Damn these Xmas commercials... Diamonds are'nt "forever", they're Bullshit..

[trekbiker]

why do women need these things?? they are'nt rare, they are'nt valuable.. it's a complete crock, an illusion. I was at dinner with friends and a young newlywed couple was there, both early 20's, the women sporting a huge rock. I find out the guy works as a salesman at a Best Buy??!! and he spent $6,000 on a ring?? what Crap..

some info I googled:

http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/198202/diamond

In their subsequent investigation of the American diamond market, the staff of N. W. Ayer found that since the end of World War I, in 1919, the total amount of diamonds sold in America, measured in carats, had declined by 50 percent; at the same time, the quality of the diamonds, measured in dollar value, had declined by nearly 100 percent. An Ayer memo concluded that the depressed state of the market for diamonds was "the result of the economy, changes in social attitudes and the promotion of competitive luxuries."

Although it could do little about the state of the economy, N. W. Ayer suggested that through a well-orchestrated advertising and public-relations campaign it could have a significant impact on the "social attitudes of the public at large and thereby channel American spending toward larger and more expensive diamonds instead of "competitive luxuries." Specifically, the Ayer study stressed the need to strengthen the association in the public's mind of diamonds with romance. Since "young men buy over 90% of all engagement rings" it would be crucial to inculcate in them the idea that diamonds were a gift of love: the larger and finer the diamond, the greater the expression of love. Similarly, young women had to be encouraged to view diamonds as an integral part of any romantic courtship.

Since the Ayer plan to romanticize diamonds required subtly altering the public's picture of the way a man courts -- and wins -- a woman, the advertising agency strongly suggested exploiting the relatively new medium of motion pictures. Movie idols, the paragons of romance for the mass audience, would be given diamonds to use as their symbols of indestructible love. In addition, the agency suggested offering stories and society photographs to selected magazines and newspapers which would reinforce the link between diamonds and romance. Stories would stress the size of diamonds that celebrities presented to their loved ones, and photographs would conspicuously show the glittering stone on the hand of a well-known woman. Fashion designers would talk on radio programs about the "trend towards diamonds" that Ayer planned to start.

[Avalux]

1. I couldn't care less about diamonds

They don't mean anything to me and I won't insist on having one just because society says so - nothing but a waste of money. Any man who gets me is lucky. ;-)

[Ellis Wyatt]

4. "could not" care less

I never understood why the term "could care less" was the prevailing phrase. It just makes no sense to me.

I'm not being grammar police on you because everyone says "could care less", I just don't get why.

[novalib]

6. Really!

Really, I could care less!

;-)

[lindisfarne]

35. Do you understand "kick the bucket" can mean "to die"? "Couldn't care less" means "I don't care one

iota".

Language police are simply classist.

Language changes. What a phrase means is not necessarily the sum of what the individual words mean.

Learn about language before you correct others' use of it.

[WinkyDink]

50. Well, true and yet not, necessarily. IMHO, "could care less" isn't so much

a linguistic change as it is ignorance of the meaning. Because if one COULD care less, then there is leeway---not what the speaker usually means.

But then, I'm a classist. :)

[Ellis Wyatt]

89. hey dickhead

I'm not correcting or being the police, you pompous windbag.

I was merely saying "I don't understand why people say 'could care less'". I even said, that I wasn't being the police, just asking a question, hopefully to prevent "the posting gestapo" like you who feel the need to jump down anyone's throat if they disagree with soemthing.

And your answer is just retarded.

Piss off.

[soupkitchen]

2. A severed arm is forever

[meganmonkey]

3. Ain't that the truth

:(
No diamonds for me, thanks.

[liberaldemocrat7]

73. I buy my girlfriend cubic zirconia.

It looks very good too.

[BlueJazz]

5. Boy..trekbiker...You have a lot to learn! I mean, after all >>>>

"Every Kiss begins with Kay"

:) :puke:

[trekbiker]

18. thanks alot BlueJazz... now that Jingle is stuck in my head

[BlueJazz]

21. Sorry....Damn...Their Ads are really atrocious. I jump for the...

.."Mute" button every time one of those foul things come on.

