your experience with multicolour.com?

[Marlow]

dm---you are getting a lot of feedback/opinions here on Alex. Any colored stone is best seen in person to determine if you like it. You can weed stones out by looking at online photo's......color, cut, Price. But you can rarely guarantee what you get is exactly what you saw in a photo. These stones sparkle and throw color........the photo only catches a split second of the action.

Start a conversation with Finewater if you have any interest in that gem. I've never heard he photoshop's his stones and in fact, some people have had pleasant surprises when they get gems because they are brighter than expected. Is this going to be like JoCo's pear Alex??......most likely not. Could it be a decent Alex.......yes. But you said you had no problem tossing 3K at your first Alex. This would be the one I would order-- to see if my eye's liked it-- if those words came off my keyboard.

Even if you can afford it, always check return policies as that is an option everyone who orders online has had to do at one time or another. No one but you can decide what your eye likes............you will get other people's views in the meantime.

AGL is a certificate many people buy to accompany their gems..........

Is AGL is reliable lab? I was told that any certificate other than GIA, SSEF, and Gubelin require a second thought.

Right now, I'm stuck between these option:
http://www.multicolour.com/detail/?/details/alexandrite/yax391aa/&1244716636
http://www.multicolour.com/detail/?/details/single/alexandrite/ax10143aa/&930512007
http://www.finewatergems.com/other-gemstones.html

The first stone is very dark - look at the video - they use a lot of light.
I post here adressed to a PS member ( Chrono - no reply) that it looks like one of my CC sapphire from Tanzania - alex like change but really ugly! 10 EUR pct!!!

The second - maybe close to my 0,83 ct - to expensive and moderate change.

Finewater.... I post my opinion.

 

[LD]

Crikey - I think you're getting a lot of misinformation and perhaps misinterpreting things

AGL is THE lab for coloured gemstones. For Alex, AIGS, SSEF and Gubelin (especially if you're outside the US), are fine to deal with. The only one I (personally) would stay away from is GIA but I would send a diamond to them without a second thought.

In terms of Finewater, I never said they photoshopped their photos. What I will say though is that LOTS of vendors photoshop their photos of Alex because they're a nightmare to photograph as the colours never look as they should. Reputable vendors, to help make buying online less stressful, may alter their photos to replicate what they actually see. One other thing I'm going to make you aware of ................. depending on where you are in the world, your Alex will photograph and look different due to the amount of UV(?) light etc!

My opinion FWIW, is to get the 0.49ct from Multicolour, the stone from Finewater or the larger one from AJS. I have NO idea which one will be best and I would urge you to get the one that appeals to you most. All of these vendors have good returns policies and when buying coloured gemstones you'll find you will send a lot back until your Prince/Princess Charming comes along! If you get all 3 you'll be able to correctly assess which one has the best colour change and looks best in both colourways. There's simply no other way of doing it I'm afraid. The best stone will have a green / blue green daylight colour and a purple/pink incandescent. If either colour is wishy washy it may be nice but not "best".

Marlow - I'm in the UK (don't know where you are) but incandescent lighting over here doesn't use daylight replicating bulbs or fluorescent bulbs at the moment. We can still get the old type and so I can get excellent pictures of the incandescent colourway everywhere without any problem - in fact the problem is that the camera will show an incandescent colourchange even if my eyes don't see it!

 

[digdeep]

LD, Very well said..........and summarized!

 

[Starzin]

LD, Very well said..........and summarized!

I totally agree!

DM - you've had a lot of very good advice on this thread from people who are used to reading vendor photos and in particular LD and Marlow who each own several alex and LD in particular has been collecting alex for years.

Yet despite this advice you keep picking bad colour and cuts asking "what about this?" when three have already been recommended as the probable best of those available on any site.

I think you are now confused and afraid of losing money.

We have stated several times that there is no risk of losing money IF you deal with a known and recommended vendor (as MC, AJS and Finewater all are) provided you read and understand the Return Policy for each vendor as their time frames and shipping requirements for return are slightly different. There will usually be a small shipping charge deduction on the stones you end up returning.

These vendors have each had multiple sales from PS members and will willingly walk you through the process.

We have also stated over and over again that alex are almost IMPOSSIBLE to photograph accurately, the only way for you to proceed now is to get one or more on approval.

My opinion FWIW, is to get the 0.49ct from Multicolour, the stone from Finewater or the larger one from AJS. I have NO idea which one will be best and I would urge you to get the one that appeals to you most. All of these vendors have good returns policies and when buying coloured gemstones you'll find you will send a lot back until your Prince/Princess Charming comes along! If you get all 3 you'll be able to correctly assess which one has the best colour change and looks best in both colourways. There's simply no other way of doing it I'm afraid. The best stone will have a green / blue green daylight colour and a purple/pink incandescent. If either colour is wishy washy it may be nice but not "best".

That's what we've been saying for a page and a half!!

Are you familiar with the saying "It's time to p!ss or get off the pot"

 

[Marlow]

Starzin - perfect!!!!

