Business Details
50+ Years
experience
Your Trusted Jewelry Experts in Vacaville, CA
Since 1972, Thornton & Sons has been a family-owned and operated jewelry business dedicated to providing exceptional craftsmanship and customer service. Our award-winning master jeweler, John Thornton, specializes in custom jewelry design, transforming your visions into unique, handcrafted pieces using advanced techniques like wax mold carving and precision casting. We offer a comprehensive range of services including on-site jewelry repair, scrap gold purchasing, and expert consultation on designer collections. Our inventory features renowned brands such as Simon G., Coast Diamond, and William Henry, ensuring diverse options for engagement rings, fine watches, and statement jewelry.With 50 years of experience serving Solano County, we maintain our reputation as the region's premier jeweler through personalized service, technical expertise, and commitment to quality. Our team combines generational knowledge with modern techniques to deliver heirloom-quality pieces that reflect individual style. We prioritize transparency in pricing, ethical sourcing of materials, and ongoing education about jewelry care and maintenance. This dedication to excellence has earned us consistent recognition as the Best Jeweler in Solano County.
Services
Custom Jewelry Design
Jewelry Repair
Watch Sales
Scrap Gold Buying
Designer Jewelry Sales
Details
- Year established: 1972
Highlights and features
- We offer 50 years of specialized jewelry expertise since 1972
- Our master jeweler creates custom designs using hand-carved wax molds
- We provide on-site jewelry repair and certification services
- We maintain exclusive partnerships with premium designer brands
- Our team offers transparent scrap gold valuation services
What people say
Award-winning designs
Expert repair work
Extensive designer selection
Transparent pricing
Family-owned tradition
Services
Custom Jewelry Design
Our master jeweler creates one-of-a-kind pieces through collaborative design consultations. Using traditional wax carving and modern casting techniques, we transform your concepts into wearable art. Each creation receives meticulous hand-finishing to ensure perfect stone setting and polished surfaces.
Jewelry Repair
We offer comprehensive repair services for all jewelry types, including resizing, prong replacement, and clasp repairs. Our on-site workshop enables faster turnaround times while maintaining strict quality control throughout the restoration process.
Watch Sales
Our curated collection features premium watch brands like Citizen and William Henry. We provide expert guidance on mechanical features, warranty options, and proper maintenance to ensure lasting performance of your timepiece investment.
Scrap Gold Buying
We offer transparent evaluation of unwanted gold items using current market rates. Our certified appraisal process ensures fair pricing based on purity and weight, with immediate payment upon acceptance of our valuation.
Designer Jewelry Sales
We showcase collections from renowned designers including Simon G. and Coast Diamond. Our inventory features ethically sourced diamonds, colored gemstones, and innovative metalwork across multiple price points for special occasion purchases.
People
John Thornton
Master Jeweler & Owner
With over 50 years of experience since founding the business in 1972, John Thornton combines traditional craftsmanship with modern techniques to create exceptional jewelry pieces. His expertise in wax carving and custom design has earned industry recognition.
Questions
What custom jewelry design options are available?
We create custom pieces using hand-carved wax molds in 18k gold, platinum, and other precious metals. Our process includes initial sketching, mold creation, casting, and hand-finishing.
Do you offer jewelry repair services?
Yes, we provide on-site repair services including resizing, stone replacement, and clasp repairs using professional equipment and techniques.
What payment methods do you accept?
We accept major credit cards, cash, and checks for jewelry purchases and services. Financing options may be available for select items.
Which designer brands do you carry?
Our inventory includes Simon G., Coast Diamond, Spark, Parlé, Kabana, Citizen Watches, and William Henry collections.
How does your scrap gold buying process work?
We evaluate gold items based on current market prices, purity testing, and weight measurement. You receive immediate payment upon accepting our valuation.
What are your store hours?
We're open Monday through Saturday from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM and closed on Sundays.
Reviews (4)
Miss D.
Jan 17, 2022
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I have bought 4 Seiko/Citizen watches from Thorton and Sons and took them in to have them repaired. I received them back where the crystals were not changed, the bands were still broken and only the batteries had been replaced. I left them with my daughter in law and when she sent them back to me I couldn't believe the poor service I had received. The man at the counter acted like he couldn't be bothered with such trivial service as replacing batteries and fixing what was broke. I will never do business with them again. I bought the four watches from them over the years before they moved to the outlet stores. Soooo disappointed. I'll find another jeweler.
Bill R.
Dec 14, 2021
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If you're thinking about fine jewelry to gift yourself or others, Thornton is the perfect way to shop small shop local. They've been providing excellent service and high quality merchandise for over 45 years in our community. Aside from typical services like battery replacements, they have an amazing selection of unique settings of diamonds, precious gems, rings, bracelets, and watches. I'm particularly fond of their men's rings by Simon G, their vast selection of Citizen Eco-drive watches, and fire opals. They've also invested heavily in the lab-grown diamond space which seems to be big with the younger generation. The staff is always friendly and really enjoys talking with and educating customers. And they usually offer to professionally clean anything we happen to be wearing at the time. Highly recommend.
L. B.
Nov 05, 2021
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We were quoted $1500 to service my husband's watch (Thornton & Sons sent it to SF for service). We were told the battery had been left in the watch too long and had caused damage. We decided not to have the swatch serviced and picked it up. A few months later we took it to a jeweler in Walnut Creek. The Walnut Creek jeweler also sent it out (directly to Cartier) to be serviced and have the battery replaced.
The Walnut Creek Jeweler charged us $443 for the service and replacement of the battery and did not mention any problems with the watch. We have picked up the watch and it's working beautifully. Thornton & Sons quoted us $1,500 and said there was damage to the watch while a high end jeweler in Walnut Creek charged us $443 (plus $100 for shipping to and from Cartier) and did not mention anything about damage. Thornton & Sons wanted to charge us over $1,000 more to service the watch (not including shipping)! We believe in supporting local small businesses and expect that they too would support the community by providing the best or even adequate service.
The Walnut Creek Jeweler charged us $443 for the service and replacement of the battery and did not mention any problems with the watch. We have picked up the watch and it's working beautifully. Thornton & Sons quoted us $1,500 and said there was damage to the watch while a high end jeweler in Walnut Creek charged us $443 (plus $100 for shipping to and from Cartier) and did not mention anything about damage. Thornton & Sons wanted to charge us over $1,000 more to service the watch (not including shipping)! We believe in supporting local small businesses and expect that they too would support the community by providing the best or even adequate service.
Michelle D.
Sep 01, 2021
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Stopped by Thornton & Sons with the sole intention of finding out my ring size. However, I left the store with a ton more knowledge on diamonds than when I walked in. Thank you for such a priceless experience, and hopefully y'all are the carrier my partner chooses to go forward with.
