The hubs and I were chatting with a friend recently when the topic of jewelry shopping came up. "Oh! You should check out Lang's," he suggested, raising an eyebrow to me to (1) underscore that he was familiar with Lang Antique & Estate Jewelry, and (2) question if I also knew about the Union Square mainstay. He learned about Lang from a friend who was a gem broker. I learned about Lang while interviewing Dita Von Teese. We both felt smug about our sources. But Lang certainly isn't the only gem of a jeweler in town.

San Francisco has plenty of jewelry designers, fine jewelers, and antiques specialists, if you know where to look. Want to buy bae (or yourself) something from a local brand? Try shopping at these spots. Below, I've mapped the stores where you can browse in real life, but keep in mind that several of these brands are mainly available online.

Fine Jewelry

Shreve & Co.

150 Post St, San Francisco, CA 94108

Shreve has been known as one of the premier luxury jewelers in the US for more than 150 years. In addition to Shreve’s signature collections, the two-story Union Square location houses in-store boutiques for Patek Philippe, Rolex, IWC, Harry Kotlar Diamonds, Mikimoto, Marco Bicego, and more. Fun story: My husband selected his wedding band at Shreve years before we moved to San Francisco, and I procrastinated in calling to order it. The Shreve staff saved me by rushing the ring to me before our wedding, so I think they're pretty fabulous.

Lang Antique & Estate Jewelry

309 Sutter Street

Lang claims to have the world's largest selection of vintage engagement rings, but it also has options for those of you who aren't heading down the aisle. Stop by or shop online for women's and men's pieces, including watches, bracelets, necklaces, earrings, pill boxes, and cufflinks.

Emily P Wheeler

If you pour over the pages of all the major monthly fashion magazines, you've seen Emily P Wheeler's work. Wheeler's jewelry has been featured in Vogue, W, L'Officiel, Harper's Bazaar, and on the cover of Elle. While she's best-known for dazzling cigar-band rings, Emily's collection includes pave and baguette diamond earrings, rings, necklaces and bracelets. The pieces are cool, modern, conflict-free, and handmade in Los Angeles.

No. 3

1987 Hyde Street

At No. 3, you'll find a blend of both fine jewelry and costume jewelry, so there's really something for any price point. Ultra-cool shop owner Jenny Chung—who also owns Acrimony in Hayes Valley—has curated a gorgeous selection of bridal and beyond, including pieces from Anna Sheffield, Bing Bang NYC, and Bliss Lau. When you're looking for something more exciting than the standard solitaire, this shop should be at the top of your list.

Fiat Lux

3169 16th Street

Once the city's tiniest jewelry shop, Fiat Lux moved into bigger digs in December with lots more room to showcase its gorgeous wares. Check it out for sun rings from Avrocomy, delicate-but-tough pieces from Daisy San Luis, engraved lighters from Nick Potash, and shop's in-house designs. The store also carries a number of fine jewelry rings that would work as wedding or engagement rings for a non-traditional bride. Or you could really shake things up and skip a wedding ring entirely in favor of this amazing serpent-knife bracelet. It's not TSA-approved, but hot damn it's a badass look.

Metier

546 Laguna Street

Whether you’re looking for an antique diamond bracelet or a brand new safety pin earring, Metier is filled with stunning options. This Hayes Valley spot seamlessly blends estate pieces with contemporary. Whether vintage or new, the rings, brooches, earrings, and necklaces are the types of heirlooms you’ll pass down through generations. When you visit, be sure to look for options from Gabriella Kiss and Gillian Conroy.

Fashion Jewelry

Svelte Metals

When Svelte Metals designer Megan Kanodia couldn't find bracelets in the US to fit her tiny wrists, she decided to make her own. In 2013, Kanodia launched her San Francisco-based line in response to the one-size-fits-all approach to fashion jewelry. Each piece is made in America, and Svelte designs work on even the daintiest of hands. (Her cuff bracelets are adjustable and her rings start at a size 4.) For the full collection, you'll need to shop online, but you can find a selection of Svelte cuffs at Amour Vert (437 Hayes Street).

Margaret Elizabeth

3334 SACRAMENTO STREET

2230 CHESTNUT STREET

Meg Shackleton built her Margaret Elizabeth brand on the brightly-color designs that practically every woman in San Francisco now owns. Originally launched out of her Boston College dorm room, Meg runs two Margaret Elizabeth stores in SF, and a third in Palo Alto. Her semi-precious bracelets and earrings come in at an easily-giftable price point—almost all of the fashion jewelry pieces are under $200, and many are under $100. Margaret Elizabeth also offers fine jewelry, starting at $395 and topping out around $2700.

Gallery of Jewels

2115 FILLMORE STREET

4089 24TH STREET

427 POST STREET

What began as a small shop in 1990 to showcase co-owner Dona Taylor's jewelry line has since expanded into three locations promoting over 100 artists. Each shop takes inspiration from the culture and the people in the neighborhood that surrounds it—with more than 50 designer collections ranging from fashion to fine jewelry—and the chain is constantly on the lookout for new jewelry artisans. Prices run from the double digits into the thousands.

Melissa Joy Manning

1827 Fifth Street A

Launched in Berkeley by its NorCal native namesake, Melissa Joy Manning combines modern style with recycled materials and responsibly-sourced stones that are transformed into organically urbane pieces. The line’s silver styles can retail as low as $25, while engagement rings top out around $8500. In between, there’s a healthy assortment of ethical, sustainable stone bracelets, earrings, necklaces, rings, and gifts.

The 2Bandits

Tamar Wider started this Southwestern-influenced line while she was studying at FIT, but the brand has called the Mission home for years. Wider’s chunky pieces are cool on their own, but extra hip when piled on together. (For a master class in more-is-more styling, glance through any of the brand’s lookbooks.) Now that Kendall Jenner, queen of the chokers, has declared the layered metal chokers are all the rage, you might want to stock up on the 2Bandits versions for festival season.

11 Local Jewelry Brands You Need to Know Now