do it. We live in LA so they got us the rings in perfect time. My husband's was a bit big, but when we were back in the city, they wanted to make sure they got it right and sized the ring for us over night before we left (and didn't charge us a dime)! They are fun to talk to and do business with. I am not sure I will buy jewelry anywhere else.

Little King was recommended to me by a friend who works on the Diamond District and it was one of the best suggestions he ever gave me. We wanted to make both my fiancee's engagement ring and our wedding rings here, but when I proposed to her they were closed for the holidays back in December. So instead we made her rings right away at another place (because she was eager) but we waited to make my wedding ring with Little King. Michael, Jennifer and Angela make an excellent team and we felt like everything they suggested was the right thing to do because of how knowledgeable and thorough they were in the process and design. I initially had an idea about what I wanted for the ring (getting a tattoo of the ring underneath the ring and then making a ring with gaps in it to see the tattoo) but as Michael said, he has some tattoo's on him that were older than I was and made an excellent case as to why getting a tattoo on your ring finger wouldn't be a good idea. Once I came up with the new idea (making a ring that looked like it was forged by a blacksmith 1000 years ago and that would have a very ancient look to it), Michael sketched out what he thought it should look like based on both the idea and this costume ring I found. He also broke down the options for white gold, platinum and palladium, and at no time did I feel forced into any decision (i ended up getting it in palladium). He also seemed to know the history of all rings in all cultures for all time; his knowledge base is impressive. A few weeks later I had a final product and a very satisfied feeling that this was the ring that I wanted on my finger everyday to represent my marriage. I can say for sure that we have a jeweler now that we will always use and they will come highly recommended from us. Good stuff all around.

Michael and Jennifer at Little King are simply the best. Going to Little King is more like visiting friends than going to a business. We got our wedding rings and other items there, and each time we go they always remember us and take great care of us. On top of this, the style of their work is completely unique, one-of-a-kind, and fantastic. They will work with you to help you get just the right piece, and make sure you can do what you want within your budget. If you are looking for something special, totally unique, and hand-crafted, Little King is the place.

We got out wedding bands custom-made here, and I could not be happier. When we initially visited, I was traumatized from our previous attempt to have our bands made at another jewelry shop. After months of the other shop screwing up the bands, we had nothing to show for our efforts. I was about to give up and go to Tiffany's when my husband found Little King. Jennifer and Michael were very honest and helpful, and she was willing to work with us to get exactly the rings we wanted. They finished our rings in the timeframe they promised (a little earlier, I think), and we've had them for a couple years now, and they are still beautiful. So glad we found them!

When I decided to propose to the man who is now my fiance, two of my married friends made a point to ask my where I was getting the ring, just so they could plug Little King. Since I didn't really know where I was getting the ring, I took them up on their offer to take me by, and I'm thrilled that I did. Jennifer and Jennifer spent a good bit of time with me, asking me about my fiance's personality and working with me to come up with a design that fit his personality and perfectly blended a traditional ring with some unique elements to make it one-of-a-kind. They took my budget into account, and didn't try to pressure me into something beyond what I was looking for, but made sure that the ring was amazing. When I went to pick it up a couple of weeks later, Michael, the craftsman who made the ring, came up to introduce himself and make sure that it was exactly what I had imagined. It was perfect! My proposal went off without a hitch, and my fiance loved the ring! Little King prides itself on creating 21st-century heirlooms, and that's exactly what he got: a beautifully crafted ring that he will be happy to show off for years to come. Thank you, Little King, for creating a gorgeous ring and helping us create a memory we'll love to recall for years to come!

Bought a pair of earrings from there, they cost a lot, but do you ever spoil themselves, so they may cost a bit extra, then the vas so beautiful and really wanted them. So I am very satisfied and think you should go there, then you get good service and help from a friendly staff. Wow they are very beautiful as I have there, you will find a lot like me. Or take a look maybe only, or buy a wedding ring or a nice gift for someone you love, and bring me your husband, boyfriend, and himself, that I want. Worth a visit.

Cannot recommend more highly. The Jennifers up front are laid-back and really know their stuff. Michael and the other guys in back are artisans. It reminds me of a small-town business from the bygone era of true specialists- blacksmiths, butchers, tailors, etc- but the design aesthetic is as modern, funky, or traditional as you want it to be. My fiancee and I got my engagement ring and both wedding bands here, and throughout the multi-step process our questions were answered, advice freely given, and we never felt pushed to buy more or bigger. When I picked up my engagement ring it was a little large and one element was not quite to my liking, and Michael fixed it in a matter of hours for no charge. Their philosophy is that wedding jewelry is like a tattoo, it becomes part of your hand and must be exactly right. They won't quit until it is.

