My Experience with CvB

[Gussie]

I've spend last night & the better part of the afternoon writing, checking, and editing my soon-to-be post & thought what the heck. I could share my CvB experience also, but it'd just be another dashed dreams blow-by-blow thread of the same thing/different day/different client.

It's such a disappointing thing to go through, & @ceg, & others, I mean no disrespect for your post(s). Rather, my words are directed solely at the situation and CvB. I don't think she realizes just how much of an impact her actions have had on her ex-clients. If she truly understood, I would hope she'd make the necessary changes.

I haven't even posted a SMTB thread yet. To be honest, I'm still upset about how she handled everything in my case.

@ceg @alpha28 @Bonfire @carbonfan & others who may fall into this not-so-good experience with CvB category: my heart goes out to all of you...

I am so sorry @sarahb. I totally understand. I never realized how personal jewelry actually is until this. I wanted to reset my ering so badly after the last projects that went awry. I honestly didn't want to be a walking advertisement anymore. So you aren't alone in your feelings. If I had known then what I know now...

That's exactly why I posted this in the first place.

 

[Bonfire]

I've spend last night & the better part of the afternoon writing, checking, and editing my soon-to-be post & thought what the heck. I could share my CvB experience also, but it'd just be another dashed dreams blow-by-blow thread of the same thing/different day/different client.

It's such a disappointing thing to go through, & @ceg, & others, I mean no disrespect for your post(s). Rather, my words are directed solely at the situation and CvB. I don't think she realizes just how much of an impact her actions have had on her ex-clients. If she truly understood, I would hope she'd make the necessary changes.

I haven't even posted a SMTB thread yet. To be honest, I'm still upset about how she handled everything in my case.

@ceg @alpha28 @Bonfire @carbonfan & others who may fall into this not-so-good experience with CvB category: my heart goes out to all of you...

Oh, this is sad! Would you feel better to share here? You mentioned something interesting. That Caysie may not realize how much of an impact her actions have had on her ex-clients. In my experience with her, I attributed the problems to her business growing faster than she could reasonably handle. I also thought over time she would straighten out these “growing pains”. That doesn’t seem to be the case. I know I don’t agree with those that say, it’s worth putting up with because her quality is heirloom worthy. I won’t put up with it, thank you. I hope you can put the unpleasantness behind you and enjoy your new blingy!

 

[uyalison]

@ceg! I am sorry. But thank you for sharing your experience.

I first heard about CvB from you (your post). I was wondering if something happen when I saw your post "Serendipity- WF 3.443 J SI1 ACA meets EW Margot". May I ask what happened to your Dahlia? Do you no longer love it?

This thread is very helpful to me, as I am still thinking of getting a CVB ring setting similar to yours. I haven't pull the trigger because I am still undecided if I want to upgrade my diamond. It is good to know, so that I can make an informed decision, at least knowing what to expect in the worst case.

 

[uyalison]

@sarahb Could you please share your story?

 

[LinSF]

Thank you so much for your candor, it is really appreciated in a forum whose goal is to educate and help consumers find luxury goods- and not any luxury goods, goods with quite a bit of sentiment attached. I like CVBs work, and had considered working with her when the time came. Circumstances have led me down another path, but I definitely would consider your words in working with her. For me, I have only worn my wedding rings and they really are the most expensive pieces of jewelry I own. If I were to work with a vendor who had poor communication or delayed that much I would be heartbroken and my pieces would feel tainted. Imagine a first-time engaged to be person working with a 5 month turnaround? It's pertinent.

 

[swaye2010]

Thank you for writing this post. I wouldn’t have started it myself as it wasn’t my first hand experience since I work with another jeweler in LA. I did recommend her to a friend though after seeing all the beautiful bling on PS and her experience was horrible. Her ring was screwed up, her proposal was ruined and it took many month’s of fighting to get it corrected. This was a 2nd marriage for her and she wanted everything to be perfect and I was just embarrassed by the way in which she was treated for an ‘off the shelf’ design that only included a prong change. Unless someone was looking very specifically for one of her designs, I would have a hard time recommending her.....

 

[Gussie]

@ceg! I am sorry. But thank you for sharing your experience.

I first heard about CvB from you (your post). I was wondering if something happen when I saw your post "Serendipity- WF 3.443 J SI1 ACA meets EW Margot". May I ask what happened to your Dahlia? Do you no longer love it?

This thread is very helpful to me, as I am still thinking of getting a CVB ring setting similar to yours. I haven't pull the trigger because I am still undecided if I want to upgrade my diamond. It is good to know, so that I can make an informed decision, at least knowing what to expect in the worst case.

Thank you for chiming in. I still have the Dahlia. WF set it with a cz. I was going to keep it for a travel ring and didn't plan to sell it but definitely would if anyone was interested. It holds a 9.4mm stone.

ETA this was another reason I spoke up about my experience with cvb. I had recommended her in the past and no longer do. I did not want anyone to use her based off my recommendation and have the situation turn sour as @swaye2010 did. I am so sorry that happened @swaye2010 .