Love=Money+Diamonds+Kay Jewelers. :puke:

[bryant69]

7. That's why the Diamond Industry, taking a cue from the Tuna industry

has introduced Conflict Free Diamonds. Yes these are diamonds you can enjoy guilt free, assured that they never came anywhere near a conflict (apparently).

Believe that if you will.

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[Poiuyt]

8. I like the Lexus commercials where the parents buy their college aged daughter

a brand new Lexus

[Ellis Wyatt]

9. Blood Diamond

Is such a great movie.

I haven't seen a good movie in the theatres probably since Momento, but this year, there were three: Borat, The Departed, and Blood Diamond.

Blood Diamond is an A+ movie. I have no idea why it's getting poor reviews and people aren't watching it. Leo nailed the accent, Honsou was great as usual, Connolly is ond of the top 5 most beautiful women of all time (Bo Derek, Halle Berry, Jessica Alba, my girlfriend), it had at least 5 "chill scenes", and the story was just so compelling.

Seriously, you really need to see this movie; you won't regret it.

[trekbiker]

14. agree.. excellent movie.. and hearing a stupid Xmas diamond

romance commercial on the radio right after I left the theater didnt help

[Atman]

10. Isn't it weird how such a "rare" gem is sold it thirty different store in the mall

In every mall in America, diamonds fill kiosks and display windows. There are "discount" diamond stores in virtually every town. Diamonds are used in drill bits for christ sake! Diamonds are about as rare as Bush lies. Yet somehow people will pay thousands of dollars for a tiny rock that is virtually indistinguishable from a factory-made CZ.

Thank god my wife figured that out long ago. No diamonds in this house! I'm sure a lot of men are bummin', though. Diamond jewelry is always an easy cop-out gift when a thoughtless male doesn't know enough about his mate to be able to select a real gift that is really about her.

[edbermac]

11. Diamonds Are Forever! Just ask James Bond!

And Jill St John as Tiffany Case...hubba, hubba...

[PCIntern]

81. My favorite Jewish actress!!

WOW!

[devilgrrl]

12. Oh, I know... they are bullshit.

I can be bothered with them.

[WorseBeforeBetter]

13. But, but..."HE bought it at Jared."

Those commercials grate on me like no others. Well, maybe the ones in which the other half (or top 1-2%) is giving Lexus SUVs as Christmas gifts.

[novalib]

15. BUT...EVERY Kiss Begins With....

But, Every Kiss Begins With Kay!!

I hate those commercials because they are soooooo cheesey!

[RB TexLa]

17. Hardly have to be in the top 2% to give someone a Lexus

Granted it's not an everyday gift for most but it's not a top 2% exclusive.

[WorseBeforeBetter]

25. Spoken like a true Lexus salesperson? (Kidding.) (n/t)

[PVnRT]

84. HE went to Jared's!

Yeah, well, I just went to the courthouse and got our divorce papers filed, you shallow little twit.

[WorseBeforeBetter]

96. I'd nominate that for a Clio! (n/t)

[seabeyond]

16. i was married with a $6 shell ring. hubby wanted to get me a diamond

cause females project that is what they want. i say project cause i know a lot of women arent thrilled with diamonds. i believe it is one of those things women are conditioned with, i was simply never conditioned. i inherited one from mom and has sat in its box for a decade. no desire to have any

i agree that it is a sad thing we condition our girls with and the males feel they need that what.... to be loved? i hate those commercials. (i love christmas and leave it out of this conversation) where the comercial implies the bigger diamond, the more you love your woman. same with the viagra pills.... lol lol

[nashville_brook]

19. diamonds are forever b/c there aren't any more dragons to slay -- some advice...

if she says a "diamond" is a meaningful gesture of commitment, then, you better be ready to find a ring that suits her. period. you aren't getting out of it b/c EVEN IF she (like me) eschews all the "bullshit" accessories of patriarchal marriage, as you go thru life the absence of that "meaningless gesture" will fester.

we live in a culture where your political views vis a vis the hardened rock are a minority, okay. so, she's going to always be seen without that gesture on her hand. don't think that other women don't take notice of this and size your relationship up accordingly. or maybe you WANT to project the image of a loosey-goosey marriage? i didn't think so.

