Ascot Diamonds

My now-​wife and I originally met with Tim in the summer of 2014, not knowing much about gemstones or settings. He was coincidentally the first jeweler we visited. After meeting with him, we were fortunate he was first, as he was very patient and incredibly helpful. We met in his office as he walked us through the process of buying a diamond while viewing his selection. He was informative, respected our budget, and was critical in helping us understand the ins-​and-​outs of engagement rings. All before we had committed to buying anything from him.
We visited a number of jewelers after meeting with Tim, and none were as knowledgeable. About a year after our initial discussions with him, we were ready to pick a jeweler and pull the trigger. We called Tim and he remembered us immediately. I got an one-​of-​a-​kind deal on a center stone from another source; Tim provided the custom setting. Similar to our prior discussions, every discussion as to the setting was pleasant with frequent email updates.
Tim’s service is professional, thoughtful, and high-​quality. We couldn’t have asked for a better end product. My wife never misses an opportunity to show it off.

Tim is the best! My fiancé and I were referred to him by a friend and we had the absolute best experience working with him. He is patient, thoughtful, honest and overall a great guy to work with. My fiancé enlisted my help with the engagement ring so I didn’t think there could be any surprises but when I saw my ring for the first time, I was floored! It is even more beautiful than I ever could have dreamed! We are so lucky to have found Ascot in our own backyard and recommend it to anyone looking for their dream engagement ring!

I had a great experience buying an engagement ring from Ascot Diamonds. When I started ring shopping, I knew nothing of the 4 C’s and other characteristics of diamond value. Paul Jacobs, who a friend recommended, took time to explain these things to help me make an informed decision. He devoted the entirety of our first visit, which lasted over an hour, to explaining diamond characteristics. I was impressed by the thoroughness of his explanations. He gave me sensible recommendations that fit my budget, and the prices were good compared to comparable rings. My now wife is very happy with her ring.

We are so happy with our weddings rings! The professionalism and customer service is excellent. They will help you with all the details from custom design to insurance and diamond certification. My husband and I couldn’t be happier.

I would recommend Ascot to anyone who is looking for an engagement ring. My fiancé proposed this past weekend, and I could not wait to see my ring after my first visit with him to Ascot. We had Paul, who was incredibly knowledgable. I did not feel pressured to do business with him, but that he wanted to inform us on how to find what we wanted. We visited several of the big name stores (Kay, Zales), but the product at Ascot was very superior and also priced better. Several of them told me that I could not have the ring I wanted. Ascot had multiple settings that fit my criteria. In addition you are able to customize your setting. I wanted a certain setting, but with 6 prongs. They sent pictures of the new design, and then we selected exactly what we wanted. In addition they are flexible with budgets because you can select the diamond you want. If you are looking for a gorgeous ring that is unique this is the place to be. I love my ring, and even complete strangers have commented on my new ring because of the way it shines. Paul also followed up with my fiancé on care instructutions and asked about the proposal. They stand behind their products 100% as well. I am completely in love, and so excited that we worked with Ascot.

If you are looking for a ring, this is the place to go. Paul is knowledgable, kind, polite, intelligent, and doesn’t put any pressure on your to buy. He explains diamonds in a way that even the most inexperienced buyer would understand. I felt as though Paul was working with us to find the perfect ring, rather than try to up-​sell us. Paul is wonderful – he worked with us to create the ring that we wanted and it turned out beautifully. What is also great is that if you have a budget, he will find the best ring possible within your budget – he won’t try to make you go above it. I highly recommend Ascot Diamonds. Keep in mind – you need to make an appointment.

Tim and his team at Ascot Diamonds are truly as good as they get! We were referred there by a few friends of ours and couldn’t be happier we received this suggestion. This was our first time looking for rings and Tim made the process relaxing, fun and most importantly, comfortable. He sat with us for hours on multiple days explaining different aspects of our ring (who knew there was so much to know about diamonds and different types of gold!) and throughout the entire process was incredibly honest about what looks good and what was right for us. In addition, he was so flexible with appointments — we could go before work, after work, on the weekends … he always made himself available!
Aside from being incredibly knowledgeable and professional, Tim was so personable and thoughtful. My fiancé and I got engaged a few weeks before Thanksgiving and had inherited a stone, so we went to Tim right away to pick out a ring and I told him from the beginning that it was SO important to me to have the stone in time for when I visit my family for the holiday. And of course, Tim made it happen. Being able to share the ring with my family was so meaningful and special, and it was all made possible by Tim.
We’re looking forward to going back to Ascot and visiting Tim for our wedding bands!

