Artisan LA Jewelry

These guys helped me find the perfect vintage engagement ring over the holidays. They were very knowledgeable and helped me choose the right stones etc. they were not pushy and and made sure the ring was ready by Christmas day even though I only gave them a few days in advance. I went to them for the sizing as well and are just the nicest people you can know. I definitely give them my votes.

I am so thankful that while looking for gemologists in LA, Artisan LA Jewelry was the first place I called and Julio was who answered the phone. My request was probably a little odd; I didn’t want appraisals for my pieces, but just confirmation of their genuineness. There were quite a few pieces I wanted looked at, but Julio said he’d do it for me for a cheap price.
I was surprised a little at the kindness behind the offer to help me for so small a fee, but what really blew me away was how much time he spent with me. After he examined each piece, he explained rather in-​depth about how he identified each piece as real. He told me about obvious and subtle markers to look for in fakes. Then he invited me to look at his Amethyst (which is what I brought in) which he has in rough form and went on with a detailed explanation of how the gem is formed; like how iron gives it its color, how varying cooling rates of the silica bubbles and smaller quantities of trace iron produce chevron formations like the ones in one of my pieces… The differences between lab grown Amethyst and natural mined, and on he went, telling me how the shades of purple vary from continent to continent because of the different soil… And I was standing there listening raptly, totally in awe of how much this man knows and his obvious passion for gemology as well as being a jeweler. The whole situation made me think of some kind-​hearted professor who stays after class to explain something you don’t understand, just for the love of the subject and a sincere desire to impart that knowledge on someone else.
So after my impromptu but much appreciated in-​depth lesson on Amethysts, I asked him about Amber. He honestly tells me that he’s not quite the afficianado on the stone, but promptly offers to take a look at his books and do some research on it. (Seriously, is this guy real?) I told him I had a loose stone I wanted set, and he said he’d be willing to work out a design with me.
I’d taken up the better part of an hour’s worth of his time when another guest came in. (And I say guest because at this point I feel so comfortable and welcome.) I knew it was about closing time, if not after, but he greeted the gentleman like they were old friends. I asked him quickly about setting up an appointment for the Amber I want set, and we agreed on a couple of weeks. He said he wanted to do research on the stone first. Which really shows you he cares because I’m no expert but I would think all you’d need to know were the basics like the harness level to set it. But I bet he’s going to give me another lesson, this time on Amber, when I go back. And I am TOTALLY looking forward to it if he does!!!
I quickly put away my things to make room for the gentleman, and quietly asked Julio how much compensation he’d like for examining my jewelry. He waved it off, smiled, and just asked me to spread the word about his business. Which I do here on Unilocal gladly!
He even sent me an email this morning telling me about another method for spotting color enhanced gems he’d forgotten to mention last night. Julio is seriously the best. Kind, generous with his time and knowledge, and obviously a learned professional who is passionate about what he does. I’m looking forward to seeing the jewelry-​making side of him.

Julio was so amazing to work with while designing a ring for my fiancé. He was constantly available by email/​telephone and always answered right away. He had great advice and was very flexible throughout the whole process. He was very understanding when it came to doing payments and never made me feel like he was rushed to get my money. I could honestly tell that he cared so much about our project and he wanted it to be exactly what I envisioned. It couldn’t have turned out more perfect and my fiancé and I both LOVE the final product. Thank you so much for everything Julio, I will definitely be back for the wedding bands and will recommend you to anyone in the future.

Julio is amazing, kind, honest, and good at what he does. He helped create a custom engagement ring and was incredibly patient (and encouraging) about me paying it off in small installments. I would go visit him every once in a while with another lil chunk of change and it was such a delight to be invited back into his space.
I was looking for something unique, and to support a local business, and I was so glad I found him. Definitely give this dude your business.
Oh! And if it helpful to you, Julio is Brazilian, so his name is pronounced with like a soft J, sort of in between a J sound and a silent J sound– like zh?

