The Goldsmith

I highly recommend working with Tom on a custom ring! From pencil sketches to CAD, CAD to wax cast, and wax cast to finished product, Tom worked with me to construct the exact engagement ring I had in mind for my fiancé. Really, Tom does fantastic work, and his pricing is extremely fair. I just ordered wedding bands through The Goldsmith today.

Brilliant, honest and Tom’s work is as tasteful as you can get. Definitely recommend them.

The Goldsmith’s are fantastic! I’ve gone to them several times to fix my engagement ring since it is a very old family heirloom. They are so helpful, they’ve resized it twice (It turned out to be a bit too small the first resizing) and have fixed the prongs which are very old and wearing down. They have been so helpful in directing me how to care for it and never advise me to do more than is necessary. I just love them. Every time I go in they make sure to tell me that I can come in as many times as needed and they will make sure my ring is safe and in good standing. You can’t find a better jeweler in the area!

I have to highly recommend Tom if you are looking to buy any piece of jewelry. The process of customizing your own jewelry is so satisfying, and Tom gives you great advice and options along the way. Ultimately the price for our perfect customized ring was lower than most of the jewelry store-​bought pieces we considered. We will be returning to him in the next few months for our wedding bands.
We were looking for an engagement ring, and had been preparing for months by looking at loose stones and setting styles both online and in local jewelry stores. We had a good idea of the style we wanted, and had already purchased a loose (non-​diamond) gemstone that was larger than most store-​bought engagement settings would accommodate. Plus my fiancé’s finger is smaller than many store-​bought rings can be resized to fit. Essentially at each jewelry store we found pieces that compromised on the style that we desired, and instead we would have like to combine our favorite elements from the settings we liked best.
When we visited Tom for the first time, we told him what we were looking for and he showed us some display pieces and photos of previously made pieces that were close to the style we wanted. We discussed the design elements we liked and those that we wanted to change. We chose the metal alloy to best match her skin tone (18k Rose gold), the setting style to be most secure for the stone without poking through her lab gloves, a band shape to keep the ring from rotating on the finger, and most importantly the shape of the curves and crispness of the edges to be sleek and modern. We discussed all kinds of style options including accent stones, how the wedding band could match, various gold alloys Tom can make, rhodium plating to achieve certain color effects, etc… so that when we made our final decision I felt comfortable that we had considered all the possibilities.
Tom was able to begin with a mold from a previously made ring (which helped keep the price lower) to produce a wax model. After about two weeks we inspected the wax model and were able to again make style comments that were implemented on the wax. After another two weeks we came in to view the finished ring before stone setting, and it looked better than we ever imagined! By the next day the stone setting was done and we took our ring home!
The craftsmanship and honesty are obvious in Tom’s work. Highly recommend, and we will be back.

This review is 2 years long overdue. If you need a custom piece, this is the place to go.
Like so many reviewers on here, I was brought to Tom because we were going to custom design my engagement ring (we wanted something sturdy and simple, with a timeless design since I am very rough with my hands). We had a budget to keep in mind, and he was incredibly helpful during the planning and design process. He had some recommendations on the setting to better ensure that the diamond would be as secure as possible, and he even explained how some portion of the metalwork would need to be outsourced to keep within our budget (the harder metals require more resources). I paused at this but decided to trust Tom, and was glad I did.
I was afraid of how the ring would turn out because sometimes things change from concept to production. But when the ring arrived, my fiancé and I were floored. Such a simple, classic design, but the QUALITY of materials and craftsmanship are so clear in this piece. It came out way better than I had imagined in my head. I’d first seen the final product in the evening light, and… boy, that thing pierces with its light rays! Thank you again, Tom!
Highly recommend this place for wonderful customer service and craftsmanship.

I recently bought a custom wedding band from Tom and had a great experience. This was my first experience with custom jewelry and I was a little anxious, particularly since I just wanted something plain and very simple. Tom helped me pick the right gold alloy for my ring, and worked with me to get the shape (not too domed, not too flat), dimensions, and size just right. I even got to try on the wax model of my ring before it was cast. My ring came out perfectly; I’m very happy with both the design and ordering process and the final product!

We had such a wonderful experience designing my custom engagement ring with Tom! He listened to all of my ideas and provided excellent advice and guidance throughout the design process. When I finally received my ring from my fiancé, it was everything I had hoped for! The color of the gold (that I had been very specific about) was exactly what I wanted, and the craftsmanship was very fine. Could not be happier with the engagement ring Tom created for me!!!

