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I have put a deposit down on a CBI Diamond!

Lykame

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Jun 1, 2018
Messages
1,433
Hi hi! :)

Short version of this:

I am buying a CBI diamond!!! Eeeeee! :D:D:D

Long (really long) version (you might want a cup of tea before you settle in):

So I originally posted this thread. Wow, all the way back at the beginning of June.

I'd had my ring for many years, but I was bothered by the setting. It wasn't ever what I had wanted. Also, after a long long time lurking on here, I was bothered by the fact that my central stone was not an ideal-cut diamond. It was pretty decently cut, yes, but I knew I could do better. It was also an SI1, and really I wanted a VS quality diamond.

So began these last few months, where I think I have basically exclusively only thought about diamonds and settings. My poor partner, mum, and one select friend!

Based on the recommendations in that thread, I realised that really I needed to concentrate on the central stone. But it was all going to hinge on me either being able to use my ring as a part exchange, or on me being able to sell my ring.

I started by contacting various vendors that are very well known and respected on here, and I was not disappointed. I contacted Whiteflash first, and they were lovely and offered a part exchange on my ring that was really decent I have to admit. However (and you'll note this is a running theme), I realised after some time that really to feel comfortable, I would have to fly from England to Texas, and that's not a cheap flight or experience. That was money I could be spending on diamond and setting. I mean, I was willing to do it, but still.

Then I contacted Good Old Gold, and I had lots of contact with David at Good Old Gold. He was absolutely amazing and wonderful, was happy to commission my ring for me and shared a few options with me about possible new diamonds. He understood I had Pricescope expectations and that things like the ASET result of a diamond were super important to me. I was really impressed by him. To be honest in some ways my experience was made easier as I don't live in America and therefore some of my choices were sort of forced on me - having to try and choose between all these awesome and wonderful people, I don't know how anyone else does it.

Anyway, again, I would have been super nervous sending my ring by post to America, and I wasn't particularly keen to commission my ring for an unknown period of time in America. I realised I really needed to sell my ring in England.

I also have to admit, I also went through a number of stages of feeling very uncomfortable with approaching all these different vendors. It honestly felt like I was cheating on all of them, and it did not make me feel good. They were all excellent and I'm sure they knew I was looking at various options, but it didn't make me feel like a good person. I emailed David recently, once I had made a complete decision, and thanked him profusely and apologised to him. If I'm ever in the New York area I'll be sure to visit.

I thought about Bluenile. I thought about local jewellery shops. I reached out to AGS in America and bought an ASET. The person I spoke to in AGS was lovely and really helped me out, I was so grateful and impressed at their customer service.

I bought my original ring from a jewellery shop down Hatton Garden in London. Lesson learnt, never again. I mean I already knew that, because their attitude after I bought the ring from them was never great. But I always held onto the fact that they would put 100% of the money I spent with them towards a new diamond, that at least I had that option.

Ugh. To get the SAME SIZED stone (1.65 carats) in a G (mine was an F) but without fluorescence (mine had medium blue), and with VS quality (mine was an SI1), with angles that I wanted, they wanted to charge me like £11,000 EXTRA!!! I mean!!! :eek2: It wasn't even like they could give me options to choose from. Their customer service was rubbish. It made me feel sick. I wanted to escape their clutches.

In fact, after going down all of Hatton Garden and into most of the shops, the price they would have given me for a part exchange was just... really upsetting, honestly. And usually it was on the basis of getting one diamond in that had the correct numbers, but most jewellery shops in England have not even heard of the term ASET. The amount of blank looks. The idea that a customer would reject a stone after they called it in was just so foreign to them. And the disgust at fluorescence! It was painful. It was like the stone that they had sold me was just the dirtiest thing because of the fluorescence. They had sold it to me!!! :angryfire: Honestly I had no issue with the fluorescence, it was a beautiful stone and the fluorescence did not affect it negatively at all. But I would find someone who would be totally up for trying to sell it on my behalf, and then discover the fluorescence and be like 'no sorry, I can't sell that'.

Equally, armed with my pocket ASET scope, I realised I didn't trust myself. Yes I could look at a stone under the ASET scope - but the result was meaningless to me. Stones I knew weren't great looked pretty great under the scope. I was seeing a lot of red and not a lot of green. When I really thought about it, I could see different shades of red - so okay, I could see something wrong with the stone. But was it because I had overdone the backlighting? Was it slightly tilted? Was it because there was actual leakage? I was clueless. Like, it's all well and good that we suggest to people about buying their own scopes to use, but I realised it's so much more complicated than that. I became sure that no stone I found and tried to assess mysef with an ASET scope was going to be good enough for me. That ruled out most of my English options.