A couple years ago my mother gave me diamond that had been in our family, with the intention for it to go in my engagement ring. That way I would only have to choose a setting and we could have more money towards the wedding. So when I got engaged in August, my fiancé decided to go ahead and let me choose the setting I wanted. I had looked at pre-​made settings and nothing really stood out as being «the one.» I have always loved vintage jewelry, especially Edwardian and Art Deco pieces, so I really wanted something in that style. After scouring what seemed like every jeweler in LA on Unilocal,Artisan LA stood out as the place to go for both custom and vintage inspired jewelry. Using inspiration I found online, I worked with Julio to create this stunning ring that far exceeded my expectations. I had never designed jewelry before, and I learned a lot through the process and Julio was very easy to work with and quite possibly may be one of the most patient, responsive, and kind jewelers ever. Towards the end when the ring was in production, I know I bugged him a few times and he was always very reassuring that everything would be perfect. When I was able to pick up my ring, I was floored by how intricate, delicate, and unique it truly is. No matter how many CAD renders or 3D prints I saw, nothing compared to how stunning the end result was. Plus, his pricing was very competitive and reasonable. I am so happy I chose Artisan LA to make my ring. He also has beautiful beautiful designs already made that would fit the taste of anyone who loves vintage or modern jewelry. I highly recommend Artisan LA!

I wanted to thank Julio for the AWESOME word he did on my Custom Wedding Ring. You owe it to yourself to work with the BEST. Yes, he is the BEST!!! Go, and let him know that I sent you. ;)

The jeweler and owner, Julio, is a talented designer and craftsman. I purchased a beautiful natural emerald ring, set in hammered silver and gold. Absolutely beautiful. His new showroom on Vermont near Franklin is a nice improvement over the smaller showroom he had before. Julio also did a couple of smaller jewelry repairs for me, including setting a new carnelian stone into an antique Turkamen ring I’d had for years (the original had fallen out). He is personally attentive and his work is unique and wears very well. I have had numerous compliments on the lovely ring. Highly recommended.

My experience with Julio, the owner and designer at Artisan La, began in 2013. I co-​designed some gorgeous Tahitian pearl pieces of jewelry with him for a special occasion. He has great customer service skills, excellent knowledge in his field (he is a gemologist and designer), and the most beautiful stones and already-​made pieces I’d ever seen. I have been working with him since then, and just picked up my stunning custom designed Ceylon sapphire and gold engagement ring!
His new location on Vermont Ave. in on trend Los Feliz is lovely, his staff is welcoming (as is Julio) and professional without a hint of snobbery. If you love beautiful jewelry, especially if you like custom work, do yourself a favor and go visit Artisan LA. Ask for Julio, you won’t be disappointed!

Julio has made us beautiful jewelry. We were looking for vintage-​style engagement rings and it led us to Artisan LA. He made a beautiful rose-​gold ring w/​an unfired peach sapphire and it was within our price range. Later, we went back to have our weddings band made as well and we trusted his judgement. Again, gorgeous, hand-​made artisan jewelry at department store prices!
Julio takes a friendly, no-​pressure, no-​hassle approach, has very reasonable prices, and the jewelry he makes and sells in his store is beautiful. We are customers for life.

I thought I knew what I wanted for an engagement ring and my fiancé and I went to several places and saw a few vintage rings I really liked but we didn’t pull the trigger on anything for some reason. He found Artisan LA on Unilocal and suggested we go. Julio was very attentive and knowledgable, and I’ll always remember huddling next to him looking into a case and asking «What’s THAT one?!» and falling in love with a rose gold pink/​peach sapphire (who knew?!) surrounded by little diamonds that he designed before I even put it on. My fiancé feels like a hero because he found Julio, and I love that I know who made my vintage-​y looking but brand new ring. We plan on having him make the wedding bands for both of us as well. This is a wonderful place to go if you think you want a vintage ring, because he has those too, but you just might end up falling in love with something he created.

