Connoisseur of Los Altos

Amazing and creative man, Mahmood, is a wonderful man and jeweler. He’s an artist turned jeweler and it really shows in his work. Each piece is thoughtful and unique. Can’t say enough nice things about him and his jewelry!

Mahmood is a wonderful person and an amazing artist. When you combine a love for all things good and a passion for art, you get a masterpiece, and that is exactly what my engagement ring is. He worked with my then boyfriend to create a ring unique to me. I didn’t even know my boyfriend was designing my wedding ring with Mahmood, so you can imagine the surprise on my face when he finally proposed. Once I wiped the tears of joy, I was able to see the ring more clearly and it was beautiful! Mahmood took the time to pick out all the purple sapphires to make the ring sparkle and a beautiful diamond. The craftsmanship is so detailed and thoughtful, it’s beautiful. In addition, Mahmood has helped design matching wedding bands for both of us, once again, unique to our personalities. We really appreciate all of is time, effort, and thoughtfulness in helping create such a wonderful symbol of our love.

There aren’t many more daunting tasks for a guy than picking out custom jewelry for a wife/​fiancé/​girlfriend. We weren’t even sure what we wanted, but Mahmood helped us figure it out in the budget we had. It was such a pleasant experience, when I thought it was going to be so overwhelming. Mahmood takes the time to get to know you, leaving you feeling like that customized piece of jewelry is that much more personal. Highly recommend!

Mahmood the owner is a super nice guy. He is so skillful n talented that customized my gf s jewelry in a way that we didnot even believe it. I had a hard time to find a place that we can trust their skills in redesigning the jewelry. I just read the reviews and saw the pictures so went to the shop and met Mahmood. Other than being a true genuine artist he is a caring person. Awesome job Mahmood. Whoever is looking for an honest genuine artist, should at least check this shop out and ask for Mahmood. Tnx for the perfect job. :)

Mahmood is an artist and a truly caring individual. He spent hours and two appointments with me, just helping me figure out what my fiancée wanted in her engagement ring. I wanted it to be a surprise, so without ever meeting her, Mahmood did his best to get to know her — asking me about her background, her interests, and her taste.
After all that, it turned out that a custom ring was not in my budget, but Mahmood spent even more time pouring through his catalogs to find rings he thought would be right for my partner.
If you’re not an expert in jewelry, and you need an artist to help you find what you need, even if you need to stay within a very tight budget, you will be very satisfied with Mahmood’s service.
Perhaps there are many qualified jewelers in the Peninsula, but none as thoughtful, creative, and giving of time as Mahmood.

I was in the market for an engagement ring and after seeing all the wonderful reviews on Unilocal about Mahmood, I decided to make his shop my first stop in my journey.
Mahmood greeted my girlfriend and I very warmly. After I told him that I knew very little about diamonds, he proceeded to tell me everything I needed to know about picking the best diamond. He went over the aspects of a diamond, what features to look for, some tricks of the trade, as well as how I could get the most bang for my buck. It is obvious that he isn’t looking to rip you off, but instead wants to make sure you are happy with your purchase, even if it isn’t with him.
After discussing diamonds and rings (did I mention the consultation was completely free?), we stayed for another half an hour talking about life, society, family, etc. which was absolutely wonderful. It made it so much more of a personal experience.
While I didn’t purchase a ring from him (my girlfriend found a ring in Iceland she really liked), his consultation was crucial for me picking the right diamond. I even went back to him to verify that the diamond I ended up ordering matched the specifications. He did that for free as well and even cleaned the diamond for me.
In summary, this man is an artist looking to create something beautiful. He wants you to be happy, whether it be through his services or someone else’s. I HIGHLY recommend him as a jeweler and an artist.

I’ve always known that I wanted a custom-​designed engagement ring in order to not only have something different of my own, but to also create something that was special to me and my husband to-​be. Knowing this, my fiancée and I visited Mahmood because we had heard of his innovative and creative vision for years. Mahmood took the time and care to discuss what we wanted, and took our original idea and made it even better! He was thorough, detailed, and cared about what I wanted. His patience and kindness during the process was much appreciated. My ring is so incredibly beautiful, I could not be happier — people literally stop me on the street to ask me where I got the ring from. Do yourself a favor and go in to speak with Mahmood — you won’t regret it! I plan on getting all of my jewelry from him from now on.