After some agonising, I approached CBI diamonds. In my dreams, I thought. They clearly have a mark-up against them even compared to ACAs, and it's not a cheap mark-up. However, I had been doing a lot of reading on here, and I was being swayed by it. I know there are a lot of controversial threads on here comparing ACAs to CBIs, and having never seen ACAs in person, I cannot comment. But as I said, I was being swayed.

I know there are many people here who love love love their ACAs. I'm sure they're awesome and I have no hesitation recommending them, but the sense I get from reading about CBIs is that there's something 'extra' or 'different' about them. I really started to like the idea of the best of the best of the best. I think ACAs fall into that category too, but I wanted to look into CBIs. I felt like, if I were going to go through all this effort, I had to know I had looked at all my options.

Bring on my relationship with HPD in America. I initially approached @Wink, and asked about his stock. He was great (as we all are well aware) and put me into contact with Melissa @Winks_Elf.

The customer service I have received since my first contact with them has been amazing. It sets a certain standard and really really helped me with trust.

The thing about Melissa is that she really really encourages you to think outside your comfort zone. I went in with a certain set of criteria and wishes, but the reality was that those wishes were outside of my budget for CBI diamonds. Rather than giving up on me, she showed me lots of videos of various different stones and really spent a lot of time with me. I think that plus a lot of things I was reading on Pricescope really helped me to stretch myself outside of what I would have said I was comfortable with beforehand.

Of course I understand that there's a sales strategy there - encouraging me to change what I could accept means I was more likely to buy a CBI stone, whereas if I couldn't be flexible that's a purchase I wouldn't have been able to make with them. However, whilst I could see that strategy it didn't bother me because I trusted so much in the brand of CBI and the quality of the stones, and more importantly Melissa is awesome. :)

It turns out there were at least a couple of places in London that can source CBIs, and Melissa was happy to help coordinate me with them so that I could see some CBIs in person. I was also still looking into the part exchange option.

The first company I approached I really was unimpressed by. Again the fluorescence of my stone was an issue. By now I had obviously realised that really I needed to look into selling my stone more privately, but I was willing to take a small hit for the 'ease' of part exchange. I just wasn't expecting... the response I got and I was put off. Like, I know I was trying to sell my ring, but there were many years where I loved it, and I was really feeling offended on its behalf.

Also I had been spoilt by Melissa's customer service, and I wasn't getting that, and for such an expensive purchase.... Yes.

I felt a bit gloomy about it all. Gloomy and a bit stressed. By now it was the beginning of August and it seems as if the diamond industry goes to sleep during August, at least in Antwerp. However luckily in England that didn't happen, and with the support of Melissa, I got into contact with @Durham Rose, who also sell CBI diamonds.

Durham Rose were great. I semi-randomly pitch up to their shop in London to just get a feel for them. There were no CBI diamonds to see but it was just nice to speak to people who knew what they were talking about in person. An awesome lady called Faye spent a really decent amount of time with me to just talk through things and talk about settings. It was lovely, and a very powerful experience.

Around the same time, I found someone to buy my ring for a really amazing price, and I was super happy about it. However, organising to meet with them was a pain in the bottom because of how much I work, and then two days before I was meant to meet with them to go through with it, they withdrew their offer. That was awful. I started to look into auctioning my ring. I wasn't brave enough to eBay it.

I found a company in England to auction my ring through, and they were amazing. Again I spoke with them a lot, asked a lot of questions, was very mistrustful, etc. They were really great. In the end I didn't sell my ring through them, but I think if I had had more time it would have been successful. They were honestly great, I was sad to not sell my ring through them.

In late August I went abroad for a couple of weeks. I agonised about it all again and held off on the auction during that time (because I was meant to be selling my ring through that other seller, and then that fell through). On returning back I auctioned my ring and then also searched for more buyers in case the auction didn't happen.

The stress.

However, some positive things were coming to light. As I had been working quite a lot with Melissa, I had been thinking I would really need to buy the diamond through HPD, which would mean going to America. Although again, flight costs etc were a bit of a thing. However, and this was a massive selling point for CBI, I wasn't 'cheating' on Melissa by buying from Durham Rose. So, in hope, and between Melissa, Durham Rose and myself, we organised for two diamonds to come to Durham Rose for me to at least see. Bearing in mind the 'mark-up' for CBI diamonds, I had been having a small wobble at the idea and wondering whether I should consider ACAs again. However, the reality was that with CBI, I could see the stones and buy the stones in England, and not spend extra money on trips to America. Also the customer service I was receiving was worth it.