We had a problem: it looked like we might have to get married without rings. We couldn't agree on a style for our wedding bands, and we had spent so much time searching for the right ones, we only had days until the ceremony. We showed up at Little King five days before our wedding. We figured, at best, our request for custom rings would be answered with a chuckle and a sarcastic "Good Luck!", all while being shown the door. Instead, Jennifer very patiently asked us what we were after, lead us through our options, and came up with the perfect solution: simple gold bands for the ceremony that we could modify and build upon after the wedding. We returned a few days later to choose from a handful of rings Jennifer had picked out for us. They matched our tastes perfectly and, as others have said, were very reasonably priced. We had rings! Thank you Little King for making our Big Day complete! p.s. We've returned a few times for additions to my wife's rings, and Michael has perfectly executed everything she's asked for. Thanks again!

I would agree with most of the other reviews: the customer service is friendly and helpful: they really seem to care that you're happy with the results. We brought in my grandmother's vintage ring from the 1940's to be sized from an 8 to a 5.25. We spoke with the front of house reps and we even got to speak with one of the back of house jewelers. They were concerned about some of the stones and the fragility of the setting. They really wanted to inform us of the risks and benefits of different options. The ring was a plated white gold and they although they had to take the ring off-site to have it properly plated to match the original plating, they promised to stay with the ring while at the off-site shop which made us feel very comfortable. The quality of the work seemed to be good (I can't really tell, I'm not an expert). The price was fantastic: we paid less than $40 for downsizing from an 8 to a 5.25! Also, the turn-around time was great: we walked in with no appointment at 6:30pm after work and it was ready the next day same time. FYI: they are moving locations during the summer/fall of 2011 to some location on Lafayette.

In my search for the perfect engagement ring, I was led to Little King by this very website, and I don't think I could've been steered to a better place. Michael and the two Jennifers patiently helped me through the process of choosing a ring, even recommending to me that I purchase the diamond separately to save money. I did that, and for a very fair price, I purchased a truly gorgeous hand-made ring. My fiancee loves it. I love it. Everyone who sees it loves it. As a side-note, in the middle of the ring-making process, Little King was forced to vacate its storefront on Lafayette. Despite this setback for them, they kept in touch until the ring was complete, finally delivering it to me at my apartment. They were patient and helpful with sizing adjustments, and now I have a ring that will bring my future wife and I joy for (hopefully!) the rest of our lives. Sincerest thanks to Michael, Jenn, and Jenn. If you're in the market for a beautiful one-of-a-kind ring, I can't recommend Little King enough.

I should have listened to the review that said HORRIBLE customer service and Zero commitment to their work. (key word commitment) Why tell me my engagement ring would be done in 1 1/2 weeks with a meeting between then to see a wax replica before finalizing my design if you will in fact take 6 (SIX) WEEKS?! Not only did it take much longer than they assured me, but they also never called ever. They did not call to show me a wax like I was told. I had to call because they were way past the due date and then i found out they chose to go ahead with the real thing instead, which is fine, but it would have been professional to let me know. After four weeks I called to see what was going on! They said it will be done by the end of the week. Well, you guessed it....it wasn't. They never even called when it was DONE! Is that a joke? Is that how they treat a customer and an engagement ring for my beautiful fiance whom I love and cant wait to put the ring on? When I went there to pick up my ring, they were rude and did not make my engagement ring experience a delight as it should have been. Perhaps because i chose to pay in advance. So what was it like with Little King? Worse than Horrible. They never call. Do not expect your ring by the date you are told! You are warned. Please be happy when getting something meaningful. For me this was a miserable prolonged experience. Me and my fiance do love our ring, but we will not be getting are bands here.We do not recommend this place to anyone. PS When i got my ring they just put in on my receipt, no box, no smile, nothing.

