Bride left heartbroken after £6,000 sapphire engagement ring is stolen on her wedding day has it replaced by 'generous' jeweller ... for FREE

A bride left 'heartbroken' after her handmade £6,000 engagement ring was stolen on her big day is over the moon after a generous jeweller replaced it for free.

Caroline Marshall, 32, was tying the knot with James Granshaw, 29, in June at a a secluded village church, when a bridesmaid's handbag was stolen - with the bespoke sapphire and diamond-encrusted platinum band inside.

The couple, both from West Sussex, launched an online campaign to help find the ring which gathered 100,000 supporters within just 24 hours.After reading about the couple's story during an airport stop-over in Hong Kong, Dubai jeweller Ashraf Ahmed offered to replace the ring for free.

Ashraf Ahmed, a Dubai-based jeweller, read about the couple in a newspaper and offered to replace the ring for free

British-born Ashraf got in touch with the family via email, they sent him the bespoke ring's specifications, and he sent the delighted newlyweds an exact copy.

Caroline, who had come to terms that she may never get her ring back, said she was astonished by Ashraf's act of kindness.

'I am truly overwhelmed by Mr Ahmed's generosity,' she added.

It's been a difficult time as it cast a shadow over our wedding day but I'm thrilled with my new ring and I can't thank him enough. 

James' father Mervyn, a retired airline pilot from Guildford, Surrey, added that they had never expected this result when they set about finding the stolen jewellery.  

'Our online campaign was to hopefully get the ring back, or to at least make it too hot that any jeweller presented with it would know it was stolen.

'We never expected the sort of generosity Mr Ashraf Ahmed offered, and are eternally grateful.

'This week the ring was delivered to James and I now have a very happy daughter-in-law again with a beautiful ring back on her finger.'

Mervyn added that the family had received an overwhelming amount of support from other members of the community and they couldn't be more thankful.  

'We had so much support from all quarters, for which I am eternally grateful, and without this we would not have had this fairy tale ending.

'In this season of goodwill, I would very much like to let everyone know that there are some kind people in this world.'       

As well as the monetary value, the ring held sentimental significance. James, a qualified barrister and legal adviser at Waverley Borough Council, had spent months researching ethical jewellers for a ring that did not contain so-called 'blood diamonds' - mined in conflict zones.

Reference News Links : http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2865387/Jeweller-replaces-bride-s-stolen-engagement-ring-free.html
http://www.itv.com/news/2014-12-04/bride-finally-gets-her-happy-ever-after-six-months-after-her-wedding-ring-was-stolen/
http://www.chichester.co.uk/news/local/fairytale-ending-as-bride-s-ring-stolen-from-wisborough-green-church-on-wedding-day-is-replaced-1-6459144
http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-30346842
http://www.bognor.co.uk/news/local/fairytale-ending-as-bride-s-ring-stolen-from-wisborough-green-church-on-wedding-day-is-replaced-1-6459144
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/11279998/Engagement-ring-stolen-on-wedding-day-replaced-for-free-by-jeweller.html
http://www.scotsman.com/news/uk/kind-hearted-jeweller-replaces-bride-s-stolen-ring-1-3625682
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http://www.thenational.ae/business/industry-insights/the-life/de-beers-diamond-crown-at-risk
http://www.5pillarz.com/2014/12/08/generous-muslim-jeweler-replaces-distraught-brides-6k-engagement-ring-for-free/
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http://www.iwantpop.com/jeweller-replaces-brides-stolen-engagement-ring-for-free/
http://www.theweddingplanner.co.uk/wedding_news.asp?newsid=190844
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http://uk24.org.uk/news/jeweller-ashraf-ahmed-replaces-brides-stolen-engagement-ring-for-free

Ashraf Ahmed replaced a stolen diamond wedding ring without any cost for a UK couple

Ashraf Ahmed, The famous Dubai based diamond jeweller and owner of Dubai Wholesale Diamonds gifted a replica of a stolen diamond wedding ring to a UK's couple just before their marriage.

