by Pete Caliendo

I collect cut crystal, more specifically; American Brilliant Period cut crystal from the late nineteenth/early twentieth century. There is something extraordinarily beautiful about these period pieces that caught my eye, even as a boy of twelve years and now, forty years later, I am still just as fascinated by them.

I can walk by a piece from several feet away and tell you whether it is cut, pressed, near cut, Nu-cut, Romanian, Czechoslovakian, Polish or the genuine article based on the clarity of the glass, the detail, and the patterns. As time has passed and labor costs have increased, the attention to detail in cut glass pieces has diminished. A period piece would sometimes represent as much as a full week of labor for a cutter and much like fine art, many were actually signed by the craftsman.

So, cost has influenced the quality of the cut glass products available today much as it has in all markets, whether you're talking about fine clothing, automobiles, furniture or houses. That's not to say all modern crystal is not desirable and the patterns appealing but, unmistakably it is very different than American Brilliant. Just as you could never equally compare boxed wine to bottled, a Chevrolet to a Mercedes Benz, a Timex to a Rolex, or an Apple to an Orange?  Suffice to say, they are just, not they same.

You're probably wondering by now what any of this has to do with the Cachet Commitment, that's simple, the Cachet Commitment is really all about quality. It extends beyond the sticks and bricks roads and parks of our communities, it isn't merely golf courses, exceptional designs, or the amenities we include in our houses, it involves the relationships we build with our clients and trade partners but most importantly, it is all about quality individuals, our fellow Cachet Homes employees, people of character, integrity and pride who put forth considerable effort to build the type of house we can all be proud of.   

When we first learned about the Cachet Commitment, Matt asked us to make a personal commitment to go from good to great. I was prouder than ever to be a part of this team especially since we are after all, the deciding factor in everything we produce. Few people strive for anything beyond acceptable but being asked to become great, considering what that means, wow!

Much has happened since that day and although I don't know the future any more than the next fellow, I expect there will likely be still more twists in the road and obstacles in our path. I do however know this; that day I promised myself to personally become great and as I stood along side my contemporaries I believe I saw that same determination in many of their eyes.

One of the challenges we face today is to help our clients "see" the difference in our product as it compares to other available products, many in the very same communities we build in. I wish it was as easy as identifying fine cut glass, wine, automobiles and watches. I wish that every prospective client could just walk by from a distance and at a glance "see" what sets us apart from all the rest. Unfortunately, not many people can immediately see any difference between our product and others in the neighborhood, we need to show them.

Earlier this year I had the extreme privilege to be a part of a project that was conceived to demonstrate the many quality differences in a Cachet Homes product. "The Cachet Room" is now part of nearly all of our communities as a way for our clients to visually inspect the things we do differently. They now have a chance to actually inspect up close the Character, Craftsmanship and Care that is part of every Home we produce.

We can appreciate the beauty of fine cut crystal, its sparkle, the intricacies of its pattern, the telltale metallic hue of its lead content. We can savor the taste of exceptional wine, the elegance of a Rolex watch, the comfortable ride and flawless paint finish of a Mercedes Benz. We know the character, craftsmanship and care we build into every house we produce. By sharing our product knowledge with our clients, showcasing the details and differences standard in our construction and taking that first step in building the relationships we treasure, now, we can let the journey begin in "The Cachet Room".