If you want assurance that you’ll only get the best jewels, Poggenpoel Diamond Jewellers might be worth a look. A family-owned business founded in 1998, it has been selling engagement rings, vintage jewellery, and accent stones for more than two decades.

Depending on your preferences, they can provide you with mined diamonds or lab-grown ones. 

Furthermore, their team can do custom engagement rings if you want to design your own. And with their 100% money-back guarantee, you can rest easy knowing that you’re free to back out anytime if you feel their products don’t meet your expectations.

But of course, there’s a catch: the guarantee is inapplicable if your custom design is highly unique and requires special manufacturing processes (they’ll notify you if that’s the case).

My wife loved the ring!

“I had an amazing experience with Poggenpoel, especially with Clio. The piece is absolutely stunning!! Clio was extremely helpful and kind and helped me a lot through the process. It made me feel like I was the only customer that they had.

My wife loved the ring! Will definitely shop there again soon. Thank you so much!”

-Munif Barghouti, Google Reviews

Their products are simply beautiful

“All of my experiences with Poggenpoel have been professional and enjoyable. I recently had an additional wedding band made and was assisted by Damian Venter. Damian worked hard to ensure the design was exactly as I wanted and went the extra mile in ensuring I received my ring before I left for a holiday. I was absolutely blown away by the outcome, my ring is all I hoped for and more. The team was wonderful to work with and their products are simply beautiful. Thank you Poggenpoel.”

-Kimrie Ritchie, Google Reviews

It’s one thing when a jewellery store says their products are the best in the industry, and another when they actually have the papers to prove it! Let’s look at Browns The Diamond Store, a renowned jewellery store chain that operates 8 locations in Johannesburg.

What caught my attention is their investment-quality diamonds which are sourced ethically. They have rigid standards, and every gemstone they sell is certified by the Gemological Institute of America.

To further prove that their products are of high quality, Browns The Diamond Store also has a buyback programme that lets you return the gemstone in your jewellery and swap it with a newer and larger one while only paying for the difference.

Of course, they also accommodate custom orders. Just remember that they require a hefty 30% down payment before they begin working on it!

Their workmanship, style and quality is unquestionable

“Browns Eastgate is THE jeweller to visit!!!!

their workmanship, style and quality is unquestionable”

-Murray Shaw, Google Reviews

Chic and elegant shop, with service to match

“Beautiful jewellery. Friendly and professional staff. Chic and elegant shop, with service to match. Highly recommendable.”

-Tracey Mulville, Google Reviews

Jack Friedman, established in 1933, is one of the oldest jewellery stores you’ll find in Johannesburg. Throughout the decades, it has won several awards, like the Plat Africa Awards and the De Beers Shining Light Award.

Aside from their rich history, another thing I love about them is their wide variety of jewellery on sale that is made with diamonds, tanzanite, pearls, and emeralds. 

It’s also quite impressive that each piece of jewellery they sell has its own unique birth ID that allows you to trace how your jewellery was made and where its materials came from. 

Furthermore, all products they sell have a lifetime warranty, so you can bring your jewellery back to their store for a quick fix at any time. Sadly, their products lean more on the pricier side.

To visit the store is always a pleasant experience

“Friendly and efficient – the customer service is outstanding. My SA Zaklina is a wonderful person, she was always patient with me and helpful in finding the unique jewellery pieces I love. To visit the store is always a pleasant experience.”

-Irina du Toit, Google Reviews

Amazing ring and amazing staff

“Bought a diamond ring here and this was truly the best purchase of my life. Amazing ring and amazing staff.”

-Arjeta Jahja, Google Reviews

Another veteran jewellery store in Johannesburg is Sterns, established in 1896. Named after its founder, Joseph Stern, it currently operates over 15 branches across Johannesburg.

Their bread and butter is their custom jewellery service, which can provide either fully bespoke or modified jewellery. The first option is great for people with a certain design in mind because their bespoke design team can provide one-on-one consultations and source the perfect materials to make it truly distinct and unique.

Meanwhile, their modified jewellery option is great for those who are on a tight budget like me. Here, you can simply choose a preset design and customise it on their online platform to make it more unique.

Custom jewellery made this way is given a 35% discount, so what’s not to love?

However, it’s quite disappointing when I find out that they only have a 6-month warranty for their products.

Made me feel like a queen

“Thank you to all the ladies at Sterns Eastgate. You made me feel like a queen. Your service was out of this world.”

-Charlene Sanderson, Google Reviews

Great service, and the staff do not push big sales on you

“Great service, and the staff do not push big sales on you, instead taking the time to help find what works best for what you’re looking for while also considering your budget.”

-Kevin van Niekerk, Google Reviews

If you’re conscious of how your jewellery is made, then Origin Diamonds is here for you. It has one of the oldest diamond licences in South Africa, proving that every gemstone they sell is sourced ethically.

They’re also one of the first in Johannesburg to commercially mass-produce lab-grown diamonds, which are a great option if you have a limited budget.

As for their products, you can either buy them pre-made or have them make a custom design for you. It’s quite easy to avail of this service, as it can be done purely online. Their design team can provide you with 3D models that you can review and refine before the actual jewellery is made. 

While the time it takes for them to create custom jewellery is a bit long (4 weeks at least), it’s balanced out a bit by their free delivery service to anywhere in South Africa. 

Helped me through the whole process and produced an amazing ring

“Could not recommend Ross and his team from Origin Diamonds enough! Very tight deadline and demanding specifications for the ring. They helped me through the whole process and produced an amazing ring. Most importantly, my fiancé is thrilled with the end result.”

-David Clarke, Google Reviews

This is definitely the way to buy an engagement ring

“Wow!! What a wonderful experience working with Ross! He and his team are fantastic. 👏👏

This is definitely the way to buy an engagement ring. Ross made the process so easy and enjoyable. We gave him a photo of the ring we wanted and the end result is an absolutely stunning ring!! 🤩

And, it didn’t break the bank! We felt that Ross was very honest in his advice and that it was not driven by how much money he could make.

We can’t recommend Ross and Origin Diamonds more highly!!

Thank you Ross!”

-Kim Bromfield, Google Reviews