Asked, and answered.
The category questions — ashes, DNA, consent — are answered on What this is not. How a commission is documented, delivered, and warranted lives on How it works. Band width and metal are shown to scale on the reference page. Everything else is here.
How is payment staged?
Half on acceptance of your quotation, a quarter at crystallization, and the balance before dispatch. The first payment follows the instructions issued on acceptance; later stages are invoiced in turn, and every payment is acknowledged with a receipt.
How long does a commission take?
A grown-to-order commission is scheduled at consultation, depending on stone size. Setting, finishing, and certification follow growth; delivery is insured with signature on delivery.
How much material is needed?
Around five grams of hair for a one-carat stone; one to two grams for 0.3 ct — an ordinary salon or grooming appointment. These are collection figures rather than the weight that ends up in the stone: most of any sample is consumed in purification, which is normal, and we would rather say so than let it surprise you.
Can I collect the sample myself?
You can — though five grams is more than it sounds. The simplest route is letting your stylist, barber, or groomer set it aside. Instructions come with your capsule.
What if I need to cancel?
Until your capsule is dispatched, amounts paid are refunded less a fixed atelier fee. Once growth begins the commission is non-refundable — each stone is a single dedicated run.
Why does it cost more than a commodity lab diamond?
Commodity stones are grown in batches to no one's name. A CEPHI stone is grown to order from a named sample with a documented chain of custody — there is no inventory, no duplicate, and no second attempt. You are paying for the only one that could ever exist.
Do you keep stones in stock?
No. There is no tray and no case to look through. A biological stone cannot exist before the commission does — it is grown from a sample that has not been collected yet. A Custom stone is sourced against an agreed specification once the design is settled, rather than chosen from something we already own. What you are choosing is a specification and a shortlist, not an object under glass. That is slower, and for some people it is the wrong way to buy jewellery. It does mean no stone in our hands needs to move, so the only reason to steer you anywhere is that we think it is right.
Are the stones treated?
Every colorless stone is grown by chemical vapor deposition. Some are then finished under high pressure and temperature — a permanent step, standard in laboratory-grown diamond, and noted on the report when present. Fancy colors are produced after growth by irradiation and are sensitive to heat; any jeweler who later works on the piece should know. Fancy colors are available on Custom commissions only; biological commissions are colorless. Whatever applies to your stone is stated on its independent grading report and confirmed in writing before anything is set.
Is the piece under warranty?
Every piece is guaranteed against defects in materials and workmanship. The warranty does not extend to accidental damage, normal wear, or loss, and work performed by another jeweler ends it. The atelier cleans and inspects your piece as a courtesy whenever you wish to send it in.
What if a stone can’t be made, or I need it resized?
Each stone is grown to order from a named sample: one seed, one run, no second attempt. In the rare event a commission cannot be brought to specification, amounts paid are returned. Resizing is arranged through the atelier so the warranty is preserved.