Michael F & Company

By far the best place I visited for buying an engagement ring. Excellent service, excellent selection, they take the best care of you, and reasonable prices. Michael makes sure you know what you’re paying for.

TLDR; The best in the business
* Thorough Service
* Attention to YOUR style
* Reasonably priced
* Free appraisal with purchase
* Unique designs
The Story:
My fiancé and I spent a couple of day slogging through the many shops in the diamond district. Honestly, we did not have a very precise idea of what we were looking for but were taking a «you know it when you see it» approach. Most of the vendors seemed annoyed by this, and just wanted to push the most popular designs without really listening.
Kristina at Michael F. & Co. surpassed all of the vendors we visited, because of her careful listening and thoughtful service. When we arrived, she greeted us warmly, she listened carefully to our description of what we like, and quickly found a few close fits. Based on the dialogue of which rings we did and didn’t like, we identified our top three. She polished each setting, and she was even able to place an example center stone in the setting we liked most, which no other place offered to do. While we went to a few other shops after, none were really able to synthesize our input and narrow down their variety of options in the same way. Ultimately we bought a rings from Kristina, which she offered to appraise for us to help with the insuring process. Payment was simple, and she even chatted with us about how we met. She is a pleasure to work with.

We just picked up our wedding bands from Michael and his daughter Elina. We are so happy with the entire process of picking them out. They have been extremely patient, helpful, and made the whole process fun so we could find the perfect rings. My fiancé went to Michael to get my engagement ring and we wanted to go back for the wedding bands. Thanks!

Michael F and Co. deserves every 5 star review. I had visited a few other places to test the waters before coming here. They were helpful. I had the best experience at this place. They help me found a perfect diamond for my engagement ring and also with a good discount! I’m so happy with my ring. I’m constantly receive compliments on it.

I recently purchased an engagement ring here for my fiancé. Best decision I could have made. The process of searching for the perfect ring can be so difficult, but Michael and his staff made things so much easier for me. The diamond district gets far less intimidating and far more trustworthy as soon as you find Michael’s store. He had no interest in creating the most expensive design and stone for me, instead providing the PERFECT one based on my fiancé’s taste. They went above and beyond every request and I felt like I left with new friends and not just having made a purchase. You can’t go wrong here.

I felt compelled to write my first ever review on Unilocal because of the extraordinary experience my fiancé and I had working with Michael F & Co on my engagement ring this past Spring. We shopped around for months looking for a trustworthy jeweler in the Diamond District (not an easy feat). We also spent months researching and had precise specifications that we were looking for in a diamond. On top of all that, I wanted a unique setting that needed to be custom made. Twice, we found diamonds elsewhere in the DD that fit our specs but we didn’t feel good about working with those forceful, rushed jewelers, and both were trying to push us into popping the diamonds into bulky, pre-​made settings from their cases. We are SO glad that we held out to buy our stunning diamond with Michael F & Co; jewelers we would be happy to do business with for many anniversaries and events to come. We worked with Elina and her father, Michael, who were both patient, detail-​oriented and confident that they could custom make a setting exactly as I envisioned. I emailed them pictures of the elegant, yellow gold and diamond setting that I found on Pinterest and the result was EXACTLY what I wanted. They literally made the ring of my dreams! We recently went back to Michael F. & Co to pick out our wedding bands and Elina and Michael were just as welcoming, helpful and patient as ever. I highly recommend Michael F & Co for the most pleasant, fair and enjoyable diamond-​buying experience ever, tried-​and-​true!

After a full day of shopping for an engagement ring in the Diamond District, I found Michael F. & Co and consider myself very lucky to have found such a wonderful place to purchase a diamond ring. When first walking in, I was placed into a very intimate and welcoming atmosphere. I was not too familiar with diamonds or how to shop for them, yet once I was walked through the process and shown various diamonds, I felt like an expert. I was treated with extreme care and more than enough time was given for me to ask questions. As I explained the type of ring I was interested in, I was assured that it would be stunning and fit my needs perfectly. In my possession now, the ring is certainly a sight to see! It is truly gorgeous and includes everything I desired. Both Michael and Elina were supportive and responsive in the process of selecting the ring, as we were in constant communication via email about the aspects of the setting and diamond. This is truly a business one must use when purchasing high quality jewelry and diamonds. I consider myself blessed and fortunate that I found Michael F. I recommend only his business and look forward to using his jewelry for the rest of my lifetime!