I'm speaking from experience. i was the Debeers hatin' woman and my EX-husband was more than happy to oblige. i had no wedding. no honeymoon. no ring. and i spent the next ten years going to all my friends' weddings, admiring their rings and feeling like the red-headed step-wife upon hearing the stories of their fabulous honeymoons. on our eleventh anniversary he finally purchased a ring for me. he presented in the bag from the jewelers and said, "eh, i was going to do something special, but you've earned this, so here it is" plunking the bag down in front of me.

on our 12th anniversary he confessed that he had had sex on a pool table the night before at a local bar.

i love my ring. i'm divorcing the asshole.

[PreacherCasey]

26. Sorry for the bullshit you had to go through...

When my gf (now EX-GF, thankfully) were talking about marriage this issue actually made me think twice. She wanted a big rock, I asked her if it wouldn't be better to take the $$$$ I would spend on a ring and instead travel all over Europe for our honeymoon. We would have a great time and have memories that really would last for the rest of our lives. "That's nice," she said "but I still want the ring". That wasn't the reason we broke up, but it really illustrated the difference in the things we value as people.

On a funny side note (if it makes you feel any better): she banged one of my good friends and didn't tell me about it for 4 years even though I had my suspicions and asked her about it on several occasions. The lesson I learned from it? Fuck it. You only live once. Dump the jerk and move on. Hope things work out well for you.

:thumbsup:

[nashville_brook]

34. heh heh -- good advice.

the other side of the jewelry coin is that it's the size of the rock, it's the quality of the gesture.

one option for couples grappling with this issue is to find an artisan who you both admire and have rings made that reflects your relationship with or without the diamond. that way you have the shared experience of supporting an artist and the jewelry will always carry that significance. over the years you'll wonder if they are still doing their craft... maybe you'll look them up for an anniversary ring... and you'll have produced something elegant and special.

life IS funny and the little forks in the road often produce the most hysterical stories. the bar he chose to commemorate our 12th was a LESBIAN KARAOKE BAR!! The Lipstick Lounge for anyone familiar with nashville -- visit it and pay hommage to the pool table upstairs!

[WinkyDink]

54. Married 33 years here (and in front of a judge). I was offered the same deal;

I took Europe.

And I picked the ring I wanted 25 years later. :)

[PreacherCasey]

60. Damn, looks like I was 33 years too late in finding my match! haha

Congratulations, I love talking with people whose marraige has lasted the test of time. I only hope to have a similar story in the future.

Here's wishing you and your husband all the best in the future!
:toast:

[Missy Vixen]

28. Nashville_brook, I'm so sorry to read this

>as you go thru life the absence of that "meaningless gesture" will fester.<

We had a tiny wedding and no honeymoon. We couldn't afford it. The only thing I really wanted was a nice ring. My ring is nowhere near the two months' salary recommended by DeBeers, but I wanted something I would never be tired of wearing. The ring was also affordable -- after all, we hadn't spent a buttload on the hoopla surrounding our wedding, had we? My husband kicked and screamed for almost two months before finally buying the ring. I still love my ring, but I still remember the fact that he didn't think it was important that I have something I truly wanted, and it still bothers me. I get compliments on the ring a lot. I also get those who look down their noses at it.

>he presented in the bag from the jewelers and said, "eh, i was going to do something special, but you've earned this, so here it is" plunking the bag down in front of me.<

You are a nice person. I wouldn't have answered the above graciously. Not at all. Instead of making it a moment to treasure, he's let you know that his love must be "earned".

>i love my ring. i'm divorcing the asshole.<

I'm sure this is going to start the flame war of all time here, but patriarchal system or not, in this society, love is still signified by the exchanging of gifts. I'm sure you've given him many wonderful gifts over the years. I understand there are people on this thread that don't care for diamonds. That's your perfect right. Whatever the symbol is that you gave your beloved, it should have been given with a joyful heart, all good wishes, and perhaps a few words about how it's something special for someone special.

IMHO, YMMV,
Julie

[nashville_brook]

31. you said this so well! to me a diamond is a symbol -- it could be anything, what matters

is that the symbol is given with a full heart.

heck, i could have just as easily wanted a couple a llamas as a symbol.

it occurs to me that a symbol is almost MORE important when there's LESS intrinsic value. yes hell, diamonds fit that category. they are plentiful and hard to sell. but they represent nothing else and serve NO OTHER purpose than to symbolize the union. a vacuum cleaner or a dishwasher just isn't going to cut it.

