Diamond Buying Direct from the Source

Today I thought it might be fun to re-post this one from last year on what it's really like to buy diamonds direct from wholesalers in Belgium.  It's my way of announcing that it's that time of year again!  Now or never, ladies.  The trip is in October so let me know as soon as possible if I can quote you on those new diamonds!

Have you ever wondered what it is really like to buy "diamonds direct?"  I don't know how it is for the big guys, but for me it looks a lot like this:  First I travel to this gorgeous town called Antwerp, in Belgium.  Antwerp is richly steeped in history and is also a very cool contemporary city.

After a day or so to recover from jetlag, I head to the Diamond District.  Usually the weather is cloudy or rainy when I arrive each fall.

Glamorous, right?  I know you were thinking it would be all swanky but...no.

While working I will visit around half a dozen diamond wholesalers.  Each of them has tight security and I often must relenquish my passport at the front desk, then be buzzed into the offices of each wholesaler directly.

Some of the offices work with both rough and polished diamonds.  

Antwerp is the diamond-cutting capital of the world, so a lot of rough passes through here!  It's gorgeous, too:

Rough often looks yellow or even brown, but the color can be quite high once the stone is cut.

A parcel of 9,715.70 carats of rough diamonds.  This plastic bag was larger than a gallon-sized bag.

I've also had the privilege of seeing lots of unusual things, including colored diamonds of all kinds, necklaces made out of polished rough diamonds, and a diamond cutter at work.

I spend most of my time the first day looking closely at any diamonds that might meet my clients' needs. After comparing availability and prices of the diamonds I like at each wholesaler, and matching stones if necessary, I will return to each potential wholesaler several times to look again at any new stones that have come in, and to revisit the diamonds I've previously chosen.  After six or seven hours looking through my loupe, my eyes stop working, and it's time to take a break!

Diamonds are frequently brought in to the viewing office in jumbled baskets or boxes--but make no mistake; the inventory is tightly controlled! 

The next day I will revisit the best diamonds I have seen, and continue discussing options and pricing.  This is a lengthy process and usually takes a couple of days--it is all part of the dance! Sometimes at this stage I will also call or email you to let you know how it is going.

My mother-in-law sorting diamonds.

Finally, a deal is struck!  The diamonds I have purchased are shipped back to the U.S. via Brinks, and my goldsmith will mount the diamonds in the setting we have previously chosen.  

The result: beautiful diamond jewelry for a fraction of retail prices!

Asscher Cut Earrings

Cushion Cut Three-Stone Ring

Oval Cut Three-Stone Ring

Princess Cut Earrings

Now you know the process of buying diamonds direct from the source!  I hope it was fun for you to see what I do!

Fall Touches (The Cheap and Easy Way!)

Thanks so much for the love y'all gave on my big announcement last week!  Several of you shared my new etsy shop on Facebook for which I am really grateful  Remember, if you need a baby gift you can save 25% on a custom monogram by using coupon code GRANDOPEN25 until September 30th.

What else has been going on?  I've caught a painting bug which I will fill you in on next time...

And I have been bringing touches of fall to my home. 

This year I decided not to spend a cent on my fall decorating, but to use what I have and combine things in new ways.

Even small touches of fall can put me in the mood for my favorite season, especially when they are free and easy!

Big Big BIG News...and a Coupon Code

Yes!  I get to share some good news today, and I have been so excited about this announcement for SO LONG that it feels unreal to "go public."  You know how I said I have had some creative projects in the works?

Well, here's the biggie: I am opening an etsy shop!

It's called That Mommy Designs and right now it is stocked with one thing only: cute, custom monograms for your babies and children.

If you've been here a while you have seen these before, and several of you have suggested that I sell them since they make great gifts. Well, you finally convinced me!

In the shop you will find lots of cute papers and everything from font to paper color is completely customizable.  If you have something in mind that you don't see in the shop, I can work with you to make whatever you're dreaming of.

So I am celebrating this new endeavor and couldn't wait to share the news!  I would love to encourage you to make a purchase (and leave a review!) so I am offering 25% off every purchase for the rest of September.  Just use the code GRANDOPEN25 at checkout.

Y'all, thank you for your encouragement of my crafty projects over the years!  I hope you will think of my shop the next time you have a baby gift to give, and please spread the word!  Remember you can like me on Facebook,or Instagram to get shop news, updates and promotions. See you there!

The Pool Moves With Me

Have you heard about this guy Ben Lecomte?  At the end of this month he is going to jump into the ocean in Tokyo and swim for eight hours a day, every day, for six months.  He will eventually end up in San Francisco, having crossed the entire Pacific ocean.  That's just amazing to me, that someone out there can actually do that (he crossed the Atlantic in 1998), and also that someone would want to (I'm not exactly a swimmer).  His goal is to bring attention to sustainability and the environment, especially overfishing.  I just think it's awesome.

But the thing that really got my attention was what Lecomte said when asked about the challenge: "I never jump into the water thinking about the entire ocean, I just cut it into small pieces.  When I am in the middle of the ocean, I think about being in a pool and the pool moves with me."  Source: NPR.

"The pool moves with me."

Could he cross the Pacific if he was thinking about all those miles ahead?  Maybe not.  And in this way, maybe I actually can relate to Lecomte.  Alas, I will probably never even swim across my local pool, but there have been many times in my life when I needed the pool to move with me.  When my sister died, I was thrown into an ocean of grief...and I had to simply keep treading water...day after day, for years, until life became different.  I reached a new shore. When years ago I faced difficult relational issues I learned to recite (and focus on) "One Day at a Time."  Later, as mom to toddlers, it was more often "One Minute at a Time."

The best news is that while we focus on our small pool or our one minute, God is holding onto us and our futures. When Paul was imprisoned in Rome and awaiting trial under Emperor Nero he wrote to the Philippians, exhorting them to rejoice in Christ and live by his example.  Paul, imprisoned and subjected to all kinds of difficulties and discomforts, told them "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."  Phil 4:6-7.  He didn't say we would receive peace by handling everything, or by knowing the future; rather it would be through prayerfully and thankfully seeking God.

Paul goes on to say that he knows the secret to being content in any circumstances.  Through any trial, through any vast ocean, the secret is Christ.  "I can do everything through him who gives me strength."  Phil 4:13.  So often this verse is interpreted as a blank check, as if through my own strength I can achieve all manner of success by merely attaching Christ's name to my efforts.  That's a hollow interpretation.  The way Paul meant it was this: the world and its circumstances will grieve you, but you can overcome through Christ's strength alone.

What ocean have you thrown yourself into, or been plunged into through no fault of your own?  I hope its encouraging to remember that you don't need to handle the whole thing right now.  Take it one minute at a time.  Imagine shrinking that ocean down into the size of a pool, and let the pool move with you.  Then, trust God with the rest.  You can overcome any trial when you allow Christ to strengthen you.

As I hit publish, I am praying for God's peace to be with you.  And stay tuned...I'm super excited to be making a big announcement later this week!