(When I first read these long reviews on Unilocal for Michael F. & Co., I was like, ‘Are these real? I mean, who they heck spends time writing so much about buying an engagement ring?’ Of course, now I get it. These jewelers deserve another good review.)
The people of Michael F. and Co. are superb. You’ll get the most for your money with courtesy and respect. I was helped mostly by Benjamin Davidov, but everyone I interacted with was professional. Benjamin helped me design a classic yet unique engagement ring that is absolutely exquisite. My fiancée was thrilled beyond my expectations when she saw the ring. It’s not just beautiful but it is also top, top quality, GIA certified diamond with a strong 14k gold band. They have many beautiful rings on display, but I sort of had a specific classic design in mind — they can customize too. So the important thing for me was the rock. I needed a great diamond and Benjamin helped me find one with patience and insight.
First of all, The Diamond District (47^th St. between 5^th and 6^th) is nuts and overwhelming. There are so many stores and jewelers, so I used Unilocal to find a few spots with good reviews, Michael F. & Co. being one of them. After going to those places I was more comfortable with the block so I ended up going almost everywhere. I found the good quality stores are closer to 5^th avenue, where you can find the better cuts of GIA certified diamonds. Even if you can’t tell the difference — I sure can’t — you want it on paper that you have a quality diamond.
So then the question was, who do I want to work with? As in, who’s just wants to make a sale and who wants to actually help me get the most for my money. After a lot of time spent around these places, it was very clear Michael F. & Co. were the best people, quality and price on the block. Benjamin was very respectful about my budget, and when it changed to be a little higher he did not push hard in that direction.
Benjamin showed me so many beautiful diamonds — some below budget, some above, and some just right. When it came down to 3 diamonds, he took them away for a minute then showed them to me again, asking which one I liked the most. I didn’t pick the most expensive, but he still agreed that it was the one. When I second-​guessed myself and said, «You know, I should just get the most expensive one anyway,» he literally said, «But why, you like that one.» He could have made few hundred dollars more, but he convinced me to stay with the one I actually liked the most. «Don’t worry, this diamond is stunning.» He also assured me that if my fiancée didn’t like something about the ring to come back and he would help take care of it. But of course, there were no problems. I’ll be back there with my fiancée to find our wedding bands.
If you have actually read my review this far, then I know that scary place you’re in right now. But you can relax a little, because you know which jeweler to choose. Michael F. & Co. is the place you want to go.

After looking up the diamond district I decided to visit a few of the top rated ones. Michael’s was my first stop. The first sales associate with whom I worked with (girl blonde hair) was very knowledgeable. She showed me a lot ring options before I said how much I wanted to spend. She spent about half hour with me and gave me a piece of paper with notes about all the rings. Which helped me compare at my next few stops .
During this second visit to the store Michael was there. I spoke with him personally about costs and how much I wanted to spend. During that time of him showing me ring options I never once felt like he was giving me his sales pitch. Another girl (with black hair) was assisting Michael and tried on and modeled every option. She was great as well. The store really made me feel that they genuinely valued my business. I left and I took Michael’s price to 3 other stores. I went home to sleep on it.
The next day I went back at Michael’s store. I started to consider a diamond a little bigger than the one we originally discussed (same cut, color and clarity). Do you know what Michael said? He said the cheaper ring was perfectly fine and I shouldn’t feel like I have to increase the size (and price)! Imagine a diamond dealer recommending a cheaper option – Amazing! (I ended up going with the bigger one though!) In the last moments before my purchase I was staring at the diamond and Michael said, «take it outside and you’ll see how the sun hits it.» Now I know there was a camera outside but just hearing something like that from and being trusted meant something to me-​especially in the middle of the diamond district!
After viewing the ring in the sunlight I returned inside the store, finalized my purchase, and felt great about it. Everything I wanted for my purchase I found at Michael’s.
— HONEST
— TRUTH WORTHY
— BEAUTIFUL SELECTION
— FAIR
— EXTREMELY KNOWLEDGEABLE
— FRIENDLY
Again I think the most valuable aspect of shopping at Michael’s is that you will not feel pressured and like you are getting sold which is rare when diamond shopping
At Michael’s I felt like they weren’t just trying get my money and sell me a diamond. The two sales associates and Michael were interested in making me a customer for life. They definitely did that as I will be shopping at Michael’s again for our wedding bands.
OH and She said yes September 5^th, 2015 and gets complimented on it every single time someone sees it.