The best little jewelery shop in town! They can customize anything for you with great quality, and The service is top notch! Check this place out, you won’t be disappointed!

This is definitely the best place to go for any jewelry. I got my wife’s engagement ring here and I couldnt have been more pleased with the friendly service and wonderful products. I would highly recommend coming here, 5 STARS!
The owner is a really nice guy. He talked to me like I was one of his children. Picking out an engagement ring is tough work and its good to know there’s a kindhearted person there to help you with such a big decision:)

Mahmood’s jewelry is extremely well designed with a very creative style. I wouldn’t hesitate to buy anything from his shop. I’m not a big fan of the large chain jewelry shops, everything looks very cookie-​cutter; so it’s always great to have a local artisan making unique designs.

Being new in the area, I decided to take a morning walk through Downtown Los Altos to check out the neat assortment of small shops and restaurants. Here, I discovered the unique specialty jewelry/​art store Connoisseur where I spoke to a very kind man who owns the store. I could tell that he was very passionate about creating the «perfect» piece of art and making it a special moment for those that choose his wonderful service offerings! I definitely will be back here when I decide exactly what I want!

I will never go anywhere else for jewelry again! ! ! I had my engagement ring fixed here. It is a beautiful big black pearl and diamond ring with a white gold setting. My husband purchased it from a commercial jeweler and they did not set it correctly. The pearl ended up falling out twice and I became scared to even wear it at all after getting it «fixed» by the commercial jeweler. I finally gave up and decided to go to Mahmood after an amazing recommendation. Couldn’t be happier that I did! ! ! My ring is finally how I wanted it, with no problems, the correct setting, and the pearl doesn’t fall out. I look forward to going back and purchasing new pieces from his quaint store. My husband already has his eye on one of his sculptures, and his art and design for custom jewelry is amazing.

What a charming little place with the nicest jeweler ever… and did I mention talented? His jewelry is so unique! It was hard not to browse through the exquisite work as soon as I walked through the door.
I have only had a ring cleaned here and a repair done on one of my favorite necklaces… But Mahmood was so informative when explaining the kind of chain that would be best for my necklace (even though I couldn’t bear to part with the one that had already broken once). He repaired it for me but assured me that if it happened again, he would be happy to put on another chain that is more durable instead.
I will definitely be back here to have any jewelry questions answered because he is truly an expert. The first thing I noticed about him and his work is that he loves what he does and it shows… He takes so much pride in the pieces that he makes, as well as the breathtaking art work on the walls. Although the art is not for sale, it definitely adds something special to the store. Thanks Mahmood and see you soon!

I came to Connoisseur to get a custom made engagement ring for my fiancé. We had a piece of amber that we wanted to use for the ring, and Mahmood did a great job of explaining all our options and ultimately designing and making a great ring for a very reasonable price.
We’re both very happy with the ring we got, and I’d highly recommend Mahmood for anyone looking for custom designed jewelry.

If my wallet would allow it, I’d consume jewelry like candy.
That being said, I absolutely have to recommend Mahmood and his boutique. Last week I stopped by to have a very special pearl bracelet repaired (I will post a photo) and was greatly impressed. I walked in with my treasure and walked out realizing
1) I have a new source for beautiful, unique custom jewelry (for any personal gifts or splurges I will be using him)
2) I have way too many other items I need repaired :0
3) Mahmood is a gem of a man. An exceptional artist and a genuine person. He even taught me some facts! He stated that when I come to his shop, I am at «University». He is amazing.
Bottom line– If you appreciate excellent craftsmanship, enjoy pairing purchases with personal stories, and have a love for jewelry (or know someone who does) then you will definitely love Connoisseur of Los Altos.

