A Lansing Family Jeweler Since 1957
Father to son, bench to bench. Custom and contemporary jewelry, made by hand in Lansing for more than six decades.
Norman Arendsen, “a jeweler’s jeweler”
The business began with a friendship formed far from home. Near the end of World War II, Norman E. Arendsen was stationed in Belgium, where he met Lansing jeweler Joe Owen. Norman had studied at the Rhode Island School of Design, where he learned engraving, and in the military he repaired precision instruments.
After the war he came to Lansing and worked alongside Joe Owen at Linn & Owens Jewelers for about ten years. Then, encouraged by his wife, he struck out on his own. In 1957, Arendsen Jewelers was born.
Norman earned a reputation in the trade as “a jeweler’s jeweler.” He kept the nearly lost art of hand-engraving alive, and when other jewelry stores couldn’t make a particular piece, whether a handcrafted brooch, a ring setting or a pendant, they sent their customers to him. Over time that work grew into the one-on-one trade the studio still has today.
- 1940sNorman Arendsen, stationed in Belgium during World War II, meets Lansing jeweler Joe Owen.
- 1957Norman opens Arendsen Jewelers in Lansing after about a decade at Linn & Owens Jewelers.
- 1981Norman retires. The family carries the business forward.
- TodayMark Arendsen designs and makes custom jewelry by hand in the studio on the 16th floor of the Boji Tower.
Made by Hand, for Decades
Every piece is made by hand in our Lansing studio, as it has been for decades. It isn’t a slogan. It’s how the work has always been done here.
At Arendsen, jewelry isn’t ordered from a catalog and resold. Each piece is designed with you, then shaped, set and finished at the bench, the same way Norman worked in 1957 and Mark works today.
Making jewelry by hand means it is made for one person. The proportions suit your hand, the setting holds your stone securely, and the details, from a hand-engraved scroll to a milgrain edge, are there because someone chose to put them there.
- One of a kind. Your piece isn’t one of thousands. It’s the only one.
- Built to last. Careful setting and finishing make jewelry you can wear every day.
- Traditional techniques. Hand engraving and hand-chased detail, skills that have been part of the business since the beginning.
- Repairable for life. A jeweler who makes pieces by hand can also rebuild, resize and restore them.
Mark Arendsen
Mark proudly carries on the legacy his father started, designing and making exceptional custom and contemporary handcrafted jewelry. He specializes in engagement rings, wedding bands and one-of-a-kind pieces in gold, white gold and silver.
To Mark, every job, no matter who it’s for, is a once-in-a-lifetime creation. If you have a design in mind, he’ll gladly work with you to create it. And if another jeweler has told you a piece can’t be made or repaired, talk to Mark. The odds are he’ll tell you differently.
“When you need something that far exceeds ordinary, come to Arendsen Jewelers, Inc., and let us custom-create unique and imaginative jewelry for you!” Mark Arendsen
Craftsmanship and values
Honest advice
Straight answers about stones, metals and cost, so you can decide with confidence. No pressure, ever.
Personal service
You work directly with the jeweler who makes your piece, from the first conversation to the final fitting.
Work that lasts
Pieces made to be worn and cared for over a lifetime, and a jeweler who will be here to look after them.
Member of Jewelers of America and the Michigan Retail Jewelers Association.
Generations of trust
“A second generation master of his craft with skills that could only be acquired by more than 50 years of quality service.”
“Arendsen Jewelers has been our family jeweler for more than 30 years. Highest quality, exceptional customer service, very reasonable prices, and absolute honesty separate Arendsen from the rest.”
“Arendsen Jewelers ~ talented, dedicated to quality, uniqueness, one of a kind, true jeweler, an artist.”
Bring us your idea
A sketch, a photo, a family heirloom or just a feeling. Let’s talk about what we can make for you.