 

[D&T]

I ran into this thread as I was trying to show a friend your DK carre cut ring... Thank you for your feedback. I haven't really posted any testimonial though I should. I have had my share with CVB as well... Actually it ranges from Positive, to neutral, positive to negative... So random myself and well I finally have found my couple of go to jewelers.

I have a very good friend right now that bought an off the shelf piece already made, and all she needs to do is set the two diamonds into the stock piece and its going on for 4 months now! she is very patient

I have also heard other jewelers that are selective based on how much you spend with them, whether they will get back to you or not, and "favorite" clients...

Appreciate your post!

 

[Arcadian]

@Gussie (so hard to call you that....lol) thank you for speaking up, and sorry you felt you had to be silent, you shouldn't have to be.

When a vendor does right by me, they get a good review. If they continue along that vein, they get a return customer. I am not "loyal" to any one vendor however. Some do things better than others but at the end of the day, do best for the customer. That is what makes ME a repeat customer.

I'm the type that I want to know how vendors handle bad work or a bad situation, and what tips the iceberg for me in favor of or against is how they resolve those issues. Good work? Thats to be expected considering how much some of us put into the jewelry we wear. But bad work does happen, failures happen, and slip-ups happen. Kind of the nature of the beast.

Its what the vendor does (or does not do) to resolve that type of conflict that lets me know if they're worth my time.

So your account is important as anyone that had a great experience. Probably even more so.

Hopefully the vendors reading this will learn from these things and just provide great customer service and customer experiences across the board regardless of the actual spend.

 

[yennyfire]

I too, just stumbled upon this thread @Gussie (that’s hard to get used to, though I totally get the reason).

Kudos to you for having the courage to post here. As others have said, honesty in sharing our experiences, good and bad, are what make PS a valuable consumer forum. It’s a shame that people are often attacked for sharing concerns about their experiences.

I’ve done two projects with Caysie, Bertie and a frame for a widows mite coin for my niece. Bertie took many, many months longer than estimated and I experienced the same lack of proactive communication and delays that you did. As many know, the engraving on Bertie was totally wrong the first time (Caysie said that the engraver went rogue), and Caysie did the right thing and fixed it voluntarily, at her cost.

The same happened with the coin. It was a simple bezel and bail and it took months with no communication unless I initiated it.

Caysie’s work is superb, but to be honest, it’s stressful not having any idea of how long it will take to receive your piece. I can’t imagine how stressful that would be for an engagement ring!

I wanted a pair of earring jackets made in the Spring Gulch style and went to Caysie for a quote. It was nearly double the cost of another well respected PS vendor and based on that and my experience with significant delays, I opted not to work with Caysie on the project.

I’m so sorry for everyone who’s had issues. Jewelry is supposed to bring us joy, not stress and it’s a shame that her talent is tainted by these problems.

 

[Gussie]

Thanks @yennyfire, @D&T, and @Arcadian. I appreciate your input.

 

[joelly]

Thank you for sharing your story @Gussie

I was considering her for a project. She even offered to find me a stone. I’m glad to come across your post. I am not good in waiting and projects like ours cost too much money to be treated like this by a vendor.

 

[TheBlingleys]

@Gussie Thank you very much for posting your review. It helps others choose vendors they believe they will be a match with. I reached out to CVB for a first time project and long story short the job went to another vendor. I supplied line drawings in my communication then the emails stopped coming. I am glad I didn’t continue to pursue her. When I posted something about the situation in a thread I was given excuses for her lack of professional. This really threw me off of PriceScope and stating my opinion for a while.

 

[Bella4135]

I am sorry that you had such disappointing experiences with CvB. I tried emailing via Etsy and their website but never got a response. After reading this, I feel like I dodged a bullet.

 

[TheBlingleys]

Yes you did. While some sing her praises...I really don’t know. I reached out...my experience was less than stellar. When I posted about about ‘my’ experience...IMO I was given excuses about her responses and falling off. Sorry, no one came forth to say this wasn’t the way to do business. Was it because I was a lurker? I don’t know...at an rate... I can’t recommend her. That is my personal truth.

 

[bludiva]

@TheBlingleys i don't think it was b/c you were a lurker, this specific vendor for some reason inspires really strong emotions. My uneducated guess would be if you have a good experience she's fun and charming and you come out of it feeling like you're BFFs. Total conjecture. I just find the dynamic really interesting to observe.

I'm surprised the responsiveness issue hasnt been resolved, it must be cutting into business. Either hire an assistant or sell via waitlist only or something...

 

[Wewechew]

@Gussie - thanks for speaking up!

I Used her once to make a diamond pendant, and will never use her again. It's a shame because at one point I had hoped to one day set my stone in her Jovyn setting.