Mahmood is an accomplished artist and a wonderful local businessman. My fiancé and I worked with him to create custom wedding bands for us. We already had an engagement ring and we wanted to create a set that was cohesive, but also had masculine elements for mine and feminine for hers.
Being an engineer who has undertaken many a project myself, I tend to be very exacting when it comes to things that I have a hand in making. Mahmood was always happy to hear my fiancé’s and my ideas and he had no problem with us going through many weeks worth of design iterations before we found something that all three of us were happy with. He refused to take our money if we didn’t love the final product and he would not let us have it if he wasn’t satisfied as well.
I think this is a wonderful way to run a business. If I ever need any more custom jewelry for a special occasion, I would not even consider going anywhere else. I found his prices to be reasonable given that the rings were totally custom. I could have paid less for a ring out of a catalogue, but I wanted something that no one else would have and something that would match what we already had.
I highly recommend Connoisseur of Los Altos and its charismatic proprietor Mahmood. He did an excellent job making rings for my fiancé and I which we will undoubtedly cherish forever.

My favorite necklace I wear almost everyday was purchased for my birthday from here. So feminine and high quality, one of my favorite presents ever. Thanks to the owner who helped my boyfriend pick it out… not sure he would have been able to do such a great job on his own! I will certainly be back when I’m ready to treat myself.
:)

Mahmood is a true artist and worked with me to create a lovely custom engagement ring for me and my fiancé. I am extremely satisfied with the final product, and I appreciated how he never pressured me at any step of the way. Mahmood doesn’t ask for any payment until you are completely satisfied. He is an honest, intelligent, and creative person who is a joy to work with.
We worked together create a modern version of the traditional Irish claddagh ring. I was a little worried at first since Mahmood wasn’t familiar with this, but he did all kinds of research to understand the history and meaning behind the ring. He is willing to take on any project, and he did a fantastic job — just take a look in his pictures posted here. The ring he designed for us is right there! He did an exceptional job by keeping to the tradition of the ring, and by adding in modern creative adjustments to make a perfect engagement ring. I will definitely recommend him to my friends. The only reason I took away one star is because he’s not always in his shop at the posted hours. Be sure to call first!
I love supporting small businesses like this, and you should too!

Working with Mahmood to create a wonderful engagement ring for my girlfriend was an incredibly rewarding experience.
As a recent college grad, I didn’t have just gobs and gobs of money to spend, but I wanted to propose to my girlfriend. I had spent a few months looking around at various rings and decided that none of them really matched her style. She likes pearls, and you would be surprised at how hard it can be to find a nice pearl ring.
Eventually, I hit upon the idea of having a ring custom-​made. Again, I researched for a bit– looked around at various jewelers, various websites. I’m pretty hands-​on so I even considered the idea of making a ring myself, but backed down because I figured this was a good one to leave to a pro… so, I started working on sketches and themes for when I did hit the right jeweler.
When I finally walked into Mahmood’s shop, I immediately knew I had the right place. His wall is covered with his artist’s renderings of his designs, as his facebook proudly displays the final product. He and I went back and forth over several weeks looking at sketches and comparing ideas; he worked with me to get an idea of the *kind* of ring my girlfriend would like. We spent weeks just talking, thinking, and drawing.
After much deliberation, we converged on the perfect design, and it was done incredibly quickly! Mahmood worked very hard to craft the positive out of wax and invited me to his shop for loose-​leaf persian tea, homemade cakes, and a viewing if the model. I was at a loss for words, it was that good. I was even more speechless when I got to see the finished design.
My fiancée is absolutely thrilled with her ring, and I have gotten many, many compliments on it from her friends and family. Mahmood really did an amazing job, and I will definitely come back to him for any other jewelry.

Mahmood has been my «go to jeweler» for the past 5 years. Any special occasion, birthday, or anniversary, he is able to make me (and my girlfriend) very happy. This is the place to go for custom, unique, and sophisticated jewelry. Being an Art student, I refused to go to Tiffanys, or Zales; one because they are over priced (I’m on the student budget), and two, because I wanted something unique. If you have someone special in your life, why get him or her something that everyone else has? I chose to get my girl something rare and different, something that is one of a kind, and they always *loved* it!
Mahmood is such a great guy; very honest and reasonable, and an amazing artist. Be sure to check out the paintings, drawing and sculptures that him and his talented wife do when you stop in.