RedStart Design

I scheduled an appointment to have a ring made by the super friendly gals at RedStart. Upon arrival, I was delighted to find that their Potrero Hill office doubles as their workshop, and was chock full of tools, stones, examples of rings, etc.
I had already looked at many rings in other stores and so had a general idea for what I wanted. Amanda and Sara picked up the pieces of my ideas effortlessly and added many of their own. It was apparent that they were very passionate about their work and brimming with creativity and expertise. The more vintage inspired piece that I wanted to create was different from the sleek, modern designs found on their website, but judging by our conversation, it was clear that they were well versed in all things design/​jewelry and would be able to build a custom ring regardless of style.
During the nearly 45 minute consult, Sara took copious notes and promised a CAD drawing of several options within a week. The drawings reached me in less than a week and were highly detailed.
Unfortunately, I did not end up proceeding with the process due to time constraints that life inflicted, but I’m fully confident that had I done so, the experience would have been consistently pleasurable and productive!

One day I noticed I was about to lose the main diamond from my antique engagement ring. Over the course of 6 months I asked three other jewelers including Shreve about repairing my antique engagement ring. Shreve said they’d do it but the cost was very high. [The ring had some very delicate filigree work]. The other jewelers were skeptical about whether it could be done and suggested I abandon it and have a new ring made.
My engagement ring had been sitting in my bedside cabinet for about 6 months as I tried to decide my next course of action when a friend for whom they had designed a beautiful engagement ring recommended Redstart to me. What a stroke of luck! Amanda and Sara were pretty sure they could repair it and quoted a far more reasonable number. They really took time and effort to figure out the best approach and I am more than delighted with my repaired ring. The quality of the work is fantastic, they communicated well throughout the process and they were pleasure to deal with. Thank you Amanda and Sara, I’m very happy to have my ring back on my finger.

RedStart is the place you want! They helped me turn my broken dream into a VERY unexpected reality.
I and my partner of nine years were visiting family for the first time together overseas (since we could never afford it before). I secretly planned to propose and looked all over for a ring to do it with for months (before and during our trip). I even thought, «Maybe not. Give me a sign! Anything!». I woke up to the Supreme Court marriage announcement blaring in the hotel lobby the next morning. ;-) But, still no ring to propose with. Instead I found «my» ring, in a little shop in England. I couldn“t get it without blowing the proposal.
We came home and had a dear friend in England pick the ring up and send it. I feverishly tracked the package accross the globe through SFO, and gave it a few more days to reach me. It never did…
Instead it was stolen in transit. Letters, reports, phone calls, and even an investigation launched by the Postmaster General’s Office, all turned up nada, zilch. «My» ring was just gone. It tore me up to tears having to finally accept that. My beautiful moment was turned into a broken dream instead. No one else should have to go through that, especially not when honoring the love they have.
I can’t even explain how desperatly I looked for a replacement, even something similiar, thousands of rings in shops and online (literally). Nothing even came close to the one I’d found in the little London pawnshop. Apparently, it was a custom job.
Friends suggested I look into having it recreated. «Yeah, sure», I said. But I half-​heartedly called RedStart after some research. I was nearly in tears as I had to explain, yet again, what had happened. Amanda, was concerned and raring to help me. I’m not a rich man. But they worked with me. We discussed what was needed and different ways to do it. I showed them the few pics I had, and my fiancé’s ring (which was so big he kept taking it off and twiddling it in his hands!)
Not only did they recreate my lost dream ring, but re-​designed and resized my fiancé’s, AND did two coordinating wedding bands to stack with them! (And didn’t blow the budget we had).
After some «wear time» I needed some minor adjustments done. Just a bit of filing and sizing. I was nervous. My «other ring» had been lost… And I kept looking down at my hand with an, «Oh!» because my new ring wasn’t there. I’ll just say, I finally cried when I picked it back up. After all the months of trauma, drama, and heartbreak, there, right on my finger, was MY ring!!!
RedStart Design made my lost dream a reality. They put me at ease with compassion and professionalism. Their talent and relaxed attitude are beyond the norm. I can’t even begin to recommend them highly enough. I was an absolute wreck when we started. They more than saw me through. Thank you.

