It's coming home - Emeralde Metal Private

[callsignmaverick]

Since this is my first post here, let me start the post by giving a little background about me in credit cards context.

I have been using credit cards for almost 14 years now and started my journey with the humble Citi Rewards as my first credit card. When I got into the credit card world, it wasn't for points or prestige. It was just simple math - You are getting an amount interest free period of 50 days.

Slowly, I started getting into the points & rewards game and started building up my credit card portfolio. I remember the cards that gave me most points till around 5-6 years back were SBI Elite and SC Ultimate. Then once my salary account was moved to HDFC (from ICICI due to job change), I got hold of DCB. Just to point out, life was much simpler back then, you saw a card you liked - you checked the eligibility criteria and if you could meet it then apply. No FYF, LTF fundas. In fact except Magnus Burgundy I never asked for a free card (yes I was naive). I had DCB free for some years only because I met their annual spend criteria. After DCB, got hold of INFINIA in few years and then came Magnus followed by Magnus Burgundy [both came thanks to Axis burgundy account]. And I had to say Axis spoiled me, I had made lakhs of points of Ultimate, DCB, Infinia before but this was madness. The rewards were too good, but as someone who comes from a financial background I knew it would be mess sooner or later.

Now let me come back to the main topic, why the need for Emeralde Private when you already have INFINIA, Magnus Burgundy & Yes Marquee (recently acquired)?
One word answer - Exclusivity. At my age and with the years of experience in the credit card domain, plain points or benefits don't excite me as much as the exclusivity factor. I still remember the envious looks that I used to get 2-3 years back when I would pull out of my DCB or Infinia. In fact, till few months back most of my friends in the same financial bracket as me couldn't get INFINIA. But now that's kind of gone, while Infinia is still relatively exclusive - off late lot of people have started getting upgraded to INFINIA quite easily, which also makes me believe that an INFINIA devaluation is not far. And more importantly the card loses its exclusivity/snob factor. Less I talk about Magnus the better.

What cards I would have loved to get from an Exclusivity point of view:

1. Axis Private [Well quite someway to go for this]
2. Amex Platinum [All my friends used to swear by this card few years back, now everyone swears because of it. Customer service has gone down big time. Almost anyone who can pay the fees has this card can get it. Personally, I feel Amex has ruined it for most of their old customers. Most of my friends who held this card for many years, cancelled this last year or early this year. So this was ruled out completely]
3. Amex Centurion [Well with no. 2 not happening, this will never happen considering its offered only to select few Amex Platinum customers with high spends]
4. Axis Reserve [Was willing to overlook the reward transfer rate but then Axis hit the final nail in the coffin with the removal of transfers]
5. ICICI Emeralde Private [Seemed most sensible of the lot with benefits outweighing the fees and the fact that very very very few people have it, this would take care of the exclusivity factor]

I had to recently visit ICICI branch for some work with my home loan & was casually chatting with the branch manager about how far behind ICICI was in the credit cards game and he told me about this Emeralde Private Card and asked if I would be interested. Obviously, I said yes but he fore-warned me that in spite of the relationship there are absolute no guarantee that I might get the card and the process might take a month or more as they need to take 4 approvals including 1 from their Credit Card India head. [More on the application process later in another post].

So yesterday finally after almost 1.5 months, I got the card approved and I can see it on IMobile. The physical card should arrive in a day or two. While it was a long wait, it was definitely worth it because ICICI almost doubled my INFINIA credit limit and has offered a limit of 30L on the card. Another thing that makes the card worth it was the difficulty in getting it. Will become my daily driver card along with INFINIA from next month onwards.

 

[timva]

May be its based on moblie device we use.
I was looking at the mobile screen shot of your Emeralde card. Was wondering how come its written ‘Increase Limit’ near Rs 30 lacs. Normally I have seen ‘Manage Limit’ written at this place.

It's nothing special, most probably he's using an iPhone. The app shows option of 'Increase Limit ' even if you don't have any LE offer. Personally experienced it when I had once logged in iMobile on my iPhone.