My fiancé and I had an amazing experience with Ascot Diamonds! We had actually found them based off of a ring I fell in love with on Pinterest. They worked with him on making the perfect setting for the diamond he had already purchased for my engagement ring! And they worked with me sizing it just way I needed. They are full of knowledge and you can tell that they really are about their customers having the greatest experience possible! I definitely recommend them to anyone looking to have a great experience! I will definitely be going back to them to get my wedding band! Huge Thanks to Ascot Diamonds for making my special day amazing!

Paul and team are simply amazing. I first stopped into Ascot Diamonds with my then girlfriend to learn about diamonds and to also look at different settings and stones. Paul gave us a wonderful crash course in all things diamonds — what to look for in color, clarity, cut, how the market works, and pricing. After walking out we both had a much greater understanding. Additionally, I also knew I wanted to buy the engagement ring from Paul.
I made an appointment with Paul a few weeks later where we sat down and looked at stones and settings. I knew what to get and Paul helped me pick out the best possible stone within my budget. As a result, I got the perfect ring for my fiancé and she could not be happier!!!
Throughout the entire process I did not feel any pressure. Instead, everything was relaxed and I really felt that Paul was working to get me the best ring for my budget. ¹⁰⁄₁₀

Rather unorganized

I learned about Ascot Diamonds through 3 – 4 of my buddies (all separately). Each one them made their final purchases with Ascot and each one of them shared with me what I will now share with you:
Ascot Diamonds offers you every personal consideration when going through this process. From the moment you walk in the door, there is a projected level of relaxation balanced with professionalism. I worked with Paul — but I know that the rest of the Ascot team is on point. They want you to feel educated, comfortable, serviced and fully in control of your end result.
Beyond that, the quality of their products is absolutely outstanding. As a guy, nothing matters more than your girl loving her ring… But when the rest of the world gives you a side-​whisper about what a great job you did… that’s how you know you nailed it.
And that’s why you go to Ascot Diamonds.

Tim and the team were absolutely amazing when it came to selection and following adjustments of the ring! I came few days before going to the trip with my now-​fiancée on which I was going to propose. Selection, pricing discussion and actual making of the ring took just two day so I was very pleased. Tim has provided me with honest assessment and options based on what I was looking for and my budget without pushing to more expensive side (quite opposite, actually).
After returning from the trip we came together to adjust the size of the ring and got it done very quickly and without any hesitation. Moreover, we came 3(!) more times as my future wife didn’t want to make it too small and we took gradual steps with few days of testing in between. No issues were raised and no questions were asked!
I highly recommend Ascot for its quality, price and wonderful attentive service.

PAUL IS AMAZING! when you are trying to purchase a rock from the ground that costs as much as a new honda civic, well that can make a man very uncomfortable. He sat me down, educated me, searched high and low to exactly what i wanted… and when it was done… it was mind blowing. When you’re purchasing something this big, you will feel very uncomfortable with just the thought of it. Ascot made the experience so smooth a cashiers check was given with pride. I went to a few well known local places before Ascot and their prices were thousands more for grades less, while feeling very pressured. I am still getting calls from them! Some places in town are more like a used car lot than a jewelry store.
If you want the best certification, best quality of service, and a place to go back to consistently for jewelry needs, this is the place. They have a customer for life, especially due to the fact that i told the lady she can upgrade a carat every 10 years. Sigh…

Came to Ascot after my fiancé proposed with my grandmother’s ring. I wanted to keep everything the same but to make it white gold rather than yellow gold. We called and set up an appointment with Tim and he explained everything. He told me that dipping the yellow gold ring in white gold wasn’t really an option for a ring that I’d be wearing all the time. We then proceeded to look through the selection Ascot had to see if it would look similar to the one we had. When nothing really came close, he suggested that we create a ring that would look similar. I put all my trust in him and handed over my grandmother’s ring to do so.
It ended up coming out looking exactly like my grandmother’s ring but in white gold. And, now I can give the yellow gold band back to my mom for her to put her birthstone in it. So, we each get a part of the ring!
It only took about a week to make it all look right, which was incredibly fast. In addition, it was super easy to work with Tim and the location was pretty convenient.
We’ll definitely be going back there for our wedding bands. Super easy to work with and great quality/​knowledge from everyone there.