[SmokingJacket]

62. Not necessarily.

It'll fester if there's a problem in your marriage, sure.

I'm not a jewelry person. It would have been dumb for my husband to get me a ring; I would never have worn it. He couldn't have afforded it, and it would be a symbol of "debt" more than "love."

My husband symbolizes his love for me by wordlessly making me a cup of coffee and bringing it to me when I look tired. Damn!!! It's cheap, but so thoughtful! And he does it over and over and over! :loveya:

I think a lot of us would be happier if we broadened our view of what symbolizes love. The marketers have made us think that only a diamond will do -- not true.

Give me a bottomless cup of coffee any day.

[nashville_brook]

64. i'm leaning towards llamas.

if that's not a symbol of love, i don't know what is.

[Missy Vixen]

78. I don't drink coffee, thanks

>I think a lot of us would be happier if we broadened our view of what symbolizes love.<

Again, and I'll speak slowly. Different symbols for different people. In my case, I preferred a ring.

Julie

[SmokingJacket]

80. I'll speak more slowly too.

Diamonds aren't the only -- or best -- symbols of love in our culture.

They're pricey and designed to show off status to others.

[WorseBeforeBetter]

29. Interesting perspective. I know that when I wear my...

UNengagement ring, women treat me much differently than when I'm not. At the grocery store I actually pay attention to those whose eyes go right to the ring. It's really bizarre.

I'm sorry for what you went through, but you have a colorful way of presenting it! :-) Good luck.

[nashville_brook]

36. by "UN-engagement" do you mean that you wear it on your right hand?

i wear mine on my right hand i totally GET that attention -- as in -- DO TELL what happened!

[WorseBeforeBetter]

97. Mostly on my right, but every now and again on my left.

If I'm ever in a situation where I'm surrounded by Pampered Princesses (and believe me, there are plenty of 'em in Raleigh), I may wear it on my left so they're not thinking "oh, that poor, unfortunate unmarried woman" and casting looks of pity my way. I know it's bullshit to concern myself with what they think, but sometimes it's just easier. On the right there's definitely the "do tell" aspect. Either that or "she must be one of those awful secular humanists from Europe." ;-)

[maveric]

20. My girlfriend & I are talking marraige and she doesnt want a diamond.

And I was about to fork out $4000.00 + too.
What a girl! Huh?

[LynzM]

22. I won't buy another diamond until I can get a lab-grown

Yes, I love sparkle. But CZ does that, too, and no little kids lose their arms so that I can wear pretty, sparkly rocks.

[SidDithers]

30. Try Canadian diamonds...

each one engraved with a serial number and the image of a polar bear.

Sid

[trekbiker]

42. years ago a friend of mine bought his bride to be a 1 carat CZ

it sparkled like real, everyone thought it was real and he was very careful not to tell anyone what he had done. But we were all in our 20's just starting out and could'nt figure out how he could afford such a large diamond. Apparently neither could his wife and three years into the marriage she had it appraised. Now THAT was funny..

[nashville_brook]

43. nice way to start out a partnership -- lets symbolize a lifetime of lying

[AlCzervik]

59. no kidding! how about him just saying "We don't have the money for a diamond"

[nashville_brook]

63. is that a giant guinea pig? what an adorable creature!

[AlCzervik]

65. well he started out normal size but now Bob is 4 pounds of fun.

all organic fun mind you.

:D

[nashville_brook]

67. that's a BFGP!

:evilgrin:

[Patiod]

88. My dad sold a business, and bought some diamonds

My mom had been patient over the years with him being gone almost every evening for several years (he kept his "day job" and started a small factory, which he ran at night) so as a "thank you for your patience", he bought her a beautiful cocktail ring, with about 15 small diamonds around a one-carat diamond in the center. Went to the Diamond District in NYC, and picked them each out himself, then had them set.

He said that before he did that, he couldn't tell a diamond from a CZ, but afterwords, he could see the difference. It's all in how trained your eye is. I couldn't tell a diamond from a rhinestone at this point.