After shopping around for an engagement ring, I found most of my options to be way too conventional (read: boring). I am so happy I found RedStart!
Amanda, Sara and Sarah were great to work with from the beginning. When I came in for an appointment, they were totally open to my ideas, and very helpful in steering me toward options that fit my style and my budget.
After about an hour of discussion/​brainstorming, they had enough to do a mock-​up. We collaborated back and forth on the design via email, until I was 100% happy with it, and after a few weeks I got a ring that is amazing, unique, and absolutely perfect for me. I seriously look down at it every day and think «damn, my ring is so cool.»
I couldn’t recommend these talented women enough. Thanks RedStart :)

I had my wedding ring made by Amanda and the team at RedStart. They were awesome from start to finish, and the ring came out exactly as I had hoped, and under what I expected to spend. Look no further – this team is awesome.

When my fiancé and I started brainstorming ideas for an engagement ring, we wanted something that was a bit unusual and whimsical. It was also very important to me to have my grandmother’s engagement diamond as the center stone. We worked out a couple of ideas and looked for a designer.
We found RedStart through Unilocal,and set up a consultation. We were not disappointed. Amanda and Sara were very receptive to our concept (the diamond surrounded by three sapphires) and started sketching ideas right away. They sent us six sketches to pick from. We chose our favorites, and they used that to make a computer-​aided design (CAD) mockup of the ring. We approved it, and they created the ring itself. All told, it was two months from our initial consultation to when my fiancé picked up the finished ring. They even had a certificate of appraisal that I used to get it insured.
I am thrilled with their service and professionalism, but mostly that I get to wear this gorgeous work of art for the rest of my life. We’re unquestionably going back to them for our wedding bands!

These guys are absolutely amazing. We decided to use Red Start for our engagement rings which we designed. Even though we changed the way they should look several times throughout the process they took it in their stride and helped us realise what we were looking for in amazing detail. They were incredibly supportive and patient as we worked out exactly what we wanted. I would wholeheartedly recommend Red Start. They are professional, wonderful people with real care and attention to both detail and dealing with difficult customers! Thanks both.

Amanda, Sara and Sarah make you feel welcomed and cared-​for as soon as you walk in the door.
I wanted to have a special custom ring made for my now ex-​girlfriend, and they listened to my wants, guided me through my options and I walked away with an astoundingly gorgeous and utterly unique creation. I wouldn’t have had it any other way.
My experience here renews my faith in the bespoke and custom creators. For something as special as jewelry for your loved one (s), I want my personality and vision to shine through it.
I’m so happy I went to RedStart and I’m grateful to the Amanda, Sara and Sarah for making something that spoke to my vision. My ex will cherish it for years to come.

Redstart are amazing! They worked hard with us to design my engagement ring, and when they accidentally made it out of platinum rather than white gold, they just gave it to us for the white gold price. I am serious when I say that this is the most beautiful engagement ring I’ve ever seen, and it’s all because they were so willing to work with us and our ideas.
We loved it so much we came back to them to design and make our wedding bands, and they are also totally beautiful! The CAD drawings were essential in both cases in helping us bring our ideas to reality, and I would not hesitate to come to them again for another design project, should I be so lucky as to get to work up something this beautiful again (maybe for an anniversary some day?).
When the center stone needed a little tightening last week, Redstart took it and repaired it for free! I feel so, so lucky that Gallery of Jewels brought us to Redstart for this process!

What to add to all the brilliant reviews, which I absolutely echo in every regard: talent, creativity, flexibility, customer service — all top notch, five plus stars.
Ah, I know what I want to add: these women are down to Earth! I am tempted to say «normal», but that of course might sound like a strange compliment… unless of course you were trying to have a small unpretentious wedding, and plan it only a month ahead — a no-​no in the crazy, crazy wedding industry.
I also want to add that their studio is just awesome — if design and crafts are something that fascinates you, a treat. We actually enjoyed going there (versus, for example, to that place on Brannan street where we both felt like we are visiting a strange zoo), something of a miracle for my ultra non-​consumerist hubby.
Okay, I do want to add one more thing: we really love our rings. I started out wanting the most simple band, but my then-​fiancée wanted something more interesting. At Red Start, we both somehow got it, while having rings that definitely go together really well without being too «matchy» — come to think, w hat you want your marriage to be like! We were blessed to follow our instincts for every decision about the wedding, and although this was only the second place we visited, we almost instantly knew it was IT. We love putting our hands next to each other and looking at our rings.
Last but not the least, if you want a custom made ring for any reason, I got a chance to look at some of their drawings, and my jaw dropped. Stunning.
(Go Bears!)

