Diamonds - Are They Really Worth the Cost? 2388
hardDiamond asks: "I'm going to get engaged. I know my 4 C's. I know I'm going to get screwed by the jeweller, but that's okay: after all, a diamond engagement ring is a time-honoured tradition... NOT. Having checked out the goods, looked for the flaws, I found the biggest one of all. Diamond engagement rings are the creation of a well orchestrated advertising campaign for most of the last century - according to this article.
Would you buy one for the love of your life? I know my girlfriend would love a diamond, but ethically I have my doubts. Diseased-miners, child slave labour, cartel inflated prices... and as if that wasn't enough, diamonds have no resale value. Naddah. Zilch. They'll sell you the shit, but damn it, they're not taking it back at any price. So what have my fellow slashdotters done with regards to engagement rings? What's a good substitute for diamonds? My girlfriend understands my thoughts regarding diamonds, but deep down, I'm sure she would like a diamond. Even a small one." I've never even thought about questioning such a time honored tradition, but now I'm curious. Have any of you looked at the issues surrounding diamonds and found them wanting? What alternatives have you found and were they acceptable?
After researching this a bit, one of the key facts to surface is that 2-4.5% of diamond sales will go to finance terrorism or forms of violence. Such diamonds, for want of a better term, have been named "conflict diamonds". For those of you interested in following up on this subject, here are a few more links:
For those of you who have a subscription to Science News, the cover story, this month, deals with this issue as well.Fatal Transactions
Conflict Diamonds: Sanctions and War
The Campaign to Eliminate Conflict Diamonds
The Kimberly Process, which will attempt to track diamonds to their origin. This is to begin in November.
You know, it's just too easy (Score:5, Funny)
Girlfriends?
Marriage?
This has to be some sort of hoax. Is it April already?
Easy alternative (Score:5, Funny)
diamond sponsored terrorism (Score:5, Funny)
Most women aren't nearly so shallow (Score:4, Funny)
Get a GIANT phoney and she can still brag/lie to her family/friends and secretly feel morally superior.
Re:The Answer (Score:5, Funny)
To all the replies that say that diamonds should be bought she replied "Whipped!" "That one's whipped too!"
Trust me, diamonds are worth it (Score:2, Funny)
Re:diamond sponsored terrorism (Score:5, Funny)
"I helped blow up a fireman's dog - by driving my SUV!"
Re:diamond sponsored terrorism (Score:1, Funny)
WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU?!! (Score:5, Funny)
You are a nerd with a girlfriend.
Most of the people here rarely talk to girls (no, its not flamebait; im one of them), let alone marry them! Buy her a diamond ring you idiot!
Re:Try Emeralds (Score:3, Funny)
Value, worth, social pressures, and traditions are all arbitrary. Decide if you're someone who likes to go along or rebel or somewhere in between, then get on with your life.
Re:Fuck tradition (Score:2, Funny)
Re:alternatives? (Score:3, Funny)
(The above was a joke. Reference to Wind..aw, screw it.)
Re:apparently, an ugly rock == proof of love. (Score:3, Funny)
The texturing isn't that great. Whoever made them should go back and redo the bump mapping. And a little anisotropy wouldn't hurt.
Re:alternatives? (Score:5, Funny)
Just give her a gold band with a large piece of coal embedded in it and tell her that you're making a very long term investment in your future together.
Re:Do you two talk to each other? (Score:4, Funny)
It's not worth taking the risk.
Re:alternatives? (Score:1, Funny)
That serves your interests as well. Might as well have her walk on you with the best shoes available.
Re:The Answer (Score:4, Funny)
Think about it... Made in Canada by skilled craftsmen and it will last an eternity. Get aircraft grade for extra strength. Sure you can wimp out and get one with a diamond, or gold and support the slave labor in hotter than hell diamond pits n Africa, but why?
http://www.titaniumrings.com
SR-71, Spacecraft, Mountain Bikes frames, Medical Tranplants. Modern man always uses Titanium where it counts. Put it on your girlfriends finger today!
Re:Yes - you need to get one. (Score:5, Funny)
(snip snip)
If you answer 'yes' to any one of the following questions, you must also be cheap:
- I like to pay extraordinary amounts of money for products of inferior quality.
- I enjoy pissing away thousands of dollars on a piece of jewelry that is kept artificially overvalued.
- I love being at the mercy of international jewel cartels.
- I like getting ripped off.
Re:I Got my wife a Tree (Score:1, Funny)
Re:Do you two talk to each other? (Score:4, Funny)
I am a very practical person who sees such things as being symbols pointing to something much greater. Whenever I see those "A diamond is forever" commercials, I think "So 6 months' salary saved towards a house!"
A tatoo on your ass, now THAT lasts forever!
As it turned out, she felt the same way, so we took a route that was appropriate.
I think it is helpful to just establish what her hopes are related to this(real hopes, not what she thinks she should say) and what your real reservations are...then explore options that make both of you honestly happy. If this is an important issue to both of you, then compromising becomes a lose-lose situation and will pop up to bite one of you two later. Indeed, compromise is only acceptable if one of you turns out not to care all *that* much about the issue....a helpful tip to remember.
My girlfriend and I once fought about an issue for 18 months before finding a win-win solution.....mainly because if one of us compromised it would have haunted us later.
As far as win-win possibilities go, antique jewelry is a wonderful way to go. All of the jewelry will have a history and story related to it, and may cost less than "new" jewelry.