[JVS]

71. Russians alreadt have lab-grown ones, you can pick colors too

[Posteritatis]

23. Even if they were rare..

They're frankly just not that aesthetically interesting compared to a lot of other gemstones unless you get into the realm of those genuinely rare ones that are the size of a small dog and have eleventeen bajillion facets. (Though, in that case, I admire them because of the work that went into them, not the diamond itself. Jewelry-scale diamonds bore me, but the Star of Africa looks friggin' cool.)

[Beausoir]

24. Young couples who hock their future for a piece of rock. I don't get it.

I do have a diamond wedding ring. 1/3 of a carat. Paid for cash on the barrel. Couldn't afford the actual ring part for a year, so I kept the loose diamond in a plastic baggy until my husband felt comfortable spending the money for the gold setting. That was about 25 years ago.

Nowadays, rings are all platinum and huge.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

27. women care because men have done a very good job marketing diamonds.

[lindisfarne]

32. That's a cop-out. There's enough info. out there about conflict diamonds. No one should be buying

natural diamonds at this point.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

33. so who is buying these diamonds for women?

why dont they read the literature on it too..

"hey honey..do you know thousands die for diamonds...so i got you a ruby as an engagement ring instead.."

that doesnt seem too hard to do does it?

[lindisfarne]

37. Women buy a lot of their own diamonds, or instruct others to buy them.Everyone has the responsibilit

to be informed, but you cannot shift 100% of responsibility to the marketers.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

38. and you cant shift 100% responsibility to women

men market this, a lot are bought by men, men own most of the mines...

[lindisfarne]

56. I didn't shift 100% responsibility to women; I said your reply was a cop-out; you can't shift 100%

responsibility to the marketers.

[Missy Vixen]

41. That's your opinion

>No one should be buying natural diamonds at this point.<

Nobody should be smoking, drinking, using illicit substances, driving a Hummer, eating fast food or wearing clothing made in a sweatshop, either, but it's frankly none of anyone else's business.

If you don't care for them, don't buy them. If I like them, I'll buy, and I'll wear them.

Julie

[Midlodemocrat]

45. I have quite a few that were gifts from Mr. Midlo on several different

occasions.

A pretty substantial rock when we got engaged. It shocked me, but gave him such pleasure to buy it and I confess I didn't really know about the history of the *blood diamonds*.

He also gave me a beautiful wrap for our 10th anniversary because he wanted to do it.

Knowing what I know now, I would be hard pressed to buy more diamonds, but I have to confess, I love jewelry.

Funny coming from a woman who gets her hair done about 2x a year and works in her pajamas most of the time. :shrug:

[Missy Vixen]

48. I do, too

>I love jewelry<

I'm lucky enough to have a little of it. I wear it and I enjoy it.

>works in her pajamas most of the time<

Working in one's pajamas rocks the free world, doesn't it? :woohoo:

Julie

[lindisfarne]

49. Only you know whether your "diamond" is natural or synthetic (or a cubic zirconia), unless you allow

your friends to examine your diamond the way a jeweler would. The difference in appearance of a synthetic vs. natural diamond at a cocktail party is nil. Although why a synthetic diamond should have less "social prestige" than a natural diamond is beyond me. Unless one equates "social prestige" with ability to spend conspicuously and unnecessarily, while ignoring more pressing social needs, such as paying taxes to support schools, social programs, and so on.

[Midlodemocrat]

74. LOL. Regardless.

I donated $25,000 to the American Red Cross for Hurricane relief, so I think I can enjoy the indulgence my husband provides.

Oh, and both our companies matched, so it was actually $75,000.

I ain't apologizing for nothing.

[phylny]

82. It's true. I do own diamonds - my engagement ring from 26 years ago,

and a ring that was made from diamonds that were originally in my mom's ring. Everything else - from a beautiful set of square cut studs to teardrop studs to a bracelet and necklace - is CZ. I tell my husband not to ever buy me a diamond again, because I don't care about having "only" CZ, and why pay for a diamond when we'd rather save the money?

I do like the way the CZ looks, because you can wear them with jeans or a dress. I just don't need the real thing.

[lindisfarne]

47. You certainly have the right to support child slavery, but comparing smoking to supporting slavery

is going a little far. I'm all for laws which restrict smoking in public and at any time, around children, but smoking, as bad as it is, is not equivalent to enslaving children (or adults) to mine diamonds.

