Ok so I emailed MC2 about possibly doing a ring for me with when the amora gem comes out. I first sent a very nice email inqiring if they do custom work with customers' personal stones. They replied very nicely that they do not but that they would be able to do any custom ring if they source the keystone. There was a little banter about coming to see them in person and thank you for the compliments, etc. So I sent another very friendly email saying that I am actually interested in using an amora gem as my keystone, and would they consider sourcing one of those for me? I put an informative link about the AG and a few short sentences about its durability in there. All of our emails were conversational and detailed and I was enjoying the interaction, regardless of the outcome. Then I get this email:
(My Name),
Yes, we are aware of the Amora, however, we are traditional enough to only specialize in natural diamonds and gemstones, which hold their value because the supply is finite. To be of lasting value a gemstone needs the qualities of beauty, rarity and durability. Synthetic gems may have two of the three attributes, but by definition, the supply is unlimited. I'm sorry, but we will not work with the Amora or any synthetic.
Best,
(Their Name)

Now I get being traditional, but I can't help but feel the snobby undertones of this email and feel annoyed with it. I mean, I feel like it is basically saying that they don't work with gemstones that aren't what they consider valuable. So the run of the mill sapphires and aquas that I have seen on their site are all that rare and valuable? I personally am not that impressed with their keystone choices but their settings are IMO lovely. I made it clear in my emails that I like the amora gem for its uniqueness and beauty and I never insinuated that I want an amora so I can knock off a diamond. Regardless, it is just irritating to feel like they think that anything that is man made is not of long lasting value. And to be honest, this whole transaction has made me reconsider liking that setting for my upgrade. I mean, I could have gone to another vendor and paid a third of the price for a knock off that is the required 20% different than the original. But I chose to inquire with MC2 bc I think they deserve the business for the beautiful setting they have designed and I really wanted to tell them how much I love it. I don't flatter myself to think that my 10k is going to have any significance on their bottom line but it just makes me like their brand a whole lot less now that I know how close-minded they are.
I know that email wasn't really rude or anything and I am also sure t here are lots of flaws in my logic but I just wanted to put my frustrations out there to like minded people. Thanks for listening!

I think what surprised me was the immediate formal tone of the second email in compared to the first one (when they thought I was talking diamonds). (Btw, I didn't mean to lead them to assume it was a diamond I was considering, I just asked if they set outside stones into their settings. I figured it was a moot point if they don't at all...but then I realized they could "source" the AG if they wanted to. Anyways...)
And I find it annoying that I felt kind of shamed for being cheap in the second email. Again, that is probably just my personal reaction, but I still find I very annoying! Lol

I think this is a fairly normal stance of a lot of jewelers but even Leon Mege works with Ashas and Moissanite!

If you really want one of their settings despite what they said, I would pick a cheap gemstone of the same size and shape that you want for the Amora Gem and then switch it out once it's available.

Yeah I know it isn't that big of a deal. It was just annoying. Lol
And you are totally right about LM! I think I have decided that it isn't worth the headache to me, and I will probably just have another vendor like SK or VC make my ring when I get around to deciding on the setting. But thanks for the suggestion!

Eww. That email was definitely a different tone than conversational. Plus, yeah, it seems like they are insinuating that they only use stones "of worth" or "value." Snarky. Not to mention, I can't disagree more with their logic on what makes something valuable. So, because a diamond is made in a lab isn't much less valuable to them than a mined one? (or any other stone for that matter)

Nope. Bottom line, they are considering themselves "traditional on this matter" because they make a LOT more when people work with "valuable" diamonds, even if they are I3 hunks of carbon ugly.

Thanks Kat! You are totally right!

Show me an everyday, average diamond (i.e. not the krupps diamond or the like, lol) that holds it's value and I'll eat my couch cushion.

They want to source the center stone and they want it to be a diamond for one reason only...$$$$.

Still, no need to be offended...they are in the diamond business. Many jewelers will feed you the same line and most of them actually believe it!!

Yeah, I hate the snobbiness, but you know what, they don't need your money! Find another place to make you the setting, or buy it from them with a super cheap "natural and valuable" gemstone (Amethyst maybe?), then swap it out. They have their business model, and that's fine.

I'd argue the "supply is unlimited", as the components needed to make lab stones have to be mined as well. *shrugs*

Who is MC2?

mcteigue & mcclelland

http://www.mc2jewels.com/