Also perhaps visiting a jeweler to discuss other gemstones would be helpful. My mother (a collector) showed me "Mystic Pink Topaz" the other day. It's an absolutely beautiful rose colored gem that seems to yank the light right out of the air and sparkle with blues, greens, purples, etc.
Good luck with the ring, the relationship, etc etc etc.
Re:The Answer (Score:5, Funny)
And some additional tips.
-You better remember each and every anniversary. When you met, the first date, when you proposed and yeah, when you got committed (I got hitched on 50th anniversary of Pearl Harbor, so the news gives me a tip off, lest I forget)
-Birthdays. Its ok to forget age. Or at least preface it with "well you don't look a day over".
-Valentines day. A biggie. Plan ahead. They can spot last minute shopping efforts a mile away. A six pack and a candy bar don't cut it.
-And practice your responses to the following: Do I look fat? Do you still love me? What are you thinking? Do you think she's good looking? A moments hesitation will land you in the dog house.
Good luck on your incarceration.
Re:alternatives? (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Do you two talk to each other? (Score:5, Funny)
As it turned out, she felt the same way, so we took a route that was appropriate."
Now, I have to ask... Did you really intend to write those two sentences together?
Re:How can they have no resale value? (Score:4, Funny)
Sound like a good description of the marriage proposal process.
Man-Whoring [Was: Re:apparently, an...] (Score:2, Funny)
One Diamond Ring: us$949.99.
Knowing You're A Pussy Whipped Man-Whore: Priceless.
exactly (Score:4, Funny)
So... Ms. casualgeorge... what are you doing this weekend?
Re:Agreed (Score:3, Funny)
Re:There are other countries... (Score:2, Funny)
Just tell her I said, (Score:5, Funny)
"BTW, I re-partioned your PC, got rid of Windows, and set you up with free BSD and a Tesla coil."
"Honey? Honey?"
Re:alternatives? (Score:5, Funny)
One ring to tule them all... (Score:5, Funny)
This ring is guaranteed to last for all eternity, and will grant countless powers as well as being a pledge of your ever lasting and eternal love. When my grandfather first forged this ring in ages past, he made it to last, and it has certainly stood the test of time. What better way of telling that special someone "This is going to last forever?"
Supplies are EXTREMELY limited, so hurry on in, or email DarkLord@mordor.org for this and other wonderful items.
Something I saw posted... (Score:5, Funny)
Actual conversation between me and my girlfriend:
Me: If we get engaged, don't expect much in the way of a ring. I'm pretty broke.
Her: It's OK. I don't need a very expensive ring.
Me [uneasy at the qualifier "very"]:
Her: Yes, it was beautiful! I'd love to have a ring like that!
Me:
Her: Don't be silly. I wouldn't want more than you could afford.
Me: Define "afford."
Her: Two months' salary is normal.
Me [calculating]: Um... wow. That would be, like, $4000. That's a lot.
Her: Gross, dear, not net. It would be more like $6000.
Me: Who makes up these rules?
Her: That's just the custom, honey.
Me: You know that's just a marketing gimmick started by the diamond cartels around the turn of the century, don't you?
Her: Silly. I don't need an expensive ring.
Me: The conversation up to this point notwithstanding?
Her: Two months' salary is normal. It's not expensive.
Me: So if you found, say, $6000 worth of computer hardware on our joint credit card, I could say "Hey, that's not expensive; it's just what computers cost!"
Her: That's different. That would be just for you. The ring is for both of us.
Me: So I get to wear this ring part of the time?
Her: Silly. The ring shows everyone how much you love me.
Me: And what shows everyone how much you love me?
Her: The ring.
Me: Do you see a certain asymmetry in this arrangement?
Her: You should be proud that everyone sees me wearing your ring. It tells the world how much you value me.
Me: Approximately $6000 worth, apparently. Does this mean that rich men value their wives more than poor men?
Her: No. It's two months' salary for everyone.
Me: Ah, so wives are priced on a sliding scale, then, like low-income housing?
Her: I wouldn't put it that way.
Me: How would you put it?
Her: A little money is a small price to pay for something that lasts forever.
Me: You lifted that directly from a jewelery commercial.
Her: That doesn't make it untrue.
Me: Touché.
Her: Look, if you live to be 80...
Me: I don't like that "if."
Her [ignoring me]:
Me: I'm alarmed at how quickly you arrived at that number.
Her [ignoring me]: $130 a year isn't so much for my love, is it?
Me: Well, it's a good deal cheaper than escort services.... OW! OW! Quit hitting; I'm driving here!
Her: You get a lot more from this relationship than sex.
Me: Yeah, the contusions make it all worthwhile.
Her: Baby.
Me: Y'know, this actually works out better for you if I die early. Your yearly value increases inversely to the length of my life. If I only live to 50....
Her: I'm tired of talking about this.
Me: That's because you're losing.
Her: I'm not losing. We're not competing. You told me you couldn't afford an expensive ring, and I said that was OK.
Me: Ah, so it's the "affording" part that's irrelevant.
Her: Stop being so silly. I've bought jewelry on credit before; it's no big deal.
Me: That's the solution!
Her: What is?
Me: You buy the ring.
Her: That's not how it works, honey.
Me: If people look at the ring to see how much I love you, wouldn't it make sense to get the most expensive ring available? You've got better credit than me, so....
Her: But the point is for you to buy it, so people can see how much you value me.
Me: How are people going to know who bought it? Do the salespeople engrave the credit card holder's name on the band?
Her: I