The bride Caroline Marshall was distraught and dejected when she found out that her wedding ring worth £6,000 is stolen. A thief took the bridesmaid's handbag, containing the diamond ring and sapphire band as they were ready to tie the knot.

29 years old groom, James was totally shattered because stolen ring was designed by himself. So, it also had an high emotional value for him. In a quest to find the lost ring, both james and caroline, who is also a marketer launched a social media campaign which gathered 100,000 supporters in just 24 hours.

Not only the online campaign, but couple also announced a reward of £1,000 for person who will tell about the ring. But, all in vain.

But, as it was going to be a sad end of this story, there emerges Ashraf Ahmed- A Dubai based jeweller and owner of Dubai Wholesale Diamonds. He came to know about this story through social campaign started by the couple.

Ashraf Ahmed was at Hong Kong airport at that time and was so moved by the news that he decided to give the exact replica of the wedding ring to bride. Ahmed contacted the family through e-mail and asked them to send him the specifications of the ring. After receiving the specifications, Ashraf Ahmed designed the same ring and gifted it to the couple before their wedding.

Overwhelmed by the generosity of this man, Caroline said: "I am truly overwhelmed by Mr Ahmed's generosity. It's been a difficult time as it cast a shadow over our wedding day, but I'm thrilled with my new ring and I can't thank him enough."

About Ashraf Ahmed (Managing Director of Dubai Wholesale Diamonds):

British Born Ashraf Ahmed is a Dubai based popular jeweller and also managing director of Dubai Wholesale Diamonds. He moved from London, UK to Dubai and there he formed Diamond Infinity DMCC in September 2005. After that ashraf ahmed started working as professional diamond merchants wholesaling certified diamonds to UAE jewelry retailers initially and then progressed to supply to jewelers in the MENA region. Ashraf Ahmed is also GIA Accredited Jewellery professional and has a decade long working experience in this field. Before starting his own business venture, www.dubaiwholesalediamonds.com he worked with www.dubai-diamonds.com which also an online diamonds website.

About Dubai Wholesale Diamonds:

In its new form, Dubai Wholesale Diamonds (Diamond Infinity DMCC) brings a more predominant, more voluminous cluster of astonishing diamonds – with more than 1,000,000 certified precious diamonds and state of the art equipments, utilized for the formation of diamaond jewellery.

Alongside the wholesale of precious diamonds and retail of 18 carat gold&platinum jewellery, they additionally put their faith in an entire chain of functions, that empower Dubai Wholesale Dimaonds to provide best in class.

Reference Link:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/11279998/Engagement-ring-stolen-on-wedding-day-replaced-for-free-by-jeweller.html

Ashraf Ahmed Dubai Whole Sale Diamonds Owner Replaces Brides Stolen Engagement Ring For Free to Uk Couple

A bride got the 'happy ever after' ending she dreamed of, after a kind-hearted jeweller made a replica of her stolen wedding ring.

Caroline and James Granshaw wed in Wisborough Green, West Sussex, in June. But the bride was left 'heartbroken' when her sapphire and diamond-encrusted platinum band was taken from her handbag during the wedding. A £1,000 reward was offered for its return but to no avail.

Her tale of woe touched the heart of jeweller Ashraf Ahmed. He saw an article about the theft while passing through Hong Kong airport and decided to make Mrs Granshaw a replica of the £6,000 ring, which was designed by her husband.

I am truly overwhelmed by Mr Ashraf  Ahmed's generosity. It's been a difficult time as it cast a shadow over our wedding day but I'm thrilled with my new ring and I can't thank him enough.– CAROLINE GRANSHAW

British-born Mr Ashraf  Ahmed used a royal blue sapphire stone selected from his jewel collection in Ratapura, Sri Lanka, and his design team followed the original designed to create a new ring for the bride.

The Granshaw family were distraught by the theft, but say Mr Ahmed's generosity meant the couple had a "fairytale ending in this season of goodwill."

Reference Link For above New : http://www.itv.com/news/2014-12-04/bride-finally-gets-her-happy-ever-after-six-months-after-her-wedding-ring-was-stolen/

About Ashraf Ahmed Interview with Thenational.ae:

Ashraf Ahmed is a merchant for Diamond Infinity, a company he set up at the Dubai Multi Commodities Centre. The Briton, who lived in the UAE as a child before returning in 2005, sells the precious gems to jewellers in the Emirates, as well as privately to collectors and individuals.