I feel like I should do a separate entry about the two diamonds I ended up seeing, and the diamond I'm actually getting at some point, because I feel like that information will get lost in all my journal-like blurbling here. But the two diamonds I saw were absolutely amazing. Honestly. Crazily beautiful, so much better than I was expecting. The light performance of them is unreal, it's like the light 'walks' through the stones like lightning. I have no other way to describe it.

And then! I found someone who would buy my ring! Not through the auction, but outside of it. They weren't going to pay as much as the first person I had found who had pulled out, but they were going to pay enough that I didn't feel completely terrible about it. I wondered whether if I had waited longer I might have received a touch more from the auction, but I wasn't convinced about that really and I also wasn't guaranteed a sale, anyway.

I could have put them off until the auction was finished, but by now I was fed up and this all has taken SO LONG. I felt like... what do I really gain through waiting? My partner said to me... as a Native American saying... if you chase two rabbits you'll lose both. And it really felt like that. I could have tried chasing the auction, but likely then I would have lost the buyer that I had found AND I would have not sold the ring in auction. So I decided to accept that there might be a loss for me, and I sold my ring.

The relief. The relief. So today I have been able to put a deposit down on the stone that I want. Whoop whoop!!! :D And you know, I trust in the company so much I haven't actually seen the stone I'm going for. Haha. Eep? :D

Next I just have to figure out the setting. :wall: Faye has been very patient and awesome about my setting struggle.

Anyway, I just wanted to document my journey here, it likely interests very few people, but if you stuck through this, thanks for listening. :)
 

MissGotRocks

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Jun 23, 2005
Messages
16,272
Your journey is impressive to be sure and I enjoyed reading your post. However, you need to tell us about the new stone! We are waiting with baited breath - lol!!
 

Lykame

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Jun 1, 2018
Messages
1,433
Your journey is impressive to be sure and I enjoyed reading your post. However, you need to tell us about the new stone! We are waiting with baited breath - lol!!

I feel like that information definitely needs its own thread. Enjoy the suspense. :lol:
 

pearaffair

Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Jun 15, 2015
Messages
3,445
Wow what a journey!!!

Would love to hear more about these Stones you viewed!

And I feel your pain on not living in the US!

What a wonderful summary of your process so far.
 

KristinTech

Brilliant_Rock
Premium
Joined
Aug 7, 2013
Messages
1,863
Ooooh I’m intrigued! :appl:
 

PreRaphaelite

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Feb 2, 2015
Messages
3,564
Congrats! What a relief to get past the roundabouts on the road to your new ring. Do share photos when you get some!
 

lovedogs

Super_Ideal_Rock
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Joined
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18,033
Yay!! So happy for you!!!!
 

Lykame

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Jun 1, 2018
Messages
1,433
Wow what a journey!!!

Would love to hear more about these Stones you viewed!

And I feel your pain on not living in the US!

What a wonderful summary of your process so far.

Thank you! I mean I like the fact you feel that was a summary he he he. :lol:

To be honest there were so many times during the last four months where I wanted to post about it all, but I didn't because I didn't know where I was going, or whether anything was going to work out. So it was nice to just document everything and have the opportunity to gush about the various awesome vendors I have worked with as well as talk about how difficult it all was, too, to a group of understanding people. :)

Despite there being a lot of threads on CBI, I still don't think there are enough, so I'll do a new thread specifically on the things I went in for, the two stones that I saw and the one that I'm getting. :D
 

HappyNewLife

Ideal_Rock
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Mar 25, 2010
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2,534
Wow, what a journey! Can’t wait to read more and see some pics!
 

Lykame

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Jun 1, 2018
Messages
1,433
Congrats! What a relief to get past the roundabouts on the road to your new ring. Do share photos when you get some!

Yes, such a relief. I was reading it back and I don't think I adequately expressed my extreme disappointment when that first buyer fell through. The process of selling my ring sucked. I'm glad it's over with. And CBI, Melissa and Durham Rose stuck with me through the whole time without ever making me feel bad or anything, which was really really great. They understood it was important to me to sell my ring for the right price (or well, at least a price where I can be ok with it!).

I have a couple of videos of the stones I saw, I will see if I can share them. Will definitely be sharing photos. After, of course, definitely asking for advice on the setting. :D
 

Bron357

Ideal_Rock
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Joined
Jan 22, 2014
Messages
6,534
The best things in life don’t come easy.
What a journey you’ve been on to get to your precious, albeit unseen, CBI diamond.
It already has a history behind it, all the sweat and tears (no blood I’m hoping) will be well worth it.
And when someone loves your ring and you offer to tell them a story, make sure it’s over a long lunch with champagne so you can toast your precious one.
And apart from a setting, in Pricescope tradition, you also need a name.
Maybe Aveline meaning “wished for” ?
 