 

[chrono]

Marlow,
Sorry, I've been busy with work and travel, so did not have the opportunity to acknowledge your post.

DM,
Many posters have commented on the 3 MC alexandrites you asked about. I concur with their assessment. As to which ones to consider, I also agree with the 3 they think shows promise (AJS, MC and Finewater).

 

[dm-smith]

I think I'll forget about alex. I went to my friend's auction, and his green-ruby like red alex sold almost 10 times my max budge Thanks for all of the advice guys. Btw, I ended up buying this nice 3.19ct ruby. I don't know what's wrong w/ my camera, but the ruby look extremely dark compare to the real ruby (Even after I tried to use excessive lighting. I used my blackberry torch 9800 to take the pics)




In real life, it's a little bit darker than this:
http://www.ruby-sapphire.com/images/photo_cd_images/1373-31.jpg

and it almost inclusion free

 

[LoversKites]

I think I'll forget about alex. I went to my friend's auction, and his green-ruby like red alex sold almost 10 times my max budge Thanks for all of the advice guys. Btw, I ended up buying this nice 3.19ct ruby. I don't know what's wrong w/ my camera, but the ruby look extremely dark compare to the real ruby (Even after I tried to use excessive lighting. I used my blackberry torch 9800 to take the pics)




In real life, it's a little bit darker than this:
http://www.ruby-sapphire.com/images/photo_cd_images/1373-31.jpg

and it almost inclusion free

Excessive light is often ineffective when taking photos of gems. Try under a tree in the shade. I'd appreciate more pics

I hope its ok to ask, what is it's treatment status? I really hope if you spent a decent amount of money you got a lab report. Ruby is also a difficult gem to buy.

 

[dm-smith]

I think I'll forget about alex. I went to my friend's auction, and his green-ruby like red alex sold almost 10 times my max budge Thanks for all of the advice guys. Btw, I ended up buying this nice 3.19ct ruby. I don't know what's wrong w/ my camera, but the ruby look extremely dark compare to the real ruby (Even after I tried to use excessive lighting. I used my blackberry torch 9800 to take the pics)




In real life, it's a little bit darker than this:
http://www.ruby-sapphire.com/images/photo_cd_images/1373-31.jpg

and it almost inclusion free

Excessive light is often ineffective when taking photos of gems. Try under a tree in the shade. I'd appreciate more pics

I hope its ok to ask, what is it's treatment status? I really hope if you spent a decent amount of money you got a lab report. Ruby is also a difficult gem to buy.

Well, it already come with gubelin, gia, agta, and agl cert (tho I lost the gia cert on the way home. I don't even know how).
the treatment status is none. I'm planning to send this stone to agl because all of the cert is dated before 2010. Plus, I don't have to worry since the seller is my friend, and he lived 2 houses away from my home

 

[LoversKites]

I think I'll forget about alex. I went to my friend's auction, and his green-ruby like red alex sold almost 10 times my max budge Thanks for all of the advice guys. Btw, I ended up buying this nice 3.19ct ruby. I don't know what's wrong w/ my camera, but the ruby look extremely dark compare to the real ruby (Even after I tried to use excessive lighting. I used my blackberry torch 9800 to take the pics)




In real life, it's a little bit darker than this:
http://www.ruby-sapphire.com/images/photo_cd_images/1373-31.jpg

and it almost inclusion free

Excessive light is often ineffective when taking photos of gems. Try under a tree in the shade. I'd appreciate more pics

I hope its ok to ask, what is it's treatment status? I really hope if you spent a decent amount of money you got a lab report. Ruby is also a difficult gem to buy.

Well, it already come with gubelin, gia, agta, and agl cert (tho I lost the gia cert on the way home. I don't even know how).
the treatment status is none. I'm planning to send this stone to agl because all of the cert is dated before 2010. Plus, I don't have to worry since the seller is my friend, and he lived 2 houses away from my home

Ok, that is good to hear. From the picture you compared it to it must be gorgeous IRL.

 

[Starzin]

You are probably wise to move on from the alex as you say.

Like LK, we would all be interested to see better photos of your ruby. Did you use the macro setting? (looks like a flower)

 

[chrono]

Do not use flash photography. Natural sunlight is best, preferably indirect sunlight.

 

[diamondcut]

I bought from them before, the stone was much darker than the pics. Very disappointing. when I returned it, they dinged me for a 15% restocking fee.

Nonsense. Multicolour don't charge a restocking fee for returns. Shipping and insurance, on another hand, is a different matter. Although if you are regular, they don't charge this either.

 

[T L]

I bought from them before, the stone was much darker than the pics. Very disappointing. when I returned it, they dinged me for a 15% restocking fee.

Nonsense. Multicolour don't charge a restocking fee for returns. Shipping and insurance, on another hand, is a different matter. Although if you are regular, they don't charge this either.

They don't charge a restocking fee, but I returned three or four stones, and David told me that if I returned anymore, he would have to charge me credit card fees. I forget how much they add up to percentage wise, but it's not good to return too much or you might have "restocking fees."