My husband met Michael about 10 years ago when shopping for my engagement ring. He had met with a few different jewelers but Michael came via referral and he was quite impressed with him. The ring turned out beautiful and I love it. We went on to buy wedding rings from him as well which are very nice. We have not had too many jewelry needs over the years, however any time we have gone by over the years for an adjustment, or for any reason, he has always been very gracious and helpful. He always remembers us well, and offers up a cleaning right away which really makes the rings sparkle.
A few weeks ago we went to Michael with a one off request. We wanted to get my mother in law a special type of custom made bracelet. It apparently was not something that a lot of of people sold. It wasn’t in the realm of diamonds either, which is really his specialty. Michael was very straightforward to let us know his thoughts on what we wanted, and to let us know various options. It probably wasn’t a particular lucrative project for him, as this was not an expensive piece of jewelry. Michael however took full ownership to help get us what we need, and coordinated with the right vendors on his street. We quickly found exactly what we were looking for. He handled all the customization, delivered the piece timely, and came in on the low end of our budget. Its really nice and most importantly my mother in law loves it.
Michael definitely gets the big picture in terms of understanding how to treat his clients, and knowing that its a long term relationship. My husband and I have been in his store quite a few times over the years and am always impressed how he treats his clients. He makes their concerns his own, and seems to delight in exceeding expectations.

I really love this store, the staff are very friendly and really considerate of my deadline-​one week for my wedding band. Although my fiancé didn’t get my engagement ring here I love all their settings and how professional they are. I would definitely recommend going here for anyone looking for an engagement ring and plan on going back for future jewelry ;)

This is a review for an engagement ring bought in February of this year. I can honestly say my fiancé is incredibly happy wearing it. We spent about 6 weeks looking for a ring in the diamond district, as well as looking at Cartier and Tiffany. At first, we worked with several jewelers in the area to try and find the best deal. We landed with Michael. My fiancé was a little anxious about the how the finished setting she wanted would turn out (a delicate 5 stone setting). That said, Michael proved to be the most knowledgeable about executing the setting, with some jewelers trying to talk us into an «easier» design. We also wanted the best price, and after researching on various diamond websites and having worked with other dealers previously, we knew Michael would give us the best price on the stone and setting without sacrificing quality.
Once we made the decision to go with Michael, he created the ring from scratch in roughly two weeks, which involved him pulling various stones from different inventories, us looking at the diamond several times, Michael sending pictures of what the diamond and setting would look like, and re-​sizing the ring. Michael made sure we were comfortable and happy during the entire process. Needless to say, my fiancé was probably one of Michael’s more difficult /​annoying customers :), but Michael understood how important it was to her. I was very happy with the overall experience, and I can’t wait to shop for wedding bands with Michael when the time comes.

If you are looking for an engagement ring in the diamond district, I highly recommend going to Michael F & Company, hands down. After spending weeks checking out different jewelers in the diamond district, I knew that I found the right guy when I met Michael. For me, finding the perfect engagement ring for my fiancé was a long thought out learning experience and Michael was there each step of the way… from talking about what I was interested in to discussing the different types of diamonds (my fiancé wanted a round brilliant in a halo setting)… then discussing cut carat color clarity to finding something that fit within my budgeted price range to delivery and logistics. Oh, and my fiancé LOVES the ring… it’s beautiful.
So what separates Michael apart? Well, to start, I never felt like he was putting on a sales pitch — Michael is a great listener. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve walked out of a jeweler on 47^th street because I was getting pushed to buy or commit, or at least look at diamonds and settings before I was ready. It’s a somewhat stressful process knowing that you are about to make one of the biggest purchases of your life and you are dealing with someone who is only concerned about making money off the deal. That was not my experience at all with Michael — he was certainly more than willing to go at my own pace.
After I proposed, we brought the ring back to Michael to get the ring size slightly adjusted, and within an hour and a half Michael had it done free of charge (and this was late on a Friday afternoon). I have a number of friends that will likely be getting engaged in the next few years, and I will definitely tell them they need to go see Michael!

