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October 2023 by Shan Ming
Walked in to check out the creations today on 6/23/23, and the two staff said hi and then proceed to stare at you in silence while you look around. Such a cold, awkward shopping experience. No music either. Perhaps they judged that I wasn’t their target audience? I dunno - unfortunately I just can’t bring myself back into such an awkward ambiance.
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August 2023 by Derek Lindner
Shibumi has an amazing collection of craft jewelry. The work here is all meticulous and exquisite, and the staff always have fascinating stories to share about the artists and their inspiration. I have a few pieces from Shibumi and wear their jewelry all the time.
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June 2023 by K. Lee
I have been a regular visitor and client of Shibumi's for over 15 years. April and her staff not only do an amazing job of designing, creating and curating some of the most unique and beautiful jewelry in the Bay Area, but are also some of the most welcoming and helpful staff I've ever encountered. And the space is so beautiful, it makes for a very special place to visit even if only to look around.
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June 2023 by Andrea Gordon Real Estate
I have been buying Jewelry from Shibumi Gallery for years and love the ambiance of the store, the beautifully curated pieces and the exquisite workmanship of the jewelry they feature. In particular, the work by April Higashi is outstanding and some of the pieces I wear every single day are her rare, and beautifully designed work. The staff is friendly, helpful but not too intrusive -all in all it is a great experience to shop there. Cannot say enough good things about this magical store.
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June 2023 by NA Powell
I have been a fan of April's work for many years. I had the privilege of meeting her and seeing her store and studio when I was living in the Bay Area and doing some writing about jewelry design (and being a novice jewelry maker). April has an incredible touch in designing unique pieces ... bold, yet delicate, rustic, yet refined. It takes such nuanced talent to walk those lines. As a fan of good design, I was delighted to meet one of my heroes. And she was so kind to me and seemed so pleased with my interest in her work.Recently, now back in Ohio, my fiancé and were able to work with April remotely to design my engagement ring and our wedding bands. She immediately seemed to "get" us. She could not have been more personable and professional in her communications with us. And, let's face it, April did not have to take on the extra inconvenience of working with people in Ohio. But she did it to make us happy. And she has added to my life one of the most beautiful objects I have ever had the pleasure to call my own - my green sapphire engagement ring.If you are lucky enough to be nearby, go to her store and enjoy the quiet, gorgeous atmosphere. And ask questions! The staff knows so much about gems and artists and fabrication ... it will be a fascinating conversation. And if you don't live in the Bay Area, take a look online or reach out. You won't be disappointed with that experience either!
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June 2023 by Brian T.
Walked in to check out the creations today on 6/23/23, and the two staff said hi and then proceed to stare at you in silence while you look around. Such a cold, awkward shopping experience. No music either. Perhaps they judged that I wasn’t their target audience? I dunno - unfortunately I just can’t bring myself back into such an awkward ambiance.
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March 2023 by Sauron
Overpriced and bad attitudes all around.
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April 2022 by Stuti Kochhar
Wonderful collection of various artists!
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December 2021 by Lolita D.
Cool jewelry by many local artists; bad service. We wanted to buy some cool wedding bands for our elopement. We came in feeling ready to make two beautiful purchases. The sales person was pretty un-excited about us being there. She had very few suggestions and taking things out of cases seemed like a major ordeal. We felt like we didn't belong there, or like we were bothering her. We went to Esqueleto in Temescal instead- and it was an amazing experience. They also have a beautiful selection of rings made by local artists. The person who helped us was not the owner, so it's possible that she is less into making money than the owner would be.
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September 2021 by Floating On
A lovely little gem I found out shopping a few weeks ago. It could be easy to pass by if you're on the go.Once you're buzzed in, you'll be happy you stopped. Unique decor with art displayed throughout. I don't know why, but I want to say I got Brooklyn vibes.Lovely display cases tastefully arranged throughout the shop, with vaulted ceilings.I had the pleasure of meeting Fatemeh and expert advice.I wasn't out particularly looking for jewelry. I discovered an artist they have work from, Alexis Pavlantos. Beautiful works of art! Totally captivating! I fell in love with a silver ring called "litterfall" . It was adjusted on sight for my finger. Very cheery experience, fabulous customer service.I'm looking at my ring right now, I love it. I'll always stop by when I visit Berkeley.