Describe your financial journey so far.

I first realised the value of money when I was a freshman in college in Florida. My dad only gave me enough money for the tuition and the boarding fees and so, to earn more, I sold hairbrushes and surgeon's T-shirts at a flea market and worked for Domino's delivering pizzas in the evenings. It was a pretty hectic time. I was being bred to enter the banking field because a lot of my family are in banking, but when I graduated in 1985, my dad left his job and we opened up some retail outlets in Orlando, Florida. We started with one and ended up with five. It was a great first introduction to business. I managed the whole outlet, including the staff, the pricing and all the marketing for the tourists coming in - something that has helped me here in Dubai, where we also cater to tourists.

Why did you become a diamond merchant?

Ten years ago, I was in the property business and while I was always interested in diamonds, you need quite a bit of capital to enter the market as a dealer. One of my friends was a diamond dealer and talked to me about setting something up. So, when I felt I'd sold enough property, we started working together in Hatton Garden, the diamond district of London. We opened here in September 2005. I've been in the business about nine years and I love it. You come into contact with wealthy people and it's a nice, clean business.

Are you a spender or a saver?

I come from a pretty wealthy background, but my father always said, "You've got to save" and I'd say, "Yeah, yeah dad, things have moved on". But now I have kids, a daughter, 11, and a son, six, and have to pay for their education and their holidays, I have converted from a spender to a saver. I watch every penny because, frankly, I have to.

What is your philosophy towards money?

Value it. During the global crisis, sales we took for granted died and it was up to us to enter new markets. If you look on Google, we are second or third on the world rankings right now and that has brought me a lot of business - probably about 10 to 15 enquiries a day. It took a lot of effort from us because Google monitors every negative feedback, so we have to be careful not to oversell or undersell.

What has been your most valuable financial lesson?

How to deal with losses. I've bought a lot of property in London and Dubai and my assumption was that property would always go up. But I failed to understand that Dubai was an immature market and during the crisis, unlike in the UK and the US, prices here fell by over 50 per cent. Dubai just bombed, but that's what woke me up and taught me to be careful. I live in my villa in Dubai Marina, had four other properties, of which I've sold three at a profit, and another villa in Ras Al Khaimah, which is stilll under value.

Have you experienced any financial difficulties along the way? 

Money is something that never comes easily to me. As well as losing a lot in property, I also lost money on the stock market in the early 1990s, when I first got married. I've always had to work really hard for my money, whereas others earn loads and work less. I questioned what I was doing wrong and then this life coach came into my life eight months ago and she tells me it's an internal block and I make it hard for myself because I believe in no pain, no gain. She's told me to think about money as a magnet, with money flowing in. It's weird, but it's slowly shifting that way for me now.

What has been your biggest financial challenge?

To venture out on my own without a business partner. My partner was based in the UK and while I have always been very optimistic about Dubai, he didn't feel the same way. So in December last year, I sold him one company and kept this on my own. It took a lot of courage, but I'm doing very well.

What do you like to invest in?

Creating long-lasting relationships. When a client comes to me, it's not just about the money they are going to hand over. It's about how they feel and the rapport you create with them - all that leads to money at the end. If you come across as somebody who can't be trusted, the sale will die.

Are diamonds a good investment?

I had clients from Russia, a nice old couple, who came to me in 2009 and bought six two-carat diamonds for US$150,000 (Dh550,995). They said they had lost faith in their currency, didn't trust the banks and planned to sell the diamonds after two years. Even though the market went through a correction last year, those diamonds have gone up in value by 25 per cent. I collect diamonds myself as well. I foresee a big increase in the diamond price over the next 10 years because supply is going down. Diamonds are not as erratic as gold; it's a very docile investment.

Reference  link for interview : http://www.thenational.ae/lifestyle/personal-finance/money-me-nurture-relationships-to-build-up-your-business#page1