Help me choose an RB, please.

[chiquitapet]

Hello everyone,

I thought this would never happen to me, but only after couple of months of enjoying my princess solitaire, I can''t stop thinking about the sparkle and brilliance of an RB. When I got my e-ring, I didn''t even check if MDX had an upgrade policy, as I thought I`d never need it... how wrong was I... (thank goodness they have one...)

Anyways, looking at couple of their RBs, there are 2 potentials in my price range. My dilemma is that one is an AGS diamond, the other is MGR. The MGR scores better on HCA (4x excellent vs. 3x excellent and yes, I know HCA should not be a primary selection criterion).

Round cut Diamond 225900380 $4,761.36(AUD)
CARAT 0.81
COLOUR F
CLARITY VS1
TOTAL DEPTH 60.20
PAVILION DEPTH 42.70
TABLE 56.70
DIMENSIONS 6.08
CROWN ANGLE 34.30
PAVILION ANGLE 40.60
GIRDLE 1.3
CULET NN
FLUORESCENCE None
LUSTRE VG
POLISH EX
SYMMETRY EX
CUT - ICE Ideal
REPORT MGR*
HCA 0.6 ex/ex/ex/ex
Round cut Diamond 1060996 $4,441.46(AUD)
CARAT 0.80
COLOUR G
CLARITY VS2
TOTAL DEPTH 61.40
PAVILION DEPTH 0.00
TABLE 57.00
DIMENSIONS 6.02*5.98*3.68
CROWN ANGLE 34.70
PAVILION ANGLE 40.70
GIRDLE 1.8-4.6
CULET PT
FLUORESCENCE N
LUSTRE
POLISH ID
SYMMETRY ID
CUT Ideal H&A
REPORT AGS
HCA 1.2 ex/ex/ex/vg
Which one would you go for? The security of an AGS report?

Thank you all very much in advance... Don''t know what I would do without PS.

 

[honey22]

I would go for #2, I def would like the security of an AGS report. Can you get IS images for these stones?

 

[chiquitapet]

Hi honey, thanks for your reply.

Unfortunately, with Diamond Exchange I never got lucky when asking for IS/ASET images, sarin reports etc. This is as much info as I get.

Under these circumstances, its probably better to go with AGS as you say.

 

[Ellen]

Date: 5/11/2008 7:30:23 AM
Author: chiquitapet
Hi honey, thanks for your reply.

Unfortunately, with Diamond Exchange I never got lucky when asking for IS/ASET images, sarin reports etc. This is as much info as I get.

Under these circumstances, its probably better to go with AGS as you say.

Yep.

 

[Lorelei]

I would definitely choose the second one, if it is important to you that this diamond is a true hearts and arrows stone as they say, read this thread as it may be useful.
https://www.pricescope.com/hearts_indx.asp

 

[honey22]

Me either, I had so much trouble getting info on stones that I ended up purchasing from WF. But anyway, considering the hassles with IS images etc, I would get in Ice Ideal H&A with great numbers (like almost perfect cause we don't have IS to confirm) and only AGS report. That's what I ended up narrowing my search to when I was seriously trying to purchase from them. It was almost impossible in the colour clarity combo I wanted, but if you find something that falls into your criteria, then go for it (fast before someone OS beats you!)

ETA I just re-checked those numbers and they look great. I would def go with this one. I have seen a couple of Ice Ideals in real life with a hearts and arrows viewer and they really did display a perfect arrows pattern, but silly me, didn't think to turn the stones over to check for hearts, not that I am an expert in checking H&A patterning anyway, but honestly I don't think you can do better than this at MDX. Should be a killer stone! YAY!!!!!!!!!

 

[chiquitapet]

Hello ladies!

Thank you all for your input. You have made the decision very easy for me... I have emailed Annie at MDE this morning and have asked for the AGS beauty to be put on hold for me... hopefully it`s still available. It has happened to me on several occasions for stones to be snatched right before my eyes...

I am very excited and will keep you updated!!!!

 

[kcoursolle]

Date: 5/11/2008 7:57:27 PM
Author: chiquitapet
Hello ladies!