 

[callsignmaverick]

Hi,
Congrats on your new Emeralde Metal card.
How much have been your total annual spend in the past, on all ICICI cards put together.

Just an observation. May be its based on moblie device we use.
I was looking at the mobile screen shot of your Emeralde card. Was wondering how come its written ‘Increase Limit’ near Rs 30 lacs. Normally I have seen ‘Manage Limit’ written at this place. Also the font of your name and position of name on the card is slightly different compared to other Emeralde Card. Seems like ICICi is making some improvements.

Which handset are you using.
Also, with due respect, can I request to reshare an updated screenshot of the Emeralde card (blackening the key information).

Thanks. I’ll try to answer all your questions one by one
1. Annual spends on all cards - Roughly 50k or even less. I use APay for Subscribe and Save. And rest only for discounts like Zomato, Swiggy etc.
2. I use iPhone13 Pro Max with I think the latest version of iOs 17.3 or 17.4
3. Clicking on upgrade shows me an option to get plastic emeralde (screenshot attached)
4. Increase limit opens a new screen to adjust credit limit. Screenshot attached.
5. For the naming of the card and its position it’s just the app that shows it that way. The way it’s engraved on the physical card is different. I’ll share the physical card photo soon (don’t have it with me right now)

 

[Zacobite]

Also, There is an option to "Upgrade Now". After Emeralde Private, what else can you upgrade to! It is the highest card.
Please can you click there and see what upgrade options you are seeing. Just curious to know what sales is ICICI pushing.

many ppl are getting the upgrade option but paid.. no fyf ltf option on app / netbanking.. mostly ppl. who had sapphiro

 

[Riva]

So on a total of 50k annual approx spends, ICICI offered you the Emerald Metal Private card? Means eligibility is not spend based but more on TRV or relationship based.

If you don't mind sharing, what is your relationship with ICICI bank in terms of TRV, products and accounts?

 

[rajantech]

Thanks. I’ll try to answer all your questions one by one
1. Annual spends on all cards - Roughly 50k or even less. I use APay for Subscribe and Save. And rest only for discounts like Zomato, Swiggy etc.
2. I use iPhone13 Pro Max with I think the latest version of iOs 17.3 or 17.4
3. Clicking on upgrade shows me an option to get plastic emeralde (screenshot attached)
4. Increase limit opens a new screen to adjust credit limit. Screenshot attached.
5. For the naming of the card and its position it’s just the app that shows it that way. The way it’s engraved on the physical card is different. I’ll share the physical card photo soon (don’t have it with me right now)

Great. Think Branch Manager support has really worked in your case. He had gone a long way in helping on this.
I think your increase limit would change soon to manage limit. This update might be pending as you may have had any offer earlier, on some other ICICI card that you hold.
Also do one more check, just for yourself. Open netbanking on laptop. And then see upgrade offers. I have observed that when we open on imobile app, it shows only one option to upgrade. But on laptop there is a scroller and it shows more options.

There are 2 more benefits of Emeralde Private that I like.
The bookmyshow offer of upto Rs 750 off per ticket works very well.
Get 3 free add-on Emeralde metal cards for your family for offline use (keeping your mobile number same for all cards to get spends clubbed in your card number). They really feel proud to hold this.

In my case when I click on upgrade, it says "You are not eligible for upgrade'.

 

[callsignmaverick]

Also, There is an option to "Upgrade Now". After Emeralde Private, what else can you upgrade to! It is the highest card.
Please can you click there and see what upgrade options you are seeing. Just curious to know what sales is ICICI pushing.

I checked that and posted the reply in another comment.
Basically in the upgrade option I have offered paid Emeralde PVC.

 

[callsignmaverick]

So on a total of 50k annual approx spends, ICICI offered you the Emerald Metal Private card? Means eligibility is not spend based but more on TRV or relationship based.

If you don't mind sharing, what is your relationship with ICICI bank in terms of TRV, products and accounts?