Amazing store and Julio is very professional! Very sweet and helpful! Great gemologist! Store looks beautiful and they have great variety of jewelry. Im happy I found this store. Highly recommend!

Julio created a gorgeous custom engagement ring for me, he helped me find the right stones and sent me multiple 3d models of the ring so we could create something truly unique that matched my vision. My fiancée is thrilled!

My first of many visits to Artisian, Julio was extreme helpful, patient, and honest. He is an amazing person and professional. I selected one of his own designs for my anniversary gift– and he even took time to customize it on the spot. If I had millions of dollars– I would buy all the jewelry in the store and send him on a nice vacation. He deserves great business. I had a truly awesome experience.

Artisan LA was a life saver for me! By random chance I’d received a diamond necklace as part of a give-​away to the studio audience when I went to see a tv show taping. I had no idea what I had or what it was worth and Julio Benez really helped me out. Really warm and friendly guy.
At no charge he tested/​verified the diamond for me and also informed me what metals were used in the chain/​mounting. He offered me a very fair price for a dealer, but I decided I’d try and sell it on my own. It took me a long time, but I finally did. When I did, I met up with the person buying it at Artisan LA and he verified it again in front of the buyer, again at no charge and was happy to do so.
I mainly came to authenticate what I had, but everything I saw while I was there was very unique and beautiful. It was clear they do a lot of interesting custom work.
Whether you’re coming here to buy or sell, you’re sure to have a pleasant experience.

I came to Artisan LA after searching all over Los Angeles for engagement rings. Julio was extremely helpful, attentive, and has a comprehensive knowledge of gems and precious metals. We wanted a custom, fairly complex design at this point and he made many fantastic suggestions to improve on the initial idea. A few months later we have a ring that looks better than we could have hoped and for a fair price. I cannot recommend this place highly enough!

Julio is amazing! He designed THE most incredible engagement ring and wedding band for me. I was a novice to the world of gems, settings and jewelry design. My fiancé inherited beautiful jewels from his father but we were not exactly sure how to proceed. Julio steered us in the right direction and was so accommodating with all of our special requests. My rings with teal sapphires, diamonds, champagne diamonds and yellow diamonds are so stunning and very unique. I could not be happier! No one in the world will have my gorgeous rings. Julio was wonderful to work with and he is truly a gifted artist. Thank you for dealing with my Elizabeth Taylor moments…“More diamonds, more diamonds please”! The highest compliment I can give is that we will be back for my fiancé’s wedding band… and maybe another ring for me. :) Thank you so much Julio!

Julio is a true artist and craftsman. As an artist myself it was a pleasure working closely with him creating a one of a kind engagement ring. His attention to detail, creative advice and dedication to perfection reflects a passion for his profession one rarely finds. If you want to make a difference in somebody’s life Julio is the man to realise your vision.
Mark Blatchford

I have had the best experiences here!
The jewelry they make is so very beautiful and the custom design process was so delightful. It was a pleasure to work with Julio and I look forward to our next visit!

Julio worked with my fiancé and I to design the most beautiful engagement ring that is truly representative of our union. I wanted to use recycled gold and a gray diamond as the centerpiece. Julio happened to have a gray diamond on hand during our design consultation, and complemented it with vintage yellow diamonds on the side. The gold was recycled from my mother and my fiancé’s mother. I stepped out of the design process after that first meeting so my fiancé could surprise me with the results, and I have to say that this ring is everything I ever wanted and more! I highly recommend giving Julio a call if you are looking for something special and unique.

Julio did a fantastic job making a custom engagement ring — we had a very special black opal gifted to us by our friends, and Julio helped us a design the perfect setting and ring. My fiancé and I had a few ideas of what type of ring we wanted, and Julio was able to give us some great guidance on what type of cut and setting would be best for the stone, what type of finish would look best, and how to size it for my finger.
Thank you so much Julio and Artisan LA! We will be back for the wedding bands :)