After doing a lot of research, my husband and I decided to go to the Diamond District for a new ring. I looked up a lot of stores and decided to try Michael F. And Co. What an amazing experience we had! Elina, our sales person, was awesome. She is understanding, helpful and not pushy at all. The diamond district can be overwhelming but I recommend doing your research on what u want and then go to this store. They have made us a customer for life.

I had a bad experience at this store while shopping for a 5+ carat fancy yellow diamond ring in the diamond district. The sales person/​owner was very pushy and became rude and nasty when I told him that I would like time to consider his offer and plan to do some comparison shopping. He demanded that I buy the ring right there or the price would be higher if I left and returned the next day. Needless to say, I left. An hour after leaving Michael’s, I made a six figure purchase at Dalia Diamonds, another store in the diamond district. Natalia and Brian at Dalias treated me with courtesy and respect, something I felt was lacking at Michael F & Company.

I did my research for quite a while online before being referred to this place by my friends Rob and Mike. They told me to go see Michael F. when I get there. Honestly, since there were many online articles saying you should purchase diamonds online, I totally believed it, BUT NO! Please don’t! Not until you visit this place!
Soon as I entered, Michael asked me how much do you know about diamonds and I told him I did a lot of research. He asked me what my budget is so we started from there. I have never imagined I would walk out with a higher quality than what my budget can afford. The man was very professional, patient and communicates very well to your needs. Also, the pretty blonde girl (or should I say lady to be formal) was SUPER nice. While my ring was being made, which took about an hour, she was nice enough to keep me company the entire time, making me laugh and feel comfortable about the entire purchase.
I’m not going to mention how much I paid, but I did walk out with a GIA graded diamond, (not going to mention carat), F color, VS2 clarity, Excellent Cut, Girdle being medium to slightly thick, cutlet: none, Excellent polish, Very good symmetry and no fluorescence. All the angle, depth and sizes were premium ideal. If you’re walking out of a retail business telling yourself, thank God I didn’t purchase the items online, then you know you got a heck of a deal. And honestly, how often does that EVER happen?
UPDATE: Yesterday we went back there because I convinced my fiancé not to purchase my ring (wedding band for a guy) online. I told her to try this place out before deciding on Bluenile. Soon as we got there Michael asked if I wanted a diamond on it but I preferred not to have one on mine (I mean I’m a dude and that just looks weird), so we were given quite a lot of choices to choose from. We didn’t want to look like a sucker so we pretended to look for the one we like, but the first one Michael picked and suggested was just simply the best. How often do you go to a place agreeing with what the seller suggests to you? To us, this was the case. Platinum ring, decided in less than 5 minutes~
Any problems or questions, Michael does not hesitate to call you in person which I find very professional. He actually called me himself, TWICE! This place definitely gives you the sense of ease and satisfaction that even when you walk out the door, he will treat you like when you first made your purchase, if not better!
This place is solid 5 stars, solid gold. I have an older brother and my fiancé has two sisters that need to get married in the future. I’d recommend this place to anyone and everyone! Thanks guys!

I walked the streets of the diamond district for 8 days before I was ready to make a purchase.
For those 8 days I interviewd nearly every character and creatin in the district. for what I was about to spend, I wanted to be sure I trusted who I was buying from. Everyone tells you that they have the best product. at the best price… they all tell you it is a family business. and the special lighting and all that bling. it is difficult to make a purchase with confidence. Especially such a big purchace.
I read and I researched and asked everyone lots of questions… I changed what I was looking for several times as continued to look… Most places tried to sell me things… But here at Michaels, they actually listened to what I wanted. and showed me what I was asking for. No one tried to sell me anything. My Girl had her heart set on CUT. not Size. not Clarity. not Color. Every shoppe altered the sales pitch to highlight what they wanted me to buy… and downplayed the importance of a XXX Cut stone. telling me to sacrifice… on cut and get higher clarity or more carats…
I was not pressured here. while I was slow, time consuming and difficult in my process… I was given the time and space as well as all the attention I needed. This is a tough purchase… as a novice in the gem world waliking into the shark tank that is the diamond district you need to be mindful of what you are getting from whom. As a Unilocaling veteran with dozens of reviews all of which are brutally honest. I can tell you this is a place where i was not bullshi!! ed. I was given an amazing stone and a price that NOBODY could match. I visited my top 5 contacts that I made in the district after i selected my stone from Michael F… I told them the cut, size color and clarity. and when I revealed my price. each and every one of them told me they could not match it… That I was in fact getting a great deal… Do your research. tell them what you like, and they will help you find what you want. not what they want you to have…
I will return for the wedding bands. and all other purchases of future bling.