I think both my boyfriend (now fiancé) were both completely overwhelmed when we first started to shop for engagement rings. The average buyer has no idea what they they are supposed to be looking for in terms of quality and knowing if you’re paying the right price. After a few experiences walking out of jewlery stores completely bewildered and confused, a friend of ours recommended Paul at Ascot, and arranged a time for us to come in to chat with him about rings. By the time we came into see Paul, we did alot of browing online at the big online ring stores, and we knew what kind of ring and diamond we were looking for. I also had a good idea of the costs of that type of ring and diamond from looking online, but had no idea on the A, B, Cs of diamonds.
We headed to Ascot during our lunch hour one day during the week. The actual store/​office is really beautiful and seems more like an über high end office versus a shop. Paul was welcoming and asked what we were interested in, and then printed out a sheet on diamond close to what we were looking for and then patiently gave us a very detailed lesson on diamonds and what you should look for and be willing to accept in the quality of them. He went over everything — from the clairity, color, symmetry, fluorescence, and every other detail you never knew existed in diamonds. It was enlightening and we felt so much more at ease by the end of the lesson as we finally had a better clue on diamonds.
After the lesson, came the funnest part. Paul asked what kinds of bands we were interested in and pulled out an extensive set of bands to look through. He immeditely found exactly the type on the photo we brought in, and then pulled out a diamond of similar size to look at as well. From that point on, it was settled what we decided on, and I left the rest to my boyfriend and Paul to handle.
Fast forward a month later, and i“m officially engaged and have this absolutely stunning ring. Paul also gave my fiancé cleaning solution and told me to feel free to call about instructions on cleaning it. I could not have asked for better service in Paul and Ascot Diamonds. Truly outstanding service and diamonds, we are SO glad we came here, and we can’t recommend them highly enough.
We will be back for our wedding rings! :)

Overwhelming is often the first word that comes to mind when a guy begins looking for a diamond for his special lady. You think you kids have it tough with Tinder, maybe they should invent a diamond ring app and swipe right and left until you find the ring you like. It’d be nice if all you ladies had this app on your phone, then your men would have a good idea what you liked in jewelry. I was fortunate and already had a good idea as I set out on my adventure.
I think the first weekend everyone should plan to just go around to a few shops and get educated on the process, the 4C’s, etc. Also, it takes about a week to get over sticker shock and realize that instead of the new (insert whatever item here) you’ve been lusting over, you are about to put that on hold and purchase some carbon atoms to woo your lady and hopefully get her to finally say a 3 letter word to you (as opposed to the 4 letter words she normally uses). Ah yes, this is the but the first of many times you’ll put your aspirations on hold to take care of thee lady. Sound jaded? Lets focus here people, diamonds, not jade. All kidding aside, I was quite happy to begin the process to find the perfect ring.
I would recommend that while looking at rings the gentleman plan to buy himself a bottle of fine whiskey for after the process is completed, as a little reward for the time and hard work. And really, even a nice bottle of whiskey is a pittance compared to that shiny little object you are about to purchase. You deserve a reward.

As part of the process, I had visited a few local stores, and also shopped around online. I found a couple reviews for Ascot mentioning Tim by name, which was convenient since it was only a few blocks away. I called and had an appointment that week.
Upon meeting Tim I immediately felt that he wasn’t just a salesman and I was much more at ease. Their shop doesn’t have a lot of fancy jewelry and glitzy lights that make everything shine to the nth degree. You’ll see after visiting some other stores that diamonds are much like women, you can do amazing things with lighting. Instead, at Ascot you are able to view the diamond in a more natural setting, just like you would see on your fiancées hand. Tim also has the loupe’s for magnification and diamond certs.
We went through a number of princess cut diamonds over two visits, and I thought I had picked out the one I wanted, but then as I was getting up to leave Tim mentioned that the cushion cut diamonds are one of the most popular cuts. While that registered in the back of my head, I didn’t think twice about it at the time. However, after looking at some other jewelry I had bought for her, I realized the one ring she really liked was a cushion cut.
So, the following week I called Tim and explained that I now wanted to take a couple steps back and look at cushion cuts. He said hell no, I can’t afford to waste my time on people who can’t decide what they want the first time around. Just kidding (or I this review would be much different). He was more than accommodating and we essentially began the process anew.
We found a great stone at the price point I wanted, and I went on a work trip while I thought it over and shopped around a little. I checked online prices again, but the prices Tim were quoting me were right on point. I’m also a fan of supporting local businesses, so the fact that the difference was largely due to taxes wasn’t a huge concern. Plus, I could see the diamond in person, which is beneficial as pictures don’t always convey everything. I called Tim the following week, and found out someone else shared my views that the stone was beautiful, and had already purchased it.
Now it was turning into a three round match, and I wanted the knockout ring. So, Tim was able to look through the available inventory and find me a stone to the specs and price point I wanted. I went back, loved one of the stones her ordered, and then had to decide on the setting. I had found a couple settings I liked, so we essentially combined three of those into one custom setting.
Went in 2 weeks later, picked it up, and she said the magic three letter word when I proposed out in Sonoma Valley. Now, true, I had to take her to Sonoma and give her a glass of wine or two first, but that was no reflection on the ring choice. When I opened the ring box, she immediately tossed the «packet of memories» which was pictures of our years together and our trips, which I used as part of the proposal, to the ground. So, obviously, I made the right choice.
Thanks Tim, couldn’t have done it without you!