Great service and price for my (male) wedding band. I had follow-​up questions via email after the pick-​up and Tom always replied quickly with all the info I needed. Goldsmith is now my local go-​to jeweler.

Absolutely great experience with Tom and having a custom ring made.
We would trust him with any piece of jewelry to create or repair.
The store has really beautiful and unique jewelry as well.
The Goldsmith’s work, attention to detail, timely communication, and friendly and knowledgable service is much appreciated, thank you!

I came in for an appraisal for insurance purposes. The woman, who I am guessing is Mrs Goldsmith said she was so busy she’d have to keep my ring and bracelet for a few weeks. I decided to come back after the New Year when the holidays were long past. Mr Goldsmith then asked me to come back on a Friday because that is when his wife handled appraisals. So my third time back to see Mrs Goldsmith, she told me again she was too busy, to try back. Really? Come back a fourth time? No thanks. I contacted Neil Dahl Jewelers in Palo Alto and got exceptional service. If you are looking for appraisers, Neil Dahl is your best bet. The Goldsmiths are busy :)

This is my first review for Unilocal,and that probably explains why it’s taken me almost a year to get around to writing it. But I want to say a few good words about Tom Wilson’s work and my happy experience dealing with The Goldsmith.
Late last year I took a notion to buy my wife an article of custom jewelry for our 15^th anniversary, which was on 20 December. A web search led me to The Goldsmith’s site, and I immediately took a liking to Tom’s style. I’d walked past the shop on Emerson in downtown Palo Alto I don’t know how many times, but paid no attention, since I’m not a person who buys jewelry. That I liked the work of someone actually within walking distance made it an easy decision to pay a visit.
So I stopped by sometime in mid-​November. I was immediately greeted by Vickie, to whom I explained what I had in mind, and stipulated a relatively modest price range. She showed me some boulder opals. It had never occurred to me to use an opal as the central stone, and it was the perfect choice. Vickie’s and Tom’s guidance regarding which opal in their collection best suited my plans was spot-​on. The stone had a beautiful and somewhat irregular play of colors, and was the right size and shape. It was by no means expensive as precious opals go.
My ideas about what I wanted were pretty specific, but I could readily point to pieces Tom had already made that were similar to what I imagined. The piece was to be an asymmetrical pendant necklace, in yellow gold, with a single stone (we ended up adding a tiny diamond, a sort of morning star to the opal’s moon), on a yellow gold chain.
On that first day, once I’d begun talking about the design, Vickie had Tom come over. He instantly understood what I wanted. I asked him to go ahead and make me some drawings based on the opal we’d selected and the general plan we’d discussed, which he said he’d be able to do within a week or two. Only then would I decide whether or not to commission the piece. Tom said I should go with 18 karat gold, and I followed his advice. I recommend following his advice in such matters.
When I came back for a second visit, the elegant drawings were in pencil, and Tom could make modifications right there as we spoke over the counter. I had a choice between two drawings. I asked Tom which he preferred, and he didn’t hesitate in offering his opinion. I happened to agree. We fiddled a bit with the drawing then and there, and wound up changing nothing. It was at this point that I got a quote, decided to proceed, and put down half the cost.
The next visit, a week or two later, was to see the wax model itself. Seeing the piece in three dimensions, even in dark-​colored wax, was kind of exciting, and I liked it even more than I had on paper. Fascinated by the lost-​wax process Tom would use for casting the pendant, I asked a bunch of questions. He was more than happy to talk about his craft, and among other things explained to me a little about the delicate art of placing the sprues, the channels through which the molten gold would flow into the investment, which is the mold produced directly from the wax model. It turns out that getting the sprues right for asymmetrical shapes is especially tricky.
On my final visit in mid-​December, Tom’s busy season, I received the finished work. It was beautiful, subtle as I’d wanted it to be, and I was delighted. It’s an extraordinary necklace, but I wanted it to be something that could be worn anytime, and most anywhere. The polished gold set off the opal wonderfully well. My wife was delighted, too — and ever so surprised.
I did see Tom a couple more times soon after that, along with my wife, to have our wedding rings resized. They had never fit correctly, and Tom was clearly just the person to fix them, and to do the job right. He stretched one and compressed the other. Apparently no cutting was involved. Of course he polished them for us.
Tom is a real artist and a fine craftsman. I happen to be partial to his esthetic, and he and I always instantly understood where the other was coming from when we were in the design phase for the necklace. Working with him and Vickie was a great pleasure. Walking through the door they never failed to greet me as if I were an old friend, even when the store was a bit crowded. I couldn’t have been happier with the whole experience.
I regret that I’m unlikely to have reason to buy anything else from Tom and Vickie anytime soon, but it’s nice to know they’re there. They have a lot of lovely jewelry that isn’t custom made, of course, including work by artists other than Tom. And I have eyed some of his earrings…

