I went to a bunch of different retailers such as Rogers & Hollands, Helzberg and felt completely uncomfortable. I was not going to be forced into a purchase of an overpriced diamond. After those... More

I went to a bunch of different retailers such as Rogers & Hollands, Helzberg and felt completely uncomfortable. I was not going to be forced into a purchase of an overpriced diamond. After those painful visits I decided to hop online to yelp and other sites to see what people thought about different shops. Turned out to be an excellent idea, and that's why I'm posting up here as well. Wally is great at Chicago Diamond Experts. He met with me multiple times, even though I stayed late and made him late to some of his other plans. He gave me the education on diamonds and showed me all of the options within my price range. Ended up with a beautiful ring that I wanted and my fiance couldn't be happier. If you were like me, a young guy in his twenties and don't know where to start, give Wally a call and stop by. You won't be disappointed that you did. Thanks again Wally. -Ryan Pros: Great selection, Buyer Friendly Cons: None
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My husband and I got married when we were really young, but never invested in rings until now. I had done all the research online and through reading. Being that we are now in a recession and... More

My husband and I got married when we were really young, but never invested in rings until now. I had done all the research online and through reading. Being that we are now in a recession and funds are tight we decided to go to the Jewelry Exchange in Villa Park to see what they would offer us. Without hesitation we hastily bought a diamond semi mount wedding set and put money down on the loose diamond itself, but left it at the store. After reading some very questionable reviews online, I was extremely afraid to go back and purchase the loose diamond from them afterward. I really wanted to get the semi mount set appraised to see if what I had paid was really what the ring was worth. After some additional looking around, I found Chicago Diamond Experts and the reviews were excellent, so I made an appointment. When I arrived, Wally greeted my husband and I warmly. He took a look at my ring and told me what he thought it was worth (which ended up being more than what I thought) but he was very patient with us and explained everything. He educated us on the 4 C's and even showed us the "hearts and arrows" in a loose diamond he had there in his store. We felt so comfortable with Wally because he educated us rather than sold us on a diamond and did not push us into purchasing anything from his store. We told him what our price range was for a loose diamond and he not only found us a more beautiful diamond than we wanted but for a cheaper price! Instantly we purchased the diamond and my ring will be ready by tomorrow!!! I am so happy to have found Wally online and thank you to all the other consumers who took the time to write a review, this has really helped me a lot!! Wally...I will be back soon or the right hand ring we discussed!! Thank you so much!! Pros: Patient, Informative, Trustworthy
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I had Wally make me an custom egagement ring for my fiancee last year. She has very particular tastes, which included a specific type of design from Tacori. If you know anything about Tacori they... More

I had Wally make me an custom egagement ring for my fiancee last year. She has very particular tastes, which included a specific type of design from Tacori. If you know anything about Tacori they are know for there side archs and other specific details. They are also one of the most expensive rings on the market. After a couple of consultation meetings with Wally, where he explained everything about the diamonds, the custom ring process, and any other information I needed to make a decision, I decided to have him create a custom version of a Tacori ring with a 1.55 carat center diamond. I was able to add a couple of special touches to the ring to make it very unique. In about 2 weeks the ring was ready and looked beautiful. My fiancee loved the ring and still gets complements on it all the time. The best part about the entire process is that I probably saved about $5 to $7 K over a simlar ring from Tacori. I would also like to point out that Wally's selection of diamonds is vast and his diamond prices are fabulous. I will never use another Jeweler after this experience. Pros: Value, Selection, Quality, Service
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Admittedly, I do not know much about diamonds and the concept of buying an engagement ring was rather overwhelming. I was very concerned that I would be "taken" at some point in the process. Wally... More

Admittedly, I do not know much about diamonds and the concept of buying an engagement ring was rather overwhelming. I was very concerned that I would be "taken" at some point in the process. Wally and Chicago Diamond Experts came highly recommended by a close friend. Working with Wally was the wisest decision I made! Wally has a very straight forward, personable, friendly and honest approach. He seeks to educate first, and then match a product with your exact specs. Best part is that he has tremendously fair prices and really, really high quality products. I would highly recommend that anyone in the market for a diamond saves themselves a ton of time shopping around and goes directly to Wally on the 12th floor, around the corner from the elevators at 5 S. Wabash. You will be very pleased with the entire process. Pros: Every aspect of the proces was perfect Cons: Absolutely nothing...go talk to Wally!
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And that is all that matters. I am so glad for the help i received when picking out the perfect stone. You are truly experts and I am getting married for it! (think she would have said yes... More

