Baraka Gemstones and Jewelry

Reviews 5

PH

Phillip Carpenter

Jamie was awesome! I wanted to get my girlfriend a necklace for her birthday, with not much more idea in mind than using an aquamarine stone (for her birthstone), and something that would be symbolic of our relationship. I dont know much about jewelry, but after searching through the pendants on the site, I saw a trillion shaped white gold pendent with diamonds that I thought was perfect. My girlfriend and I are climbers, and the trillion shaped represented a climbing boulder to me. I called up Jamie about it, he was very honest and open up front about options and what we could do. At no point in the process did I feel pressured, or not cared about. It was very clear that he was first and foremost interested in the best thing for me and what I was looking for. He said up front that it was going to be difficult to find an aqua of the size that would fit the pendant, but that he would make some calls. I heard back from him that weekend, letting me know that he had found a dealer with a lighter aqua that would fit the pendant, it would have to be cut to the trillion shape though. I said lets go for it, he had the stone cut, and when it was ready I came in to take a look. At this point I still had not committed to buy anything, so the effort was amazing. I was pleased with the aqua, Jamie had also ordered in the pendant, and we looked at how it would fit. We then discussed options for the diamonds to fit around the pendant, and the price of it all. Once I was happy, only then did we draw up the final quote and I submitted payment. I came back some time later to get the piece, and thought it was the most beautiful piece of jewelry I have ever purchased. Thanks Jamie!

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BR

Brandon McFarlane

I posted this on Yelp as well, but I had such a great experience I thought I would post it twice; After searching through a half dozen "big box" stores my fiancee and I found this gem in the Ballard area and were not disappointed. The biggest issue we had with the other stores were that we often saw a lot of the same rings and settings in each store, nothing seemed overly personal. We didnt want to buy a ring that she might see someone else wearing a few years down the road, we wanted it to be more personal. Our experience with Jamie at Baraka was the complete opposite. He sat down with us as my fiancee explained the type of rings she liked and he showed us several rings and settings and encouraged us to pick out a bunch of styles we like on his website and send the list to him. A week or two later he had the actual rings she picked out shipped in so every ring we looked at was suited to her particular tastes. We even used our own stone and he was able to create the perfect custom ring for her and we couldnt be happier with the result! His website has literally thousands of styles and options to choose from so even the choosiest of people will have something that suits them. Not only that, but the prices were right in line with the other stores, and often even less than them. Needless to say, well be coming back to Baraka for all of our jewelry needs moving forward. If you are in the market for a wedding or engagement ring, or any jewelry for that matter, I would highly recommend you skip the other guys and go straight here, you wont be disappointed.

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AL

Allan Ochieng

I knew Jamie even before he went in for the jewelry business, he has passion for what he does and quality is a very important factor for him, he is meticulous and ensures that whatever project that he has set his eyes on attains the best quality that exists. Because of the nature of work that Jewelry requires I cannot think of a better person. The beauty about Jamies work is that the profits he makes from the whole business is extended to help Orphans and Vulnerable Children in Africa. He just doesnt read about the orphans in Africa in the internet, but he has actually visited Africa and has first hand information about the children. I met him in during his trip in Kenya East Africa. Personally I know children that have been supported from the profits in the Jewelry business, these children have been able to access meals, avoid jiggers on their feet because of being bought for shoes, they been able to go to school because they have school uniforms. In general for most of these children they have renewed hope. When you buy a product from Jamie, be sure that you are getting the best service, you will get the best product and also you should be proud of yourself because from your purchase an Orphan or a vulnerable child will be assisted with an essential service and more importantly you will renew their hope.

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GA

Galen Sather

Baraka: Bringing Beauty to the World with a Whole Lot of Heart! Already a Seattle institution, Baraka is a fantastic jewelry shop featuring gems, new styles and antiques. The charming shop, run by the owner Jamie, showcases beautiful pieces and boasts access to hundreds of thousands of additional pieces which you can peruse at your leisure on the iPod synched TV while sipping a complementary beverage. Baraka also produces design kits (Create-A-Ring and Create-A-Pendant) that would be super fun to use as a family centric, kid friendly art project resulting in your own one-of-a-kind jewelry. I’m still trying to figure out my first design idea…. But I can see this being a perfect Mother’s day gift! I’ve received accurate appraisals and had multiple pieces of jewelry repaired and am always looking for my next favorite accessory at Baraka. What makes this place special, though, isn’t necessarily the build-your-own jewelry kits or the incredibly delightful shop owner, but the socially conscious mission and commitment to assist Kenyan orphans with 10% of all proceeds as well as additional funds off of their design kits. If you ask me, we could all take a page from Jamie’s book!

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LA

Lauren Ziemski

I couldnt be happier with my ring from Baraka! It was a happy accident that we found this place and Im so glad we did. I was only half-looking for a replacement wedding band the day we stumbled upon Baraka in the little "artisan annex" at the Sunday Ballard Farmers Market. One look, though, at the unusual pieces on display, and I was sold. The tourmelated quartz immediately caught my eye, and once I slipped the piece onto my finger, I knew it was meant to be. The ring is unique and visually stunning. The owner, Jamie, explained the idea behind the design (a little architectural setting paired with some vintage details) and that sealed the deal. Jamie was able to size it and have it back to me in under a week. The fit is beautiful but Jamie made extra sure I was happy with the final product. I was! You MUST check out their store in Ballard to get a bigger glimpse of their work. AND- SUPER BONUS- Baraka has partnered with Baraka Orphanage in Kenya to provide a new shelter for orphans there. i feel pretty darned good at night knowing my purchase is not just lining the pockets of the rich- but rather enriching the lives of those in need. Win win all around.

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