Snowdrop13

Ideal_Rock
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Aug 27, 2011
Messages
2,960
What a great story! Hope you love your diamond when you get it. It’s also brilliant to hear that Durham Rose were good to work with, I think they must be just about the only place in the U.K. where you can buy a superideal stone.
 

Lykame

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Jun 1, 2018
Messages
1,433
The best things in life don’t come easy.
What a journey you’ve been on to get to your precious, albeit unseen, CBI diamond.
It already has a history behind it, all the sweat and tears (no blood I’m hoping) will be well worth it.
And when someone loves your ring and you offer to tell them a story, make sure it’s over a long lunch with champagne so you can toast your precious one.
And apart from a setting, in Pricescope tradition, you also need a name.
Maybe Aveline meaning “wished for” ?

Hello Bron, :D

Luckily no blood was involved! Unless we're talking about my bank account, I'm sure that's shedding blood, sweat and tears. :lol:

It would definitely need to be a long lunch. I'm going out with my selected friend this evening and she is going to have to suffer through lots of talk on settings. :lol: She's a great friend. I knew this when she started randomly sending me settings she had seen that she thought I might like.

This naming tradition! Yes I have noticed this. It hadn't been something I had planned to do... But that's a very pretty name. It sounds Australian? I presume it's pronounced 'Ahv-uh-lin'? It's not a name I've heard said out loud. But the meaning is very apopros.
 

Lykame

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Jun 1, 2018
Messages
1,433
What a great story! Hope you love your diamond when you get it. It’s also brilliant to hear that Durham Rose were good to work with, I think they must be just about the only place in the U.K. where you can buy a superideal stone.

Yes me too! There's definitely a certain risk choosing a stone unseen based on reputation etc. But I trust CBI. Pricescope definitely helped with that, I like independent reviews.

Yeah I have really liked Durham Rose. I've nearly exclusively worked with Faye and she has made me feel very comfortable and been very patient with me. I like the style of their shop too. They are not a standard jewellery shop at all, there's no cases of jewellery etc. Just lots of very nice people sitting at computers doing clever things - and machines. And ASET scopes! I mean that by itself deserves some sort of recognition. It's my style of shop, they are focusing on the correct things to me. I've been there a couple of times and I feel they are focusing on the science of jewellery. I'm a science person so I like that, although I get the sense from their slight nervousness about their space that some people are put off by it. Shame!

They are indeed one of only very few places that do super ideal diamonds in the UK. They do not advertise this fact well enough at all. I'll bring it up with them at some point, I think they are underselling it, really. Or well, as I've linked them into this thread they'll probably see this - so yes - Durham Rose, you're underselling your awesome diamonds!!! :D
 

egemnoel

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Jan 29, 2015
Messages
138
You wont regret one little bit! Brilliant choice you made.
 

PreRaphaelite

Ideal_Rock
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Feb 2, 2015
Messages
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And CBI, Melissa and Durham Rose stuck with me through the whole time

Sounds like a great team over there. When you have the final stone and even the setting, you might decide to share the story as an endorsement, over in the Testimonials section? I would enjoy reading that in the future.
 

whitewave

Super_Ideal_Rock
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Messages
12,331
I can’t wait to see pics! Welcome to the family.
 

uyalison

Shiny_Rock
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Dec 31, 2014
Messages
250
I cannot wait to hear what CBI diamond you ended up with. I think you will be very happy.
 

Lykame

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Jun 1, 2018
Messages
1,433
Sounds like a great team over there. When you have the final stone and even the setting, you might decide to share the story as an endorsement, over in the Testimonials section? I would enjoy reading that in the future.

That's a grand idea! I will have a lot of threads to update when I'm all done!
 

PreRaphaelite

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Feb 2, 2015
Messages
3,564
I love that you said 'Grand'
[imagines @Lykame with Irish accent]
[happily begins workday with that idea]
 

Lykame

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Jun 1, 2018
Messages
1,433
I can’t wait to see pics! Welcome to the family.
Thank you! Yeah I've watched your video of yours quite a few times and have been stalking your peach diamond thread! :D
 

Lykame

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Jun 1, 2018
Messages
1,433
I cannot wait to hear what CBI diamond you ended up with. I think you will be very happy.

I think so too!

*taps fingers impatiently*

Well how long are you going to tease us?

Welcome to the CBI family.

@HappyNewLife and @cflutist, yeah I'm really sorry! I've started writing the post on my computer, but got a bit caught up with work, and now I'm stuck at work for four days without my computer! Argh! I promise I'm not intentionally teasing, I'm just incapable of doing short posts!

I promise when I get home it's my first priority! :)
 
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