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                                                                   EXHIBIT 23.1


                       CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS



                           PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS LLP

     We hereby consent to the incorporation by reference in the Registration
Statement on Form S-8 of Whitehall Jewellers, Inc. of our report dated February
22, 2000 relating to the financial statements, which appears in the Annual
Report to Shareholders, which is incorporated in this Annual Report on Form
10-K. We also consent to the incorporation by reference of our report dated
February 22, 2000 relating to the financial statement schedule, which appears in
this Form 10-K.

                                        PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS LLP


Chicago, Illinois
June 5, 2000






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