 

[Rfisher]

I have thought long and hard about contributing to this thread in a constructive way.
My feelings are still very similar to comments I earlier made to @Gussie
Knowing a few particulars before getting involved with a vendor is invaluable. You can prepare for what you are willing to deal with, and what you can’t, before hand. I feel that can prevent some bad feelings that gets attached to jewelry and may go unworn.
I wanted to see her work in person, to compare with what pieces I already had. All the talk here about her detail and finish, the prong work.
For comparison, when I’ve been concerned about finish and prongs with DK, and I’ve offered to pay for a higher level bench - the answer I’ve routinely gotten is that my pieces are already being /been done by his best bench. Take that for whatever it’s worth.
On to CVB experience
Text was requested as preferred communication.
I think this sets up most of the initial miscommunication. Things discussed didn’t get into the initial rendering because of this.
It’s frustrating when 1.8mm melee ive determined to be too small, a design change is discussed, and rendering has mostly 1.5mm melee without the design change because it was lost in communication. And more of a tweaked current design instead of a whole new one.
A phone call at that point still left me feeling like a nit picky complainer, wondering if I made up a convo even that I knew I could go back and reread it all right there.
So take the feeling of not being listened to, and add to that already a hard sell when you’ve very early on voiced doubt about the centerstone being ‘the one’ when you very first bought it and seen IRL. That it will look much better when set, that if you return it you may regret it.
Salesman tactic. Don’t like it but I can handle it.
So final product comes out much different than anticipated for multiple reasons. I express doubt. I’m told I don’t have to buy it. I’m told I’ll love it in person, pictures don’t do justice. But once received, it can’t be refunded. I understand.
Enter hard sell again - it then can be sold for much more than what I’m paying for and definitely can’t be reproduced at current price if I change my mind.
Sales tactic - don’t like it but I can handle it.
If you’ve read my creation thread you know how that was resolved. I’m happy. Someone owns it and I assume they are happy. But I’m positive they paid less than I would have, as it was listed lower. I was refunded in whole, in two installments about a week apart.
Why did I go back for a second try?
Because I still wanted to see her work.
Local jeweler told me they wouldn’t actually use the OEC’s I provided, theyd take them in, but just use whatever was handy. NOPE.
DK ( which has obviously ruffed some PS feathers and I’m sorry and confused) CADs wasn’t going down the look I wanted either.
About this time CVB was running some promotions that surprised me and I was worried (because also of refund schedule). I know nothing to tell me if my worries were founded or totally unfounded.
This is the same time period as the CA fires/outages.
I actually felt I talked her into accepting this second try. A rule I try not to break.
Had doubts - but still followed through.
I’m glad I did.
There were no issues with communication, design or production.
Her finish/detail does seem nicer under a loupe.
I was expecting lint free prongs, but they catch the same amount (heavy sigh) that my DK ones do. And that’s a lot.

This takes away nothing from others valid feelings/emotions/complaints. I don’t think anyone is guaranteed a good or bad experience from any vendor, from prior PS’ers experiences. But hearing those helps others decide what they can and can’t deal with. And sometimes it seems from reading here, being a friend of a friend doesn’t hurt. But “it’s who you know “ isn’t a new saying.

As far as drama/talking goes - and I’m saying this not just exclusive to CVB
I think it goes very closely hand in hand with the past (15 yr.?) trend of bloggers/forum/social media users who do have a talent ( or cash, time, and connections) to start up their own business. Or job+hobby. Jobby.
I think old school vendors are relatively more effective at containing their venting / snark behind closed doors.

ETA
first go around, production time frame question was not answered first few times I asked. Just skipped over or no reply. Asking to see hand fabbers work was also not answered until brought up again much later.

 

[Lula]

I used to follow her on Instagram. Her photos are lovely. Stopped following her because she she comes off as immature, unprofessional, and chaotic/disaster prone. Thank you @Gussie and others for your honesty. It confirmed what I was seeing on her Instagram account. I could never work with her.

 

[lucky7355]

I used to follow her on Instagram. Her photos are lovely. Stopped following her because she she comes off as immature, unprofessional, and chaotic/disaster prone. Thank you @Gussie and others for your honesty. It confirmed what I was seeing on her Instagram account. I could never work with her.

I only recently found her Instagram page and love her design aesthetic although it wouldn't fit my personal style. This was an excellent testimonial and very informative so I appreciated that it was shared here.

 

[teddycake]

Thank you for sharing this. You've helped me and likely many others dodge a bullet. Some of her pieces are beautiful but I'm probably better off buying them second hand from other PSers.

I've had 2 dealings with her that I could share:

1) The first time a few years ago, I sent her my own stone to be set in one of her settings. I had to cancel the project due to unforeseen medical reasons and she was kind enough to partially refund me. I communicated with her via text back then, and she was very prompt.

2) I had messaged her on IG recently inquiring about a custom piece. She responded after several days, but when I asked a follow-up question, she stopped responding, but I saw that she was still active on IG. I didn't further pursue it, thought I'd save myself some money anyway.

 

[redtonks]

Man, I just sent my stone off to her, and all of the communication so far has been prompt and she gave me a heads up about her timeline being a bit long for some things. Now I'm worried and wondring if I should go elsewhere.

 

[kittystareyed]

Glad I found this! I've been corresponding with Caysie via text about using my grandmothers' diamonds in her Cascabel design. There were some red flags and now silence from her. I will have to find a different vendor it seems. I just posted about my debate earlier today, so any advice from you lovelies would be appreciated.