[Missy Vixen]

53. Actually, telling another adult what they can purchase

and how they choose to commemmorate their relationship is going much farther.

Julie

[lindisfarne]

55. Consumer Reports tells adults what to purchase all the time.I also tell people to feed their childre

healthy food!

[Missy Vixen]

58. The adults reading Consumer Reports are actually asking for the advice

As far as telling others what to feed their children, I'm sure that goes over big, too.

Julie

[lindisfarne]

70. No one is forcing you to read this thread!! People who are concerned about their children's health

are generally very thankful if they find out a food they've been feeding their child isn't as healthy or as safe as they might have thought it was. I've convinced many to switch to organic milk, and to avoid purchasing conventionally-grown fruits and vegetables which are in the top 12 for containing pesticides. I've convinced many to not buy certain toys which present safety issues.

[Midlodemocrat]

75. Well, aren't you Susie Sanctimonious?

Does your convincing translate into actual dollars and cents? Because otherwise, it don't mean shit.

[Midlodemocrat]

83. Yup. I would LOVE someone like that to try

and 'instruct' me as to what to feed my kids. In my personal and professional experience, zealots like that are completely full of shit and shockingly misinformed.

Remember the organic mesclun e.coli outbreak a few years ago? I do, and the sanctimonious holier than thou crowd still crowing about how organic produce was safer.

Never mind that it is largely unregulated and in lieu of pesticides farmers use manure. Yeah. That's safe. :eyes:

[bicentennial_baby]

98. Huh?

"Never mind that it is largely unregulated and in lieu of pesticides farmers use manure. Yeah. That's safe."

Now I'm confused...Manure is a fertilizer, not a pesticide. And all the Organic gardeners and farmers I know, which is a good number, use treated manure that's safe for fertilizing food crops. As far as pesticides go, they use IPM techniques. My ex's Dad is head of the MA State IPM Program.

And regulation may vary, depending on locale, but here in MA, they regulate the hell outta Organic producers here. You should have seen the $, time, and equipment involved in order for my ex's parents to become the first Organic maple syrup producer in MA.

[Patiod]

68. How does wearing clothing made in the Marianas rate?

Since we sent almost all of our manufacturing overseas, how do we know our clothing isn't made by slaves?

Activists tend to focus on furs and diamonds, but I don't hear the outrage about the cheap (and expensive) clothing made in slave labor powered factories in Marianas or Saipan or elsewhere. And that's just one issue: there are a lot of people around the world who are suffering while American consumers consume: coffee, Reeboks, DKNY....

I think some of the focus on "blood diamonds" and "fur is murder" is class-driven.

[lindisfarne]

69. There is a lot of information about sweatshops manufacturing apparel. Try google.com. n/t

[liberaldemocrat7]

76. What about the food at restaurants you buy that funds the Republican party?

Yes, what about the food at restaurants that you buy that funds the Republican party? Or the electrical equipment or light bulbs that fund Republican oil wars? What about the pharmacies you go to that fund the Republican party?

People rightly complain about what their purchases fund overseas. But what about the purchases that you make here that fund the Republican party?

At the bottom of my message here learn who funds the Republican party and presure their contributors to get progressive legislation passed.

[longship]

39. Cubic Zucchini?

How 'bout one of them cubical zucchinis?

[HughMoran]

40. Agreed - they are common stones pedaled by a cartel

A murderous cartel - I hate the fucking stones.

[HuffleClaw]

44. i expect elizabeth taylor sure helped their 'cause'

impressive marketing though.

[Mugu]

46. Even if diamonds aren't forever,

they make really good drill bits.

Regards, Mugu

[lindisfarne]

52. Drill bits are synthetic diamonds, which don't contribute to the conflict diamond trade (or child

slavery: children are used in (natural) diamond minds).

[kineneb]

51. nuts with diamonds, I like pearls and rubies

The only diamonds I own are from my mom's first wedding ring (her now ex, and my dad). Hubby could not afford a wedding ring, so I designed ours and had them cast in sterling. My 10th anniversary ring has rubies in white gold.

And pearls... as a Renaissance reinactor, pearls (real or not) go with everything and have such a refined look. Pearls good.