Thanks to the ladies at Red Start Design, our wedding rings came out amazing. My husband is Scottish and wanted to create a ring that represented the Ring of Brodgar in Orkney. In particular there is one stone that was hit by lightning and caused a small split. We brought in 1 image of this stone and it was immediately crafted in to a beautiful gold band that is unique, and symbolic. I had 5 images of rings that I like and had no ideas exactly what I wanted. They took my images and presented me with a beautiful combination that I absolutely love AND didn’t cost a fortune.
The last piece of work they designed was for my bridesmaids. My husband and I met at Burning Man (say what you will) and we wanted to incorporate a touch of that in the wedding. I had them design and make bracelets with 2 kissing dinosaurs that are both tasteful and symbolic.
Would absolutely recommend them to anyone who doesn’t want to go to some big retailer and buy a ring off the rack!

We wanted a custom wedding ring set, and found Redstart partly through Unilocal.It’s been a few months, and I’m still getting compliments on my ring — and thinking back fondly to our time working with the RedStart folks.
We had some ideas and a half-​assed design concept, and a budget. The friendly, funny, and kind folks here talked us through taking those scraps and thoughts into an actual Design, complete with 3D CAD renderings and hand-​carving and models and a lot of fussing and pickiness on our part.
They were happy to work with what we wanted — man-​made stones (cheap and conflict-​free and the color we wanted) and all. They either pretended or really were enthusiastic abut the idea of taking a sterling silver and glass bead ring I’d made for us over a decade ago and turning that into a solid chunk of metal with faceted stones. They didn’t mind my getting distracted and cooing at their amazing workspace and shiny tools. They loved our weird inscription and helped us work with their engraver to make sure it was perfect. They did this all on budget and to schedule.
Their own designs are lovely, well-​made, innovative, and will last you a lifetime. And if you want a custom work but don’t even know where to start, they will happily walk you through the world of jewelry they can offer you. If you want something really unique or to commemorate one of those amazing milestones or achievements, you won’t find much better than this.
When our wedding-​strained budget permits, we’ll go back and ask them to turn that ring design — which they’re keeping on file for us — into a matching pendant and earrings and tie pin and other goodies, too. Anniversary presents for years to come!
Do make an appointment. They can do after-​work hours to some extent. We also emailed back and forth on details that didn’t need a full meeting.
Mostly wheelchair-​accessible; I wouldn’t try it in a scooter, and once or twice they had to move some gear to make room for me, but were always happy to do so, even when I knocked something over by accident.

I’ve gotten a couple of pieces from the Stream collection from Redstart because I love the elegance and liquidity of that style. My wife wore the Stream necklace in rose gold non-​stop for weeks and received spontaneous compliments from virtually everyone. The designers are charming, friendly, and patient, and buying directly from Redstart pleases me because I’m buying locally, and I know that there are no middlemen involved. Their prices are also very reasonable for the quality of the work and materials, especially if you’re local and can stop by the studio. I highly recommend Redstart for anyone who wants a unique piece of elegant jewelry.

When it came to engagement rings, we knew we didn’t want to buy it at some big name store. We wanted a custom-​made ring that we design ourselves. We were so happy we found RedStart Design. Sara and Amanda were a joy to work with. They were very responsive to emails and emailed us several CAD models so we can see the ring from different angles. We changed our mind on the design several times but Sara and Amanda were so patient and always had a smile on their faces. We are looking forward to working with them again!

My boyfriend bought me a custom-​designed ring as a thank you gift. We worked with Sara and thought she was great. My ring is super-​cool and Sara was fast & efficient. Unique, wonderful designs!

