Galerie Ingrid Cooper

I have been buying jewelry from Ingrid for over a decade. Probably a piece every two years. I know she had some turbulence when White Flint kicked all the merchants out, and that’s too bad. Even so, this month, I gave her a $ 3,500 deposit for a ring. She delivered it as promised and on time. I could not be more pleased and I do not hesitate to recommend her. Her eye is unmatched. I have always found her reliable and honest. Other than as her customer, I have no relationship to her. Dunno what more I can say.
Matt Simmons, Esq.

Wow, had the very same experience with Ingrid. My husband and I decided to order our wedding bands from her and didn’t get the bands until we were married for 5 months. (almost a year total) The bands were beautiful and we love them but the way she handled the transaction was so painful with the routine as other Unilocal reviewers stated: missed phone calls and ignored emails etc. She has great taste, the way she talks to you in person makes you really want to like her, however I would never ever send any of my friends to her.

1 star is too good!!!
Artists & Buyer’s Beware!!!
Ingrid has a cool collection of jewelry, but her business practices are another story. I’m one of several Corcoran students who left pieces to sell at her galerie. To date I’ve never been paid for pieces that were sold through her store located in White Flint — that should have been an indicator right there — a galerie in a shopping mall??? Anyways, no use in harping about the useless attempts to recoup money for the sales from her, BUT — for anybody looking to sell artwork or purchase from her, save your money, it’s not worth the headache and grief. I’m surprised she’s still able to do business … better to save your money and spend it elsewhere …
oh and btw, she actually has a website now

I’ve been thinking about writing this review for 10 months — the 10 months I’ve been trying to resolve an issue with Ingrid. I’m sorry to say my experience was just like the others that have been posted. I love the European designers she sells, so my husband bought me a ring for our wedding anniversary. Problem was that I didn’t like it much and it was expensive. I went back to her and she was very willing to exchange it. Good start, but …
I found a ring I liked and Ingrid said we could make with a cheaper stone to get it to the same price point. She said it would take 2 weeks. Well, 2 weeks went by, then 4, then 8 and on an on. I called repeatedly but I think she recognized my number after a couple of months and didn’t pick up or return my calls. I went to see her in person many times. She’s a nice woman, but I stopped believing anything she said. After 6 or 7 months I switched to just asking for a refund. She gave me a story about having an accountant who would have to send me a check. No surprise it never happened. Eventually I started worrying that she would go out of business and I would have nothing. Finally a few weeks ago (10 months later) I went in to look at her stock and I picked out a necklace instead. Not exactly what I wanted, but at least some value out of it.
I think what’s going on is that Ingrid has been having a tough couple of years financially. It looks like she’s down to one company who will sell to her and she told me she «lost» her custom jewelry maker. She had a lot less inventory in June than in the past. The worst part is that she was never upfront about it, and she gives incredibly optimistic/​unrealistic timelines. I respect her passion for jewelry and her shop has some great stuff, but I would avoid putting down a deposit on anything or working with her on custom pieces. It has been a most frustrating and anxious experience, and one that will always taint what my husband intended to be a great 15^th anniversary gift. Hopefully this review will save someone else from the same fate.

I’m a jewelry artist who also showed her work in the Corcoran jewelry show at Galerie Ingrid Cooper. Sales were great at first. Then Ingrid’s checks to me started bouncing, and then finally she wouldn’t pay me at all.
I got many excuses from her about the lack of payment, each more fanciful than the last. The light bulb went off when she told me «I’m not going to cheat you», and I realized she had every intention of doing so.
I’ve taken legal action, we’ll see each other (if she shows!) in MD District Court in May. Unfortunately, there are many many local artists who have been victimized in this way by Galerie Ingrid Cooper.

When I came to Galerie Ingrid Cooper I was sure I had found MY jeweler. Ingrid struck me as a woman with impeccable taste and a true passion for her work. She really seemed to understand our needs and she carried the German line Henrich & Denzel that I initially thought I would pick my engagement ring from. She boasted about her close relationships with a host of German jewelry designers (she’s German) including Henrich & Denzel and both my fiancé and I felt excited about working with her.
I suppose this is why the following chain of events was so devastating. We trusted this woman to help us procure an engagement ring; a first-​time thing for both of us. Unfortunately, that never happened. Here’s what did.
TIMELINE OF THE ENGAGEMENT RING SEARCH FROM HELL
April 3, 2007 Proposal
April 21 Deposit to Galerie Ingrid Cooper for Henrich & Denzel engagement ring, delivery expected in three weeks — in plenty of time for our June 10 engagement party
May 21 (a FULL MONTH later) No engagement ring, multiple calls made to Ingrid where she continually says it will arrive «soon».
June 10 Engagement party, no engagement ring
June 11 Fiancé leaves a message at Galerie Ingrid Cooper that’s never returned
June 13 Call to Galerie Ingrid Cooper, leaving a message stating we’ve had enough and want our money back
June 14 Call Galerie Ingrid Cooper, number’s been disconnected at the request of the account holder. I call the mall that the shop is in; they give me Ingrid’s mobile phone number. I call and leave a message saying we want our money refunded, no call back.
June 17 Call Galerie Ingrid Cooper, phone is now back in working order, fiancé calls again, Ingrid says she’ll refund our money.
June 24 STILL no refund
June 27 I am at my wit’s end, I call my fiery, red-​headed, German-​speaking mother and ask for help. She’s been hearing about the situation for month and is steaming mad, she calls Ingrid.
July 2 Debit card return
Never once in this whole process did Ingrid call me. I am a reasonable person. I understand delays. I understand personal issues that affect work. I understand sole proprietorships. If ever Ingrid had called and simply said that there’d been a delay, I’d have accepted that. If ever once Ingrid had attempted to make things right, I’d have felt better.
But right up to the day the money was finally refunded to us I never felt like Ingrid took responsibility for the mêlée she caused in our lives. The fact that it took my mother ringing her and discussing things IN GERMAN causes me to wonder, «What if I didn’t have a German mother to fight for me? Would we have ever seen the return of our hefty deposit?»
Anyone who works in the business of high ticket sentimental items like engagement and wedding rings ought to understand the high level of emotion involved. The absolute worst thing you can do is to fail to deliver on your promise.
Galerie Ingrid Cooper failed to deliver on a very important promise, one backed by a substantial sum of money.
It was an experience I hope no one ever has to go through again.