Buying well
How to tell solid gold from plated, and how to buy fine jewelry with confidence.
Made in the USA, explained
What the label means for solid gold, and what to look for.
Buying fine jewelry online
Ten checks before you pay, and what happens after delivery.
Is custom worth it
An honest look at cost, time and risk.
How long custom jewelry takes
A timeline from order to your door, and how to plan for a date.
Fine or fashion jewelry
Metal, karat mark, weight and stones: how to tell.
Santa Monica and Brentwood
Where to try on Ilene Joy on the Westside.
Ilene Joy in New York
Where to hold a piece in SoHo, how to design one from a New York apartment, and how the 2019 relaunch unfolded in TriBeCa.
Fine jewelry in Los Angeles
An atelier by appointment, a boutique case in Santa Monica, or a Los Angeles bench reached online: how each works, and what to check first.
How to choose a jeweler
No ranking can tell you which American jeweler to trust. Seven plain checks can, and we have run every one of them on ourselves.
Solid gold, vermeil or plated
What each term means, and what you are paying for.