I’ve actually been going the celebration ring way (not Tiffany’s, just nice stackable rings) for major events like moving in together, one year, etc. The aquamarine one (birthstone) I think actually looks a lot better than diamonds. They are relatively inexpensive (compared to diamonds) and show that you care and are thoughtful. I have no idea what I’ll do for engagement though.
The bigger threat is the potential wave of synthetic diamonds that may flood the market over the next decade. Science labs have already produced the technology to recreate in a lab what happens in the earth for a diamond to form, and have already produced many stones that essentially are real diamonds. Just not formed inside the earth, but they have the same properties as a real diamond. The stones produced are even frequently a higher quality than the imperfections on earth grown diamonds. The diamond cartels are scared sh*tless, and have been desperately changing their marketing to emphasize “earth grown” diamonds.
because this exact phenomenon happened to the pearl industry. Perviously, natural pearls found in oysters commanded ridiculous prices, because there was something like 1 natural pearl per thousand+ of clams/oysters. When people realized that pearls were basically stone fragments that entered into an oyster, and over time the silky white shell is what resulted in a pearl, businessmen started to mass produce pearls by mass harvesting and implanting the “pearl” and later harvesting them after they matured. Out comes a real pearl. literally. The pearl industry was decimated and prices fell like a meteor crashing to earth with rocket fueled jet packs.
The intrinsic value of a diamond in today’s world is fairy value.
There’s actually a practicality to diamonds. Since engagement rings are worn everyday it’s necessary to get something that nearly indestructible. Diamonds don’t scratch. Emeralds, for example, are awesome, but they’re soft. If a woman wore them everyday they’d get destroyed.
Diamonds also go with everything. Women don’t want to wear rubies or sapphires daily.
Yes, I realize I just went all high-fashion on you guys. Being married for several years does that to a guy.
And, CZs et al look like crap. You don’t need to be a pro to spot them. The good ones look like glass and the bad ones look like plastic.
And it also means you kill fewer oysters to get the Pearl.
Though it must still suck if you’re an oyster and find you’ve gotten some piece of sand shoved in your mouth. You spend the rest of your life knowing what’s eventualy in store for you, terrified that every splash is a hand entering the water to crack you wide open and grab that annoying thing growing in your mouth. You’d probably end up soiling your pants pretty regularly, at least if you’re the pants-wearing type of oyster.
As for engagement rings… they were originally supposed to be valuable enough so that if the groom cancelled the engagement, the forsaken bride could sell the stone and have a decent sum of money to live on for a while. Given that many cultures would let engaged couples sleep together, it was basically a compensation for a woman’s virginity, whose loss would make her substantially less attractive on the marriage market. That’s why engagement rings are often very valuable, whereas wedding rings are typically simple bands.
The tradition of maintaining virginity until marriage was important for the aristocracy and the very religious, but for most people, engagement/betrothal was sufficient for permiting sex between partners.
In this day and age, virginity isn’t so much of an issue, and women have their own earning power. Still, I can understand why it’s hard to give up the big shiny ring, when the first thing your girlfriends are going to want to do is ask to see it.
i’m maintaining my virginity til marriage…
Hmm, historical reasons aside, women intrinsically want a generous and committed mate who will shower them with riches. An expensive wedding ring is a perfect way to express this, since it is a combined symbol of commitment, generosity and wealth. I don’t see this changing any time soon. If a woman has a lot of money, she will just demand a mate with equal or more money (aka Erin Burnett). If manufactured diamonds become more popular, “certified natural” diamonds will just come with accreditation papers and will still have a price premium.
There are plenty of logical reasons why this would not be true. However, logic does not apply to stuff like this. People still buy Rolex watches, Louis Vuitton hand bags, and all sorts of irrationally expensive things.
Completely untrue. Most CZ’s have better fire and refractive properties than diamonds. The Moissanite on the other hand, has been proven to be superior to diamonds in every way (particularly optical characteristics) except hardness of which it is just a fraction behind. It still retains a higher durability, however. However, if that’s what the DeBeers guy told you, you have no reason to question him.
I have some beans I’d like to sell you.
Did you pay $20k for them because the sales man told you they were special?
Halo 3 sucked
I agree . If today’s woman chooses the freedom to sleep around and have fun with many guys before settling down, and then still expects all the gifts and bounties showered upon her as though she were pure and has only dedicating herself to only one man, why does the man have to keep his side of the tradition?
It links back to what BlackSwan said before, ““Gender equality is such horse sh*t when girls demand expensive engagement rings because that’s what tradition tells them they deserve”” Tradition also says the woman gives herself to 1 guy, so if that tradition goes out the window, then the guy’s part should too.
Unless you want to convince me the backdoor is now the “new virginity” and only the husband can tap that.
Dude, I know you spent a bunch of money on one, but let’s keep it real ok? Diamonds can definitely scratch. And no matter how strong the diamond, the ring setting holding the diamond is far weaker than the diamond itself, which means you can lose the entire diamond. What good is an “indestructable diamond” if it falls out and you lose it?
Ok aesthetically, diamonds go with everything, fine. I’ll give you that.
And what you said about CZs is untrue as well, as someone else already pointed out.
I think we are missing another point. Diamonds are appreciated by women *because* they are expensive. Thus, any cheaper substitute is inferior by definition.
My chemistry teacher, who was a HCB that had all the boys drooling over her (and some of the girls, no doubt), said something very interesting in chem class:
Diamonds are basically one ginormous carbon molecule. It does not oxidize easily because of the tightly bound crystal structure (there’s no place for the oxygen to latch on to), particularly if it’s cut right, and that’s one reason why they are so shiny and briliant.
But if you give it enough heat and oxygen, it will combust, just like a piece of coal. If you have a house fire and you don’t rescue your diamonds, they will burn up with the house. The pearls won’t.
The moral of the story (according to her): “If you have to choose between giving your girl diamonds and giving her pearls… you should still go with the diamonds!”
She was so hot that I’m amazed that I remember anything from that class. I guess I just wanted to impress her.
Actually, we had a hot calculus teacher too.
I was comparing diamonds to other precious gemstones in terms of durability. Yes, I’ll grant you if your wife is in an industrial fire then the diamond may not make it. Not sure what your point is about the setting. Any gemstone can be lost. Is that a reason not to buy it? That’s why there’s insurance.
I’m not exactly sure what we’re really talking about anymore. Expensive vs cheap diamond; diamond vs other gemstones; or real vs fake? I’m not saying all jewelry has to be expensive, that diamonds are the only gem you should ever buy, or that buying fake diamonds is wrong. Just in the case of an engagement ring it should be an expensive genuine diamond.
WHOA! Lets try to avoid the personal attacks. There are lines you just don’t cross son. Halo 3 is one of them.
And in the case of your next automobile, it should be my used Xterra, $20k above any reasonable value, in cash.
So $700? Two pages ago you were on my side…Flip-flopper.
I’m conflicted on this one.
It kind of makes sense that Sweep, who is a strong proponent of investing in gold, should be the most ardent defender of diamonds in this thread. I bet his basement holds untold treasure. Chicks dig treasure.