[mentalsolstice]

57. When my husband asked me to marry him, I said okay, but no engagement ring!

I told him I'd rather have a kick-ass honeymoon. As it turns out, his mother (deceased) had left him her wedding set that my FiL gave her during WWII. It's a very dainty, antique set, and I love it (and I've received many compliments on it, all from women who say they don't like gaudiness). However, he hasn't given me a diamond since, nor do I want one.

BTW, we still had the kick-ass honeymoon in Bar Harbor, Maine, and other parts of NE.

[ContraBass Black]

61. Reading this thread, I had a flashback

To two and a half years ago, when the last woman I dated, who demeaned, mistreated, and betrayed me like no one else ever had, as we were riding to the store in her car a few weeks after I gave her a silver dolphin ring as a gift, said, "This is a nice ring, but if you're going to ask me to marry you, you're going to have to get me one with a diamond."

I thank God that this problem solved itself a few months later. :D

[YellowRubberDuckie]

66. They really aren't worth anything...

The only reason they cost so much is because DeBeers, who owns most of the diamonds, doesn't release all they have. Also, Russia is sitting on millions of diamonds. It's ridiculous.
Duckie

[Catherine Vincent]

72. To impress and show off.

Just like everything else.

[Midlodemocrat]

77. Yeah, that's it.

:eyes:

These threads always smack of jealousy to me, but hey, that's just me.

[PVnRT]

85. I'm sure my fiancee wants her $500 diamond engagement ring

to "show off." Christ, I've picked things out of my teeth that are bigger than the diamond in that thing.

[Midlodemocrat]

86. Exactly.

These threads always start out with good intentions in regards to blood diamonds and quickly degenerate into sanctimonious bullshit.

It smacks of jealousy and I, for one, thinks its juvenile.

[PVnRT]

94. I'm not sure it's jealousy

I think there are a lot of people here who want everyone to know just how OUTRAGED they are about this or the other, kind of like those born-again types who make sure EVERYONE sees how much they pray.

[Evoman]

79. Diamonds are the ultimate con-jobs.

Their value is completely artificial. They are almost worthless, but people pay for them anyways.

:rofl: ..but..but...they are so pretttyyy..and symbolic..and and pretty. Hey...I guess marketing does work. We laugh at those jewelry ads, but they are actually having an effect.

Man...sometimes I wonder if I even belong on this planet.

[mainegreen]

87. Meh, I like platinum. Metal is cooler than rock. And shiny too!

Shiny

[Blue_Tires]

90. i'll confess

i've never fully understood why it had to be a diamond, and why a guy should spend 2 months' salary in getting one before even popping the question (especially when there is the chance she might say no)...if people want to do it, fine, but it shouldn't be set-in-stone mandatory or something like that (easy for me to say, since 2 months of my wages won't buy a moissanite)

but there are a lot of things about relationships i don't understand, which is why i remain perpetually single:crazy: :scared: :banghead:

[LeftyMom]

91. Yes, they are bullshit.

Which is why have no desire to have one. And not in a "if you really love me surprise me" or "I don't want one now but you can get me one when we're old and settled" way or some bullshit like that, I'd seriously question the judgment and future relationship potential of anybody who spent that much money on something so utterly useless.

As far as gifts as expressions of love go (and to be honest I'm not wild about the whole concept,) I'd rather a donation in of cash or goods was made to some well-chosen organization. I really don't need or want much I don't have and a small improvement to the world around us is a much nicer gift, as well as one that can be shared.

And in case anybody's wondering, yes my partner knows this and agrees. Actually, we discussed it the first time we ever talked.

[elehhhhna]

92. If you want gorgoeus, inexpensive, passes-for-real jewelry that

nobody died for, go to Evesaddiction.com

They make the best priced faux stuff, ever--for about one percent of the cost of the real stuff.

[TimeChaser]

93. Diamonds are blech. Give me a colored stone anyday

[loudestchick]

95. My husband has always been hard set against purchasing a diamond.

When we got engaged my grandmother offered a stone from one of her rings. a little shy of 1/3 carat and lovely. We had it mounted in a lovely 18k setting.

I'm weak for pearls, though. :shrug:

[RebelOne]

99. After all, "Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend."

http://www.marilynmonroe.com/about/music3.htm