Shibumi Gallery

Shibumi is a gem of a gallery representing a lineup of amazing contemporary jewelers. Their work is varied and exceptional, a curated collection that is modern, classic, and timeless. Stones, surfaces and designs are beautiful, and the attention to details like chains, clasps, ear wires and pendant bails is a breath of fresh air. Too often these elements feel like afterthoughts; in the work at Shibumi they are as important as the main event in a piece, resulting in works of art that have integrity and are a pleasure to wear. April Higashi has done a great service by showcasing these artists and their work in a lovely brick-and-mortar location as well as online. Blending art and business is difficult, and she and her staff have managed to do this without sacrificing quality, creativity, and artistic values. They have fun and are fun to work with! Living on the East Coast I have relied on April and her staff to provide details about work that I like, and they have tried to bring it to life for me in photos, videos, and descriptions. Trevi Pendro has been especially helpful and delightful to work with. In visiting the gallery I appreciate that there is a limit to the number of customers present at one time and an appointment is recommended. Of late they have had to institute more protocols to ensure the safety of the art, staff, and visitors. It's too bad that this is needed, but with the high value of precious metals jewelry stores have become targets for thieves. Don't feel intimidated by these changes; they are there for everyone's protection. Please continue to support this wonderful gallery and its artists. If you have never been there, plan a visit. You're in for a treat!

I have been a patron of Shibumi for many years, purchasing both pre-designed and custom pieces. Owner April, Claudia, and the rest of the staff are friendly, knowledgeable, professional and kind. They have helped me to design one-of-a-kind pieces with love and respect for the process, and for the heirloom jewelry I have brought in. They are eager to help, and are some of the most intentional craftspeople I have had the pleasure of working with. They recently helped my fiancé design my engagement ring and we worked with them again to create a matching wedding band, both of which are so beautifully made. I cherish Shibumi and their amazing staff and will be a lifelong customer!!

I have been a long time fan of Shibumi Gallery. It is my “go to” place for unique and interesting jewelry in addition to jewelry repairs when needed. April Higashi/owner, also beautifully updated and reset a heirloom diamond ring for me! I love her artful eye and design esthetics. Whenever I am shopping on 4th Street, I stop in and have a look at what’s new. I consider her gallery an art exhibit and it’s always fun to browse and see what the various artists she represents are creating. She curates jewelry from 45 different artists in her gallery with various price points. You will find gorgeous diamond rings, interesting stones set creatively, silver and gold chains, bracelets and rings! In addition, you will find tribal items that are set into contemporary pieces and so much more beautiful stuff! I rarely walk out of there without a purchase. Prior to writing this review, I read some of the previous reviews. I was sadden by the recent review of a customer who took great offense of Shibumi’s policy to scan his ID for insurance proposes when entering the gallery. My understanding is that the type of scanner used is similar to what grocery stores use for alcohol purchases which I suspect most people don’t think twice about. Given the overall value of the items in the gallery, I support the intention to keep the items curated safe, to keep staff safe, and, for that matter, customers safe! Shibumi Gallery is a small, woman-owned business representing 45 artists and 14 employees. Requesting to scan ID prior to entering is not meant to be an intrusion of privacy. It is meant to keep people safe and assist a business to thrive. That being said, when you do decide to visit this spectacular gallery, be prepared to have your ID scanned and you will be supporting its intent of maintaining the success of a small, woman-owned business!

I don't know why you think scanning your customers personal data to let them walk into the store is appropriate. I'm sure it's because someone has stolen from you in the past or something. No idea. But I truly hope you go out of business given the privacy intrusion you seek to normalize. I was planning to spend a bunch of money. Not now. Not ever, and will tell everyone I know to boycott your store for the intrusive practices. Additional information following the reply to my review: other stores scan your ID when you make a purchase if it's over a certain threshold. That's totally fair, and expected. While you say you're only validating that the ID is real, I have no reason to know that, and no one should have any reason to trust it. The ID contains a lot of personal data that once I allow you to scan it, I'm no longer in control of. Even if you have the best of intentions and don't store or otherwise use the data, I have no idea who your provider of the service is -- and that provider may not (or may store it) and in any event may get compromised and you become just another vector for identify theft. You say you're looking for ways to protect your security. If you have that much of a problem, I'd suggest you only do visits by appointment. At least then the idea of providing that data in advance of an appointment might be slightly more reasonable. You accuse me of trying to harm you by posting this review. If an honest review complaining about your inappropriate privacy intrusion makes people not want to shop at your store and that makes you reconsider your decision, then the review has had the desired effect. I have no interest in harming your store; I do have an interest in not normalizing inappropriate intrusive behavior. And you'll notice I'm not hiding my name in providing this review. And I'm not worried you were profiling me. While profiling people would certainly make what you're doing worse, not doing so doesn't make it ok.

Something felt off about the vibe of this shop. You have to ring a bell just to enter, then I was asked to take off my hat, and on top of that, they scanned my ID. It made me feel more like a suspect than a customer, and completely killed any interest I had in browsing or shopping for jewelry.