Thank you all for your input. You have made the decision very easy for me... I have emailed Annie at MDE this morning and have asked for the AGS beauty to be put on hold for me... hopefully it`s still available. It has happened to me on several occasions for stones to be snatched right before my eyes...

I am very excited and will keep you updated!!!!

Woohoo, congrats!! I was going to chime in and agree with the others that number 2 is the best, especialy with the AGS cert. I wanted to add that just because #1 is lower on the HCA that doesn''t really matter once you are already under 2. HCA is best as an elimination tool for stones over 2 and then for stones under 2 you need to look at other criteria.

 

[chiquitapet]

Sure enough... the stone is NO LONGER AVAILABLE. I`m calm... and breathing slowly in & out....1, 2, 3...

 

[honey22]

Sweetie! I am so bummed for you. This happened to me all the time when I tried buying from them!! Don''t worry! We are not giving up yet, so you better not be!!!

I know this sounds a little sneaky, but can you contact the other Diamond exchange branches directly and give them you specs. I think most of the AGS certed stones are actually held in the US, so maybe contacting the New York branch may be better. They put the stones online I think, and by the time we see them and request availability, the US can have a whole trading da ahead of us while we are sleeping. The good stones just get sole in this time. I did this when I was looking, I don''t think Annie was super-impressed about it, but I started to feel like they weren''t doing enough to help me find my stone. I gave them exact specs, and I mean EXACT, I don''t know why they don''t put people on a waiting list and match up the new stones to the specs on that list of people waiting. That''s how I got my ACA, Lesley called me and offered me the stone before it went online. This is just fair I think. If you are really serious, I think they should be more helpful in finding you the rock you want.
Super-frustrating!!!

 

[chiquitapet]

Thank you for your support honey... you`re very sweet

... and SNEAKY!! lol... I like it!
Checking out the other branches now...

 

[honey22]

I had trouble finding the number for the New York branch but got onto Canada (don''t be put off at first if they speak French, if you start talking English, they will soon follow)

Maybe someone here can find the New York number in their yellow pages?

Desperate times call for desperate measures! We are talking about a diamond here!!!

 

[chiquitapet]

Found Toronto DX number easily, but as you said honey, New York number is a big secret... there is a toll free number across US & Canada, but I couldn''t get through that one. I tried calling Toronto, however I was 1 hour too early and was too exhausted to stay up another hour... so will try to get to them sometimes this week...

I have also written to Annie, politely suggesting that if MDX can''t find me a stone, I`ll be calling New York... Hopefully they will try a bit harder. There was another stone last week (GIA stone) that I really liked and asked her to put it on hold, sure enough it wasn''t available, and still isn''t, even though it is listed as available on their search engine.... And history is repeating itself again this time with the AGS stone.

You have done the right thing honey, going with Whiteflash. I guess I wanted to deal with someone local and Whiteflash never answered my questions in my emails, so I went with MDX. But now I`m getting *slightly* frustrated.

 

[honey22]

Yeah, you go girl - make them work for your money!! Maybe you can write a letter to management at Diamond exchange and politely inform them of the many PSers (there are a few with the same problem) that have attempted to purchase stones in Australia and have ended up with the same problem. I am happy to back you up, and I am sure if we started a thread on the topic they would listen to what we have to say. Having a simple register of clients with very specific needs would be fantastic. As soon as a stone comes in that fits with a request, offer it to them first. The advantages are for them too, they can quickly sell stones to customers that are seriously interested and then they don''t end up with a bad rep in forums like ours. It''s crazy, it''s almost like they don''t want you to buy a decent rock!!

MDX used to post here, I am not sure why they don''t anymore. If I was a vendor I would want to be aware of the feedback, and it would be a good way to learn how frustrating their company is to work with. It makes shopping overseas at places like WF or GOG a no-brainer for us conoisseurs of fine diamonds (though I am such a yobbo, cause I am not even sure I spelt that right hey!)