Thank you, Unilocalers, for recommending The Goldsmith.
I brought a ring here for re-​sizing. I was a little nervous because it needed to be re-​sized down 3 sizes and I wanted to make sure that the integrity and design of the ring would withstand the dramatic change. They reassured me that it would work and added that they would call if there were *any* problems at all.
My ring was ready a few days earlier than promised. And it was perfect. They re-​did the rhodium on the ring and it was bright and white and shiny. They also offered lifetime cleaning.
Great service. I’ll be back.

The Goldsmith is a great business. I’ve been a client for many years and not only do they provide excellent customer service – the kind that’s hard to find these days – but the owner has wonderful metal-​smithing skills and can customize or adapt most anything.

Almost a year since I purchased our engagement ring, I’m back to report that Tom did an equally great job on our matching wedding bands. We had a modernist design in mind, and Tom understood that minimal does not mean simple. We showed him some reference images, and he immediately knew what we were after. This time, he did sketches and wax models (instead of CAD), which was quite fun, because there was a sense of expectation and surprise leading up to the final product. The day we went to try them on, I was worried that they would be too plain. But Tom really pulled them off. They have strength, elegance, delicacy and uniqueness.
He worked within our budget and time schedule. There was a minor imperfection the first time my ring was cast, but he immediately caught the problem, re-​cast it and finished it in time for the wedding. You don’t get that kind of service at other jewelers. Normally you get someone wondering how much money you have in your wallet.
But the highest praise I can give is that everyday, we both look forward to putting on our rings in the morning.

After reading a few reviews on Unilocal I decided to bring some old jewelry I didn’t like to The Goldsmith too see how it would be possible to have something nice redesigned with it.
I had a pretty clear idea of what I wanted but I listened to Tom who advised some change.
He made a beautiful ring and a beautiful pendant that I now wear everyday and that my friends admire. I couldn’t be more satisfied with the fine work he achieved for a very fair price.
It was a pleasure to work with Tom and his wife and I highly recommend The Goldsmith.

I can’t praise the folks at Goldsmith enough.
They did an excellent job when we wanted matching custom made anniversary rings, they did an excellent job when I needed my wedding ring re-​sized and they have done an excellent job of helping me buy other items over the years.
Very nice people, very professional, a pleasure to work with.

I took my ring in for a repair that was covered by my insurance. They estimated a 2 week turnaround time, and they completed the work within that time frame. So far, so good.
They also informed me about updating the appraisal for my ring, since it was more valuable than the last time I did it. They called my insurance company, and got instructions on what needed to be done, without me having to ask.

Tom Wilson is a jeweler of great integrity. I cannot think of anyone better from whom to buy jewelry AND with whom to entrust my jewelry for repair/​redesign.
The Goldsmith is definitely worth the drive from Fremont.

I can easily understand why The Goldsmith has garnered five stars from other reviewers. I needed a pair of sentimental cuff links repaired. One of the studs had broken off. Other jewelers in town either couldn’t make the repair or attempted to sell me a new pair of cuff links.
I was pleased to find out that the broken stud could be soldered on the spot for $ 35.
The repairs were perfect.
Their showroom is very beautiful, and while it is small the quality of their jewelry is exceptional.

The Goldsmith made my custom engagement ring and wedding ring set back in 2006 – 7. Tom Wilson helped us find the stone (natural alexandrite) and then went on to create a completely unique ring for me using sketches he made while we talked. I was very happy with the experience and used to drop by his store for a quick ring clean when we still lived in the area. I would recommend him highly for custom pieces and would be happy to give him my business in the future. This is a place that truly pays attention to the individual and produces quality pieces.