Congrats!
Gloss black should look sharp! With ebony seems appropriate and has a nice weight to it. I started with a Cremina and have brought in a bunch of other lever machines but the Cremina still rules. It's not for everyone but for those who can appreciate it there's nothing better out there. It's nice to fire the Cremina up with no fears of black box brain damage or plastic cheapo pressurestat failures etc., etc., etc.. The only issue with the older models is the switch. The ceramic can become worn/brittle at the pivot and fail. Keep an eye on it and be gentle. Doug has tried to find something to match but no luck. There is an alternative but just won't look like the original. I look forward to you getting your hand on the lever and sharing some comments.
farm