This jeweler was a life saver! I had to get my engagement ring (not purchased from Little King) sized and I had a terrible time trying to find a reputable jeweler to size it for me. I came across this jeweler and they were able to do it for me in a few hours. I can't remember how much they charged, but it was more than reasonable. A few months later, I noticed that my ring was really loose. I looked closer at it and my ring had actually separated from itself!! I brought it back to them immediately and after they examined it-they told me that the problem was the initial casting of the ring. They had to laser for me and it was actually done the same day at a very reasonable price. Each time I was there, they polished my ring to a shiny, sparkly finish. I haven't bought any jewelery from this jeweler, but I am definitely interested in having them design a piece for me when I have more money to do so :)

I really love Little King. My fiance and I had our wedding rings made here (mine had diamonds for $2k and his was a custom band for $1k) and keep coming back! (Christmas earrings, and Valentine's Day/birthday necklace & belt buckle.) We didn't have a large budget, and they were so nice and accommodating every step of the way. (Like when we bring our gigantic stroller, and little guy : ) I just finished reading '3 Strikes and You're Out' and I thought that I'd take a minute to maybe respond to some of her complaints because I thought they were unfair. This is a small business and they seem to get a bit of walk in traffic. Sometimes you need to look around on your own for a min while they greet others. It's really not that big of a deal. Another time I asked Jennifer (via email!) if she could get us a couple boxes. Lo and behold there they were the next time I came in. True story :) And thirdly, I always felt very comfortable with the amount of money we've spent and the service we've been offered. It is intimidating, especially in NYC, to go into a jewelry shop and not have a large budget. We were upfront and honest and they were totally cool with what we could afford. (WAYYY under $20k!!!) See you at Christmas Little King!

We chose Little King after searching online and also reading these reviews. We were at first a bit hesitant because we were looking for more traditional jewelry (eg platinum/white diamonds) than is pictured on their website however we thought we'd give them a try. I'm so glad we ended up choosing them. They were extremely accommodating and really wanted to make us exactly what we wanted; their pricing seemed fair. We actually misunderstood their description of what they were making and ended up with something that wasn't exactly what we wanted--they made it from scratch again for us! They were wonderful about the whole thing. The only criticism I have is that which has been stated prior which is that you sometimes have to call several times to make sure things are progressing on the timeline as expected. However it was totally worth it when we got our final products. I highly recommend this store...I joined yelp just so that I could write a review about them before I get too busy with my final wedding planning.

If you are reading this review because you are considering a custom jewelry design from Little King, then you should feel assured that you have made a good decision, and you should just get yourself to the store to meet Michael and the Jennifers and start on your project. Last year, Little King transformed my fiancee's mother's solitaire diamond ring into the engagement ring of my dreams. Over the course of several meetings, Michael designed a beautiful ring for us that still has both me and my fiancee beaming. Even though the style I wanted was more modern/ traditional than their usual aesthetic, Michael's work is brilliant and I would have never wanted anyone else to do the work. One word of warning is that Michael and his crew get a LOT of custom orders and they can be busy. Don't let that stop you from going to see them, just bear in mind that you should have a clear deadline for when you need things and you'll need to plan accordingly with Michael and Jennifer so that you meet that deadline. And don't forget to pet AJ when you are there! He's too cute.

My wife and I had our wedding bands made at Little King. We're thrilled with the rings we're now wearing and will be for the rest of our lives, and we're comfortable being in Little King's hands for the ongoing maintenance we'll want (polishing, size adjustments, etc.). The best thing about Little King is that Jen, Michael and the rest of the team really work with you to give you what you want. They're problem solvers when they need to be. In the case of my wife, first she thought she wanted the LK team to make her a custom wedding band with a new design that would complement her engagement ring. The LK folks were patient and creative in helping generate ideas. Then, my wife changed her mind, deciding instead that she wanted to create a modern interpretation of her grandmother's ring, a vintage piece. It took two rounds of work, and more support and understanding from Michael, but the ring he produced makes my wife smile every time she looks at. And it's a nice environment in the store, as other reviewers have noted. We like dropping in.

So I suppose I can't really improve on a 5 star rating, but I wanted to add my more recent Little King experiences: (1) my husband bought me beautiful earrings from here -- every time I wear them, I get tons of compliments! (2) I brought my Nana's broken wedding band to them for a repair/fancy-it-up job and they were FANTASTIC to work with. I had a rough idea -- they translated it into a gorgeous ring that I can wear every day ... and they were able to save the engraving on the inside, which I'm sure wasn't easy. They're amazing -- check them out!