Check this out about those details - https://www.technofino.in/community...-metal-application-process.25153/#post-596530.
I think its just my good karma from the old days when I wasn't credit/card hungry to my banking team 🕊️

 

[callsignmaverick]

Great. Think Branch Manager support has really worked in your case. He had gone a long way in helping on this.
I think your increase limit would change soon to manage limit. This update might be pending as you may have had any offer earlier, on some other ICICI card that you hold.
Also do one more check, just for yourself. Open netbanking on laptop. And then see upgrade offers. I have observed that when we open on imobile app, it shows only one option to upgrade. But on laptop there is a scroller and it shows more options.

There are 2 more benefits of Emeralde Private that I like.
The bookmyshow offer of upto Rs 750 off per ticket works very well.
Get 3 free add-on Emeralde metal cards for your family for offline use (keeping your mobile number same for all cards to get spends clubbed in your card number). They really feel proud to hold this.

In my case when I click on upgrade, it says "You are not eligible for upgrade'.

Yes the BM was helpful for sure. I just think of it as my good karma from olden days when I wasn't credit/card hungry with my banking team.

No, even on the app I used to see 2-3 card options earlier to upgrade. Now its just 1 on the app as well as netbanking.
Yes the BMS offer is good but I have that on my Burgundy Debit and Yes Marquee as well I think.

 

[callsignmaverick]

From my experience, standard earning rate is same for both (150 INR =5 RP), but when it comes to spends, stuff like GYFTR vouchers are 3X with DCB instead of 5X with Infinia.
Plus maybe the acceptance rate across commercial establishments, though that's hearsay, not from personal exp.

Yes the accelerated reward rate might be the case. But there is always a better card for everything. I remember not taking up Inifinia initially because DCB came with 10x merchant feature which I at that time found more valuable that increased multipliers on Infinia. Anyways to each his own.

DCB acceptance was good in India and abroad, for me at least. I don't recall any merchant declining it except the Lounge at Kathamandu airport. I had to use the priority pass at the the airport lounge.

 

[callsignmaverick]

many ppl are getting the upgrade option but paid.. no fyf ltf option on app / netbanking.. mostly ppl. who had sapphiro

Frankly I will never understand the obsession with FYF or LTF specially when the card benefits will easily cover the fees. I have seen people spends months trying to get a FYF or LTF Infinia when are they saved by spending so much time and effort is GST. Not only that, I am pretty sure their RM/BM must have been fed up as well.

So all this effort just to save 1500-2000 Rs that too yearly.

 

[callsignmaverick]

This is exactly what I said in some time back. Perpetual deep debts is the american way of life.

Bilkul. Indian market is completely different to the US market and very few banks (ICICI, HDFC & for some matter SBI) have figured that out right from the start. What we saw last 2 years was probably the golden period. Its only going to go down from there and will stabilise around 1-1.5% rewards max with most premium features offered only on fee based cards.

 

[techt]

Bilkul. Indian market is completely different to the US market and very few banks (ICICI, HDFC & for some matter SBI) have figured that out right from the start. What we say last 2 years was probably the golden period. Its only going to go down from there and will stabilise around 1-1.5% rewards max with most premium features offered only on fee based cards.

Reminds me kellogs . They said that they will change the breakfast habits of Indians.
Finally ended up

 

[Zacobite]

Frankly I will never understand the obsession with FYF or LTF specially when the card benefits will easily cover the fees. I have seen people spends months trying to get a FYF or LTF Infinia when are they saved by spending so much time and effort is GST. Not only that, I am pretty sure their RM/BM must have been fed up as well.

So all this effort just to save 1500-2000 Rs that too yearly.

each to his own.. banks give so people chase.. If banks stop giving.. people will stop asking.. eg Amex Plat charge.. Never free.. so many enjoy year 1 benefits and then decide.. but u will never get FYF or LTF.. Everyone triez their luck ONLY because they know it is possible.. nothing wrong in that.. you hear so many cases.. wrote to PNO and got LTF.. so the banks systems are encouraging this behavior..