 

[chiquitapet]

Well, couple of things happened today. After sending Annie the email about possibly calling New York, she has immediately found 2 ideally cut diamonds by GIA and AGS within my specifications, which have not been listed on their database. Just as I sent off an email all excited saying "I want the AGS, please!", she called me. She has just received a call from management saying, that my upgrade can not go ahead. The reason being my current diamond is not branded ICE. Both of us have forgotten about this, as I when I first chose a princess, it was an ICE diamond. AFTER I sent them my payment, they told me the stone was no longer available and we found a substitute with excellent specifications, graded by GIA, D, VS2, however NOT ICE.

This is the wording of their terms and conditions:

Diamond Exchange offers a lifetime upgrade policy on all Round Brilliant, Ice Square Ideal Cuts and Princess cuts that are graded by us as Ideal Cut, Excellent Cut, Very Good Cut, Premium Cut, and International Fine Cut.

Now they refuse to "upgrade" my stone. I`d have to sell my stone through them with 12.5% commission, and then can choose another diamond.

So I`m quite disappointed as I don`t want just to lose minimum $500 on commission. Now I regret more than ever buying with MDX. Not only it takes so much work to actually find an available diamond, but then they don''t offer upgrade on all their stones like most other places do.

Sorry about the long vent... I was just so excited to finally find ''the'' RB for me.... and now the whole project is most likely over...

 

[honey22]

OMG! Do not stand for this at all!!!!!!!!! This is totally and absolutely illegal. You need to write another email and attach the info you just have here and explain to them that if they don''t upgrade your stone immediately in line with the terms and conditions stated you will lodge a complain with consumer affairs. Please please please don''t let them take advantage of you like this. Make it clear to them that you will not rest on this matter until is has been resolved to your satisfaction and you won''t hesitate to lodge a formal complaint, yadda yadda yadda. I know it''s horrible to have to resort to tactics like this, but if the above nice approach doesn''t work, you could casually mention that you feel obliged to the Australian public to inform them of shady dealings by diamond vendors and you may just contact Today Tonight with your story - they love a don''t-get-scammed-by-the-diamond-company story. If they don''t'' want to upgrade you, maybe you could negotiate a price to simply return the ring, setting and old (they could re-sell it) and use your $$$ for a WF or GOG stone.

Please keep us updated. Good luck. We are all behind you on this one I am sure!

 

[chiquitapet]

Sent a loooong email to the management. Hope they can fix the situation somehow. I`m quite disappointed in diamond exchange and getting my money back and buying from Whiteflash instead is really my preferred option now.

 

[chiquitapet]

GREAT NEWS!!!!

After few emails back and forth with the Director of Management of MDX, who was very helpful and lovely, my upgrade has been authorized!! YEY!!!

Re-starting the hunt for the perfect RB!

 

[honey22]

Best news I have heard today!!!!!!!!!!

Keep us posted! Darn, I am going to my sister-in-laws sheep farm for a week on Friday (middle of no-where Western Australia) and I am worried that I will be unable to post (as the engagement is not official, I have to hide my PS addiction to avoid raising suspicion). I bet all your exciting RB news will be happening when I am out of the loop!!

Oh, well - good luck! I am 101% sure that there is a sparkly, Ideal cut, AGS certed baby just waiting with your name on it! You go girl!!

 

[Ellen]

Date: 5/28/2008 3:01:19 AM
Author: chiquitapet
GREAT NEWS!!!!

After few emails back and forth with the Director of Management of MDX, who was very helpful and lovely, my upgrade has been authorized!! YEY!!!

Re-starting the hunt for the perfect RB!

Good luck in finding the perfect stone!

 

[chiquitapet]

Hello girls, the hunt for the perfect upgrade has been postponed as we have decided to buy an apartment instead! We are buying the apartment we are living in, so no moving for us, thank goodness!

Honey, hope you had a great time on the farm!!!

 

[honey22]

Great news about the apartment! Hopefully you can keep the upgrade project on the backburner, there is no harm is still looking hey?!

The farm was great - quite an adventure. I sat in a tractor and touched a sheep! Pretty amazing for a city girl that doesn''t even go camping in a caravan park!!