My fiancé and I went to Little King based on a recommendation and we couldn't be more happier! We worked with them to design my engagement ring and our wedding bands. Even though they and to lose the store, they have been super accommodating in meeting us when we needed! We have had a wonderful experience from start to finish andI would recommend anyone who is looking for something unique to be created to go to them. I know we will continue to go through them for future purchases. Thank you so much!

Wow - can you say trashy? I'm looking for an engagement ring for my girlfriend and stopped by Little King. I was first helped by a blonde-haired woman who alternated between helpfulness and sarcasm/ condescension. She helped me find the band I was looking for - on to the stone. At this point, a dark-haired woman began helping me - all attitude. We discussed pricing, their purchasing methods, and cut/ color/ clarity; my questions only seemed to annoy her. I wanted to set up a date to view some stones against the band I had selected. I gave them my contact info; the dark-haired woman replied, "Oh, if you don't hear from me, give me a call or send an email." I was kind of taken aback - I told her that if she didn't follow through, we probably wouldn't be doing business together. She was not pleased and responded in her usual sarcastic and trashy manner. Their customer service is atrocious. I wouldn't have a job if I treated my clients the way they treated me. I discourage anyone from patronizing this establishment - find a store that actually wants your business.

My wife and I have been going here for jewelry for the last year, and we can't say enough good things about the folks here. From 2 custom necklaces for my wife, to an amazing pair of cuff links and a 'revitalization' of my wedding band for me, they've consistently produced beautiful, creative work. I always get comments on my cuff links, and the necklace they made for my wife from a bullet casing (long story) is fabulous enough to become a family heirloom. Best part, they understand not everything needs to be Soho expensive, and are happy to work with you based on your budget. I highly recommend stopping in to have custom pieces made for reasonable prices that are totally unique.

He has moved his operation to Philadelphia, 53 N. 2nd St, in Old City. You can find him there, now. Beautiful shop!

You can tell, from the basement level location, this is a place that survives on quality work, rather than a flashy show room. I was looking for a local custom jeweler as my girlfriend wanted a Tanzanite engagement ring. I went to Little King based on the Yelp reviews. First of all, they recommended we go with a saphire of the same color as it turns out tanzanite is not very durable in rings. After that, we went through the multi-week process of finding a stone, drawing a design for the ring, making a wax mold, and finally picking up the finished ring. It turned out beautiful and even came out significantly under my budget.

Finally a jewelry shop with a friendly staff and gorgeous pieces. I admit I didn't buy anything yet, but Christmas isn't so far away and I know exactly what I want. Now if someone will just tell my girlfriend!

My fiancee just had my engagement ring made here, and I couldn't be happier. He used my great grandmother's engagement diamond and had it re-set in custom rose gold piece with vintage diamond accents. We went in last night to check on the fit and also to get my mom's wedding bands cleaned and fixed, which they had made seven years ago! They were nice and attentive and got things done quick, and I can't wait to go back in some time to start looking at wedding bands. Some people have suggested that the people working there are rude, but I believe it's because they see themselves as artisans, not salespeople. They're not looking to upsell you; they're there to make you the piece you really want. Great experience, and great talent!

I worked with Michael and Jenn to design a setting for a family diamond for an engagement ring, and wholeheartedly recommend Little King. From the start, they were knowledgeable, courteous, frank, and prompt - I had a tight deadline for finalizing ring, and they were very gracious about it, turning it around as quickly as possible (and, needless to say, rather beautifully). My fiancée and I are thrilled with how the ring came out - we couldn't have asked for any better.

I first met Jennifer and Michael when they were in their store on East 9th street. We became friends and I had a ring made for husbands 50th birthday. They took my grandmothers sapphire and put in the most beautiful hammered silver setting with a beautiful 14K gold design around the stone and cascading down the side of the ring. It is truly a work of art. Since then I have had 4 pieces of jewelry made by them and each piece has been more beautiful than the piece prior. Michael and Jennifer worked with us to design our wedding bands and we get the most compliments ever on the unique design. Michael and Jennifer really take the business to the next level with their ability to work with the clients on their design ideas all the way to the execution of the ring or bracelet. They have never shied away from a difficult design and that is what sets them apart from other jewelry designers. Their work is beyond reproach as is their relationships with their clients. I am very happy to have met them and to have had jewelry made by them. I look forward to getting another piece jewelry made by them, and then another, and then another.!!!! Make this your jewelry design center!