Meet Our Staff
Sales Staff
Rene Criss became the owner and manager of Federal Way Custom Jewelers in 1981. Federal Way Custom Jewelers is a family business: Rene has two children, one of which works in the store, and his marriage to Lorraine Meckley-Criss in 2002 brought her into the mix and she continues to support Rene and the business with her vast business and IT knowledge.
As for Rene, his years of relationship building have made many international contacts and access to the finest gemstones in the world. Perfectly cut diamonds are just the beginning of the “Criss-stonian” experience known by anyone who has visited his store. As the store’s primary buyer and a designer, he personally meets with cutters from around the world every six months and chooses each individual stone for its unique beauty.
Rene leads our staff in extensive knowledge of rare and exotic gems. It is our mission to expose our clients to the world’s finest sapphires of every color, deep blue/purple tanzanite, extraordinary black opals, a rainbow of colors in garnet, spinel and all the rarest stones that are not available in the malls and chain stores. Beautiful custom jewelry starts with exceptional stones. Under his mentoring and provisions, we are all deeply passionate about our participation in the family business. As a result, we have been blessed with success and a well earned reputation for high quality jewelry. Rene takes special pleasure in getting to know his client's preferences, so that he can buy stones and design special pieces that match those preferences perfectly.
Feel free to contact Rene directly at rene@fwcj.com.
Sean Criss was born into the jewelry industry but officially joined the Federal Way Custom Jewelers team as a salesman in 2007. His specialty is jewelry design. He loves to work with exotic "wow" stones, especially those with unique faceting or carving patterns. All of Sean's designs are cherished works of art in households around the country. Aside from being a proficient designer, Sean is an Accredited Jewelry Professional with the Gemological Institute of America and has a large knowledge of repair and fabrication techniques. Overall, Sean's natural creativity and interests in formal art and aesthetics make him an invaluable member of our team.
Feel free to contact Sean directly at sean@fwcj.com.
LaDonna Bryant joined Federal Way Custom Jewelers in 2010. Donna has over 10 years of experience in retail jewelry sales and wholesale jewelry manufacturing, along with all of the amazing skills learned from being married with two grown children. Her favorite gemstone is diamond, and she is the in-house expert on diamonds and engagement-ring styles of all kinds. Donna's experience in jewelry manufacturing brings a level of expertise in repair work to the business that allows us to complete complex repairs more effectively. She polishes off her vast industry experience with the title of Accredited Jewelry Professional with the GIA. Overall, Donna's approachable personality and huge source of jewelry knowledge make her a vital member of our team.
Feel free to contact LaDonna directly at ladonna@fwcj.com.
Operations Staff
Mason Halligan started as a salesman at Federal Way Custom Jewelers in 2007 and is now the Operations Manager. Mason has the challenging role of making sure our doors stay open. From processing sales to managing our ever-changing inventory, Mason's organization skills are truly a wonder to behold. Mason also has the title of Accredited Jewelry Professional with the GIA and uses these skills in customer service to help make sure our clients leave happily with their new jewelry treasures. Mason is just as exacting when he studies cars and photography as he is with gemstones, and his sharp eye and passion for perfection is essential to the success of our business.
Feel free to contact Mason directly at mason@fwcj.com.
Brandon Moak started as the part time Operations Associate in 2008. Now, as a sophomore at Seattle University, his roles at Federal Way Custom Jewelers continue to change. Brandon's most valuable talents are in gemstone identification and jewelry valuation; where he is literally a walking encyclopedia. When he is not identifying an item for a client, Brandon is in the back helping with inventory and other tasks. Currently, he has taken on the roles of Marketing Specialist and has helped design print advertisements, signs and is the Webmaster of our new website. Brandon is a well rounded individual and this makes him a crucial member of our team.
Feel free to contact Brandon at brandon@fwcj.com.
