I am very happy with this Apple. It feels so good to hold and it has a wonderful feeling mouthpiece. I made the shank much smaller in diameter than I usually do and with the fishtail it melts in your mouth! Great colors and a very interesting blast. Please do not be deceived by the grade. The only reason it is not graded higher is because of the front of the bowl. The grain pattern starts at about the nomenclature panel and runs towards the front. This means there was a lot of birds eye in the front and the rings do not follow into the Birdseye. It is a wonderful blast everywhere else but it fades out in the front. Rest assured, this piece is in every way as high quality of briar, craftsmanship and attention to detail as any of my other pipes. If it were not for the front it would have been graded higher Hand cut Carmel Ebonite mouthpiece w/Delrin tennon, hand made solid sterling silver fitment. Thank you very much for looking.