Michael F. & Co is simply the best place to find an engagement ring. The amount of positive sentiment that both myself and my fiancé have for Michael and his staff are unmatched. Here’s our story:
My fiancé is a smart guy. He wanted to let me pick out my own engagement ring after surprising me with his proposal. For anyone that’s been through it or is about to get started, navigating the engagement ring process can be overwhelming. There are so many details that go into selecting a stone that having a knowledgeable and trustworthy staff of experts to help guide you is paramount. At the same time, anyone who has ever stepped foot on 47^th street in the Diamond District can probably attest to the difficulty of knowing where to start and who to trust.
My advice: go straight to Michael F. & Co.
We were given his information through a friend who purchased her gorgeous engagement ring there. Once inside, you will find a team of highly knowledgeable, highly engaged diamond experts and some of the best overall customer service I have ever experienced. The staff is warm, welcoming, and patient. Also, being in a nice, well-​lit, private store felt so much better as we started to narrow down choices. Michael himself is almost always there and personally saw that my very specific criteria was matched perfectly.
Some more details: I knew exactly what I wanted in terms of cut and setting but had no clue where to begin with actual stone selection. I spent a solid week going back and forth to the store looking at various stones. When I say that the staff is patient, I mean it. I would spend at least an hour at a time each day looking at options and trying to make a final decision. The staff acted as fantastic consultants teaching me how to properly examine a diamond under magnification and talking through every detail of the 4Cs. They did this with me for each and every stone I looked at… and I looked at a lot!
Additionally, I was able to take pictures of the stones, step outside and see how they looked in sunlight, and try them on in sample settings. By the end of the week, I had been in the store so many times that we were joking I had become part of the family. My visits now begin and end in hugs; they are that friendly!
Once a stone was selected, I moved on to the setting. The setting I wanted was custom made and set by hand with the jeweler that Michael works with exclusively. Doing it this way ensured that the ring was crafted to perfection. It took 2 weeks to complete and the finished product literally took our breath away. I’m speechless every time I look at it and so is everyone else that sees it. It’s so beautiful and it’s so unique but what makes it even better was the enjoyment of the process.
We’ll be back to Michael’s for our bands and in the meantime, it’s true what everyone says in their reviews: they encourage you to stop in for a ring cleaning any time. Given my affection for this place, I can’t wait to revisit. Five stars all around. Thank you!

My fiancé really did his homework when he purchased my engagement ring. After visiting Michael F and Company, some famous chain stores and several other stores in the diamond district, he went back to Michael F and Company.
I have had my ring for several months now and from what I have seen elsewhere, I am absolutely in love with my diamond. It is nearly flawless, has a brilliant shine and catches light at every which angle.
I brought the ring in recently for a cleaning and Michael himself was there. Not only did he recognize my fiancé, but was so friendly!
While we were there, we decided to look at some wedding bands; despite not being ready to buy just yet, the staff happily showed us some rings and didn’t pressure us. As we were leaving Michael encouraged me to stop by as often as I liked to get my ring cleaned.
Although my fiancé didn’t out right tell me what he paid for my ring, I can say that he paid less than we would have at a department or chain store and got an excellent quality diamond; even better than the one we were originally interested in at another location.

After days of walking into what feels like almost every store in the diamond district, I knew pretty much as soon as I walked into Michael F that I would ultimately end up purchasing there.
I made very clear what I was looking for and the price I was expecting to pay and they showed me exactly what I was looking for and at a price that could not be beat (I know this because I asked about a dozen different stores before purchasing if they could beat the price and all said no). Even after seeing the ring and negotiating the price, I asked to see a slightly bigger ring since I was actually slightly under budget and they told me the slight increase in carat weight wasnt worth the increase in price. Never thought I’d be talked out of spending MORE money!
Michael and his staff were nothing but professional from start to finish. Even after the ring was sized and set and I thought it looked perfect (and after I paid), he noticed that one of the prongs was a little too sharp (something I didn’t even notice) so he made sure it was re-​sanded and polished before sending me off with the ring.
I highly recommend Michael F to anyone looking to purchase a ring and can’t wait to go back and show them the ring on my fiancé’s finger!