It’s easy to get sentimental and fanciful about your wedding. Well, for me it is. I want to say it was «fate» that led us to check out the open door of our literally across the street neighbor’s studio. That the magical power of the love between my wife and I caused the planets to align and put the two bitchenist* lapidaries in all San Franciscodom (at least) mere yards from our door.
But let’s leave it at dumb luck and move on.
Amanda and Sara (do you mind if I get all informal here, they are our neighbors) took all the terror out of such a weighty purchase (wedding rings) and made the process of designing them engaging and deeply satisfying. It felt like an enjoyable afternoon or two solving a tricky word puzzle with friends (and this is the groom talking here) with an end-​result not just symbolic of our bond and all that crap but also something we collaborated on and feel a part of (OK, a tiny part, the ladies did all the heavy lifting).
Let me try, try!, to be brief: they are clever, inspired, adaptable, unpretentious, considerate (of our budget for sure). It always feels good to support local businesses and artists (cus, yeesh, I’m a yuppy OK?) but it feels trebly if not exponentially better to support them when the product is easy and relaxing to shop for and buy, far more beautiful, more unique, and equal to or less expensive than the «big box» alternative.
Thank you thank you Amanda and Sara of RedStart; our rings were second only to my bride in good looks and style.
*“bitchenist” last a recognized word in 1989

I have to give a shout out to Amanda and Sara for the amazing work they did on our wedding bands and my fiancé’s engagement ring.
For the engagement ring, my fiancé worked with RedStart to come up with something original. She wanted an organic design that had an art nouveau feel to it. Both Amanda and Sara are very personable and made the entire design process worry-​free. The result really put a smile on my woman’s face: a band of white gold with an orange sapphire that included a few diamonds from her grandmother’s wedding ring. She is always thrilled to have something on her finger that is not only a one-​of-​a-​kind, but also extremely well crafted.
We also had Amanda and Sara custom design our wedding bands. My fiancé’s band perfectly compliments her engagement ring and my wedding band definitely has the same organic look to it.

If I learned anything in the course of planning our wedding, it was that something can always go wrong. In our case, it was finding out a week before the big day that our custom jewelry wouldn’t make it on time. After the freaking out, the screaming and the crying, we knew it was back to the drawing board to make some decisions quickly. We knew we didn’t want to go the tried and true plain bands from Kay Jewelers but we were also on a budget and couldn’t afford to kidnap any custom jewelers and force them to craft our bands from scratch.
Luckily, a friend of mine had suggested checking out Red Start’s safety ring, because she thought I would like the style. When I visited their site and first saw the bone series all I could think to myself was, «is it possible?» We called their office the next day and set up an appointment to meet with Amanda. When she pulled out their rings and had us try them on, explained the different options we had for finishing the sterling silver and said they would be ready the day before the wedding, I remember realizing how incredibly lucky we were to have found these wonderful jewelers just a few blocks away from our house and our venue.
Every time I look at mine or my newly bejeweled husband over the years, I’ll remember the women at Red Start and how they helped saved my wedding at the last minute! Whether for the all important wedding bands, everyday jewelry or special occasion custom work, I can wholeheartedly recommend them as jewelers and last minute heroes!

I have nothing but great things to say about these ladies and the experience of designing of our wedding bands with them. They designed our individual bands that really relate to each together without being matchy and accommodate my engagement ring setting perfectly.
We loved working with them, as they are so down to earth, and made the whole process easy and stress free.

How is it that I never wrote a review of RedStart? These women are awesomely talented– and I’d recommend them to anyone looking to design their own custom piece of jewelry. Their various collections are great as well.
Three years ago, Mandy & Sara worked with my husband to create my engagement ring and wedding band (I wasn’t aware of it until he proposed)– and the rings are so unique and finely crafted, I feel like I’m wearing modern art on my hands at all times. I also used RedStart to design my husband’s ring. They listen to what you want and will work with you to create your vision– and their work is reasonably priced. You can get a feel for their work and their personality when you meet with them at their studio.
I also have bought a few of their pieces from their collection– the subtle safety ring rules (I never thought the brass knuckles concept could translate to a cool piece of jewelry). I also bought the petal necklace as a gift for my mom. She loved that it was from a local designer.