 

[callsignmaverick]

each to his own.. banks give so people chase.. If banks stop giving.. people will stop asking.. eg Amex Plat charge.. Never free.. so many enjoy year 1 benefits and then decide.. but u will never get FYF or LTF.. Everyone triez their luck ONLY because they know it is possible.. nothing wrong in that.. you hear so many cases.. wrote to PNO and got LTF.. so the banks systems are encouraging this behavior..

I agree - each to its own. But I was talking about the benefit of getting a card FYF or LTF. Its just savings on the GST in most cases (INFINIA, DCB etc). Is it really worth the trouble of following up with people, escalating, calling multiple times, spoiling relations with the banks/RMS etc?

 

[bvc19296]

I agree - each to its own. But I was talking about the benefit of getting a card FYF or LTF. Its just savings on the GST in most cases (INFINIA, DCB etc). Is it really worth the trouble of following up with people, escalating, calling multiple times, spoiling relations with the banks/RMS etc?

See cards can be devalued soon with annual benefits being removed or altered.

For Ex. take the case with Magnus it was been issued with joining fees, it had annual benefits of Tata Cliq / Domestic Flight Voucher. But later on they discontinued it with Annual spends waiver also increased. So some users try to get the card with LTF basis on the relationship with the bank.

Imagine holding a Vanilla Magnus card as LTF, all the devaluations doesn't matter because atleast we can use that card with base 2.4% returns better than Neo and Myzone and LTF Magnus.

 

[Zacobite]

I agree - each to its own. But I was talking about the benefit of getting a card FYF or LTF. Its just savings on the GST in most cases (INFINIA, DCB etc). Is it really worth the trouble of following up with people, escalating, calling multiple times, spoiling relations with the banks/RMS etc?

time / effort and its cost.. i agree..

 

[manju1]

You can try and escalate to higher level ,but they might tell you ,you need 10L limit for infinia uograde(that's what customer care told me) apart from spends

HDFC keeps Infinia well gaurded and exclusive enough so that it can use it as a laverage ,
The easier way to get it if you can convince your RM/BM at Branch ,switch branches if you need to ,the harder way is to get some Ulip or some other financial product from them(you might get LTF in this case)

P.s. if you meet both spend and CL criteria ,why not just download an Card Upgrade form from HDFC website, fill it and courier it Chennai yourself ,you won't get LTF but might get FYF

I did escalate and was told 10 lac limit on existing CC is required
RM and BM dont care and just repeat the standard conditions for getting Infinia

 

[manju1]

Most cases after this you see an upgrade option within the HDFC app itself. No need to approach anyone.
Also if I may ask if you already have DCB then why go through all this hassle. It's just a credit card at the end of the day. I had DCB for good 2-3 years and 99% of the time it was good enough. It was only when I made bigger flight purchases on smartbuy when the daily cap of 2500 started affecting me. So I shifted my travel spends to travel edge on Axis.

DCB is fine but my main spend is through vouchers which are much better with Infinia

 

[Swastik]

See cards can be devalued soon with annual benefits being removed or altered.

For Ex. take the case with Magnus it was been issued with joining fees, it had annual benefits of Tata Cliq / Domestic Flight Voucher. But later on they discontinued it with Annual spends waiver also increased. So some users try to get the card with LTF basis on the relationship with the bank.

Imagine holding a Vanilla Magnus card as LTF, all the devaluations doesn't matter because atleast we can use that card with base 2.4% returns better than Neo and Myzone and LTF Magnus.

Is Vanilla Magnus being issued as LTF ?
I'm holding one ,bought gold with 10k tata cliq cash last year,
But no way I'm renewing this anymore, is there a way convert it to LTF ?

 

[bvc19296]

Is Vanilla Magnus being issued as LTF ?
I'm holding one ,bought gold with 10k tata cliq cash last year,
But no way I'm renewing this anymore, is there a way convert it to LTF ?

No as of now. Axis has lost lot on Magnus.

Earlier back then in Jan 2023-Mar 2023 I saw people getting it as LTF, FYF.