My fiancé and I found Ascot through Unilocal and I’m so glad we trusted the internet! After emailing them, we were set up with Paul with worked with us through the whole process. I had already been to a few jeweler’s with my mom prior to meeting Paul with my fiancé, so I was well versed in the 4C’s. But he was very patient & professional and walked through our options. He gave us his honest opinions when it came to getting the most bang for out buck. At no time did I ever feel like we were getting pressured to purchase right away.
I had a pretty good idea of what I wanted design-​wise, but was still on the fence about a few things. Paul suggested to put «shoulders» on the setting which is not only a safeguard but looks great, and swayed me to go with a cushion cut halo instead of a round halo which would look a little trend /​less timeless. He gave us the pros and cons of white gold vs platinum and we decided to go with white gold which is less expensive and doesn’t take on a patina. I was glad to have his expert opinions. We ended up making a custom ring, combining elements from several settings created by Ascot’s «in-​house» designer collection (Catherine Ryder). Paul worked with my fiancé on the final design (sending him CAD designs for review) so it was a surprise when I saw it. I couldn’t be more thrilled! My ring constantly gets complimented by strangers and it’s soooo sparkly.
When my fiancé met separately with Paul to actually purchase the diamond, they spent a lot of time working out different pricing options with a variety of diamonds until they were able to find a gorgeous, brilliant cut 1 carat diamond within his budget. I had been told at other stores that 1 carat would not be possible with our budget, but Ascot made it happen. We’re going to pick out wedding rings here very soon, I can’t imagine going anywhere else.
**As a note– you need to make an appointment to come here. It’s not like Tiffany or Charleston Alexander where you can walk in and look through cases of jewelry. You’ll sit down in an office with them and they’ll show you trays and trays of settings and loose diamonds. They also don’t carry name brands like Tacori, martin Flyer, Verragio, etc-it’s just their one designer.

My fiancé and I met with Tim after finding Ascot in a google search of «jewelers in Arlington». We had been to about 4 other jewelers, and Ascot ended up being the most worthwhile place to spend our time and money. Little did we know we landed on a gold mine with Tim. There is so much information out there on how to select a diamond, and the «c’s», and so on and so forth that it could be overwhelming; but when we sat down with Tim, he explained everything to both of us in a very succinct and hands-​on manner. He handed over the loop and the diamond (s), and explained what we were looking at so we could understand how the imperfections are formed, how clarity is achieved, and how a diamond is priced (in-​house and amongst competitors).
He never pressured us to buy from him, and spent most of his time investing in a relationship with us and teaching us about diamonds. My fiancé went back without me, and he learned more and more over several visits, emails, and phone calls. Each time, Tim would present various stones as options, and the two would discuss the merits of each stone.
Tim was very helpful in the selection of our stone, and encouraged us not to overpay (something I never thought we would hear from a jeweler); ultimately we purchased my wedding band from him. He called us a few days before the wedding and reminded us to come in to have all of our rings polished for us before the big day (free), and since then has offered continued courtesy polishings. He has been a great teacher, jeweler, and diamond mentor.
My now-​husband and I fully endorse and highly recommend Tim at Ascot Diamonds for your diamond needs — you will get education, personalized treatment, and the best bang for your buck.

Got my fiancé’s engagement ring here. Tim was very helpful: he gave me a crash-​course in diamond quality (I had already done some research and recommend everyone do so before shopping). He showed me diamonds of various clarity and amounts of imperfections, which was really helpful to see in person. It served a great point of comparison when I visited other stores.
They worked within the price range I gave, unlike some of the other establishments I visited. These other places either tried to push me more than $ 1000 higher than I stated I was willing to spend or showed me low-​quality diamonds while offering no explanation or education. The courtesy and professionalism I experienced at Ascot were not to be found anywhere else I looked.
I ended up with a diamond of great quality in a beautiful setting at a price I was willing to pay. They wanted me to walk away with the best possible engagement ring and that is what I did.
Added bonuses: free resizing and polishing if necessary (we did need to get it resized, which only takes one day).

Great Unilocal reviews nailed this one spot on. After searching Unilocal,I decided to visit those higher rated shops, and Ascot was my first visit on the ring hunt. I walked in without my fiancée and without an appointment. Paul quickly helped me and spent lots of time with me. He listened to me and presented me with a few diamonds a couple of days after. When I disliked those, he took my thoughts on them and a few days later… voilá! He found my diamond. It was one of those, «this is the one!», moments. We then proceeded to design my ring setting, and yet again, he listened very closely to my input. We then brought in my fiancée to seal the deal and Paul gave us both a nice education on diamonds.
I was presented my dream ring by my love, and I couldn’t be happier!!! My fiancée proposed perfectly bc most girls don’t get the choice to pick their ring to the T. I highly recommend Paul and Ascot diamonds. Since I had the choice, I did some work and visited all those other diamond establishments in the DC area. Know that with Paul and Ascot, you will get quality, which is priceless!