And that is all that matters. I am so glad for the help i received when picking out the perfect stone. You are truly experts and I am getting married for it! (think she would have said yes regardless though :) Thank you. She wants matching earings now Pros: She said yes
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Wally is the real deal. A genuinely nice guy who is a pleasure to deal with. I was looking for a diamond, to be set in a placeholder ring for my fiancee. Based on the Cityscape reviews I arranged... More

Wally is the real deal. A genuinely nice guy who is a pleasure to deal with. I was looking for a diamond, to be set in a placeholder ring for my fiancee. Based on the Cityscape reviews I arranged a meeting with him. The guy knows what he's talking about, but does not give you the hard sell. He will point out the pros and cons of each diamond (including those that are expensive). He is very patient, and does not rush you. In terms of value I got an absolutely fantastic deal - and that's not just my opinion. I checked the value with two independent gemologists who told me that the price he had quoted was a very fair price. I normally all in favour of giving constructive criticism but I honestly don't have one bad thing to say about the guy. Pros: Everything Cons: None
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Our experience at Chicago Diamond Experts was a good one. Wally helped us through the entire process of choosing stones and a setting. He explained the qualities of diamonds and took the time to... More

Our experience at Chicago Diamond Experts was a good one. Wally helped us through the entire process of choosing stones and a setting. He explained the qualities of diamonds and took the time to show us different ones. It was a great learning experience for my husband and myself. I now have a beautiful 5 diamond platinum ring which I love. Many thanks to Wally for his guidance. I plan to return to have my original wedding ring stones reset next time I am in Chicago.
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My ring is beautiful (so brilliant!!) and everyone compliments it! I catch myself staring at it and my fiance just smiles. We looked at several places in the area and CDE has some of the best... More

My ring is beautiful (so brilliant!!) and everyone compliments it! I catch myself staring at it and my fiance just smiles. We looked at several places in the area and CDE has some of the best QUALITY for a very reasonable price. Also, Wally and staff are nice people to work with. Pros: Nice people, great quality, reasonable prices Cons: Parking but that is to be expected for the area
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I went to several other places before finding Wally. I liked what I saw at the other stores, but the prices were way out of my range. Wally listened to everything I was looking for, never... More

I went to several other places before finding Wally. I liked what I saw at the other stores, but the prices were way out of my range. Wally listened to everything I was looking for, never pressured me into anything I wasn't interested in. He showed me several rings and diamonds that were in my exact price range and exactly what I was looking for. He was willing to meet with me at times convenient for my schedule, later in the day, on the weekends, etc. There was never any pressure to buy. He seemed not to care about making a big sale, but cared only about getting me something that my soon-to-be fiance would love. I picked up the ring today, and I couldn't be happier with it. The ring is absolutely gorgeous, and I am still amazed at the price I paid. I can't stress it enough - to anyone reading this: If you're buying jewelry, this place is worth the visit. You will NOT be disappointed. Pros: Polite, no pressure sales. Great variety. Beautiful jewelry. Amazing prices. Cons: None. Go visit Wally.
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I found Wally right here on City Search, and based on the comments I made him my first stop as I shopped for a ring. I like the fact that Wally takes the time to educate you (you will still learn... More

I found Wally right here on City Search, and based on the comments I made him my first stop as I shopped for a ring. I like the fact that Wally takes the time to educate you (you will still learn something even if you have done diamon research), doesn't act like a salesperson, and find the best deal for your budget. I ended up looking at a few other places on Jewelers' Row, but none made me feel as comfortable as Wally. I wound up with a beautiful ring at a good price. Needless to say when I made my proposal my now fiancee she loved the ring and I catch her staring at it all the time Thanks Wally!
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