So I’ve been thinking about upgrading my watch game lately, heard Howard Frum Jewelers in Chicago was the spot for quality stuff. Grabbed my metro card yesterday morning and headed downtown to check it out myself.
The First Impression Thing
Walked into their Michigan Avenue store around 11am – place felt fancy but not snobby. Sales guy named Marco approached me real casual, “Hey man, what brings you in today?” Told him straight up: “Looking for solid everyday jewelry that won’t bankrupt me.”
Testing the Waters
Started by checking men’s chains. Held a 14k yellow gold Franco chain – felt heavy like good quality. Marco tossed it on their scale: 28 grams. He tapped their calculator: “$1,850 before tax”. Almost choked when he followed with “That’s actually 20% off our December pricing.”
- Basic signet ring: Plain 10k gold started at $750
- Diamond studs: Tiny 0.25 carat pairs kicking off at $1,100
- Their house brand bracelet: Simple hinge style at $2,300
The Quality Conversation
Asked Marco why their stuff costs more than Zales. He pulled out loupe glasses: “Here, check how the links connect.” Saw what he meant – no gaps, soldered smooth. “Our repair guys see other stores’ chains snap at the clasps constantly – we build ours thicker.”
Tried pressing him on discounts. Got a shrug: “We don’t do sales pitches. Price you see is price you get.” Noticed nobody else in store was haggling either. Felt kinda refreshing actually.
The Realization Moment
Left empty-handed but took their brochure. Sitting at Starbucks later crunching numbers – realized they charge 15-20% more than mall stores. But then remembered how my cousin’s Kay Jewelers ring cracked after nine months… and how Howard’s been downtown since 1970.
My takeaway? You absolutely pay more upfront. But watching Marco clean a 1990’s Rolex that looked brand new? Yeah. Understand now why locals save up for this place.