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August 2021 by Erika H.
I have never posted a review of any kind online before but my experience with Shibumi Gallery was so awful that I want to warn others. The owner, April Higashi, has absolutely no integrity and would not stand behind a $4,500 ring I purchased when I discovered just days after the purchase that the sapphire stone had a crack through it. And in fact she tried to get me to sign a nondisclosure agreement so that I would not be able to share my experience! That tells you a lot about her way of doing business. Below are the details for those who want them. I purchased an 18k gold ring with green sapphires form Shibumi Gallery for $4,675.90. I purchased the ring using a credit card and a store credit in the amount of $571.78. Within 3 days I noticed one of the sapphires in the ring was cracked. I brought the ring back to Shibumi Gallery that same week and at their request left it to be examined. After examination, their goldsmith acknowledged that the stone was cracked and stated it had a "cleave". I did nothing unusual with the ring in the three days before noticing the cracked stone. Thus in my opinion, the ring was defective as the stone was either cracked when I bought it and I had not noticed it or, as the Shibumi Galley goldsmith observed, it had a cleave that caused it to crack and was therefore defective. In either case the ring was defective. I asked for my money back and was told I would only be given 80% back and would have to sign a nondisclosure agreement, which was not acceptable. So, I went to my credit card company to get the amount charged on the card refunded; however, Shibumi will not refund nor restore my store credit in the amount of $571.78. The store owner, April Higashi, stated that the she is keeping my store credit as a "restocking fee", which is outrageous for two reasons 1) you can't restock a defective item, and 2) there is no statement anywhere regarding restocking fees. It seems like she made this up this on the fly to keep the money I'm eniteid to. My store credit originated from the trade-in of gold jewelry my grandmother gave me. By not refunding the store credit or reinstating the store credit the owner is essentially stealing from me. She got the gold I traded-in and I have now nothing for it. (The other option April gave me was to accept her assessment that the cracked sapphire was "stable". She offered to have the jeweler that made the ring examine the ring to confirm that the cracked stone was stable or "fix" it. She would not say what a fix might entailed. She did not say the cracked stone would be replaced. I could not accept such a vague offer with her being the one to determine if the ring was "fixed".) Who pays over $4500 for a ring a cracked stone? Why should I accept that it is "stable" at that price? Ridiculous. April again asked me to sign a nondisclosure agreement and offered to refund roughly $70 of the $571.78 she owes me after I received a refund from my credit card for the amount charged. I would not agree to sign without a full refund. The ability to post and talk about my experience with Shibumi is more important than $70. When April refused to refund or reinstate my store credit, I contacted the Better Business Bureau to report this experience. They reached out to her twice and she did not respond or attempt to resolve the issue. I have tried every avenue I can to reach a fair resolution and have been left with a loss of over $500. I have never heard of a merchant behaving this way. It would have been so much simpler and more productive for her to stand behind her product and keep a customer happy, as I would have loved to purchase more items from her store. I obviously cannot recommend Shibumi Gallery to anyone and suggest steering clear of this business.
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July 2021 by Autumn Fessler
A lovely little gem I found out shopping a few weeks ago. It could be easy to pass by if you're on the go.Once you're buzzed in, you'll be happy you stopped. Unique decor with art displayed throughout. I don't know why, but I want to say I got Brooklyn vibes.Lovely display cases tastefully arranged throughout the shop, with vaulted ceilings.I had the pleasure of meeting Fatemeh and expert advice.I wasn't out particularly looking for jewelry. I discovered an artist they have work from, Alexis Pavlantos. Beautiful works of art! Totally captivating! I fell in love with a silver ring called "litterfall" . It was adjusted on sight for my finger. Very cheery experience, fabulous customer service.I'm looking at my ring right now, I love it. I'll always stop by when I visit Berkeley.
