Howie's Jewelers

Certified Master Watchmaker & Jeweler Since 1955

944 Hoosick Rd Troy NY

(518) 237-7729

For two generations & more than 60 years, Howie's has been your family’s trusted source for quality & custom jewelry in Brunswick, New York. Our distinction remains in our high level of craftsmanship. Not only a master jeweler, Howie is also one of just over 100 exclusive AWCI Certified Master Watchmakers in the United States. Along with a team of skilled jewelers, he performs all repairs onsite. Our boutique features fashionable, well priced fine jewelry & watches as well as an exciting selection of GIA Certified diamonds, contemporary wedding & engagement jewelry.

Advanced in-house interactive 3D custom CAD/CAM jewelry design allows you to form even the most unique concepts, with instant price quotes available. It's easier than ever to create your dream engagement ring, or to remount multiple loose heirloom gemstones into one wearable piece!

You will find our comfortable atmosphere complements a well educated, no pressure & non-commissioned staff that focuses foremost on you.

Our Legacy

In September of 1955, Howard Toftegaard Sr. opened Howie’s following his experience repairing watches and clocks while he was at sea in the Navy. Howard Sr. built the reputation of his business by repairing watches for local jewelers. In 1962, Howard and wife Marilyn, moved the location of Howie's Jewelers to Second Avenue in Troy, where the store remained until November of 2013 when it was relocated to Brunswick.

Howie's is a second generation family owned & operated business. The passion for watch repair and fine jewelry has been passed down to Howard’s son, Howie and his wife Diana, who took over the shop in 1984. In 1998, Raechel joined the sales staff. Together they are the tight knit family that is Howie’s today. 

 
 

Our Family

Howard Toftegaard Jr. 

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Howie is a third generation Danish watchmaker who attended Lansingburgh High School as a part of the class of 1978. His father, Howard Toftegaard Sr. was an apprentice to his Uncle, Johnas Neilson. Mr. Neilson brought his watchmaking craft to the United States from Denmark in 1932, and Howard Sr. opened the business in 1955

Howie, Jr. has utilized his extensive education to become a highly respected and dependable quality horologist. His over 35 years of experience, as well as an apprenticeship with his father beginning at the age of fifteen, has included:

Certified Accutron Technician - #3497, August 1979

Graduate of Joseph Bulova Watch School - Watchmaking Diploma, November 1979

Graduate of American Watchmaker Institute - Certified Watchmaker #7979 December 1979

Graduate of American Watchmaker Institute - Certified Clockmaker February 1980

Alpha Beta Kappa Honor Society - Voted on by peers at Bulova September 1981

Graduate of American Watchmaker Institute - Certified Master Watchmaker #81218 November 1981

Gemological Institute of America - Diamonds & Diamond Grading Graduate 1983

Rolex Watchmaking School - Completed Rolex Technical Course June 1996

American Watchmakers-Clockmakers Institute - AWCI Continuing education Course October 2008

 

 

Raechel Guerin

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Raechel was part of the Lansingburgh High School Class of 1997, and a graduate of Hudson Valley Community College with a Bachelors of Science Criminal Justice degree in 1999.

Raechel joined our sales staff in 1998, and for the past 19 years she has undergone educational courses through the Gemological Institute of America, which include:

Diamond Essentials - Completed in 2004

Diamonds & Diamonds Grading - Completed in 2007

When she's not at Howie's, Raechel likes to spend time with her husband and two children. They have a Golden Retriever and enjoy going out on their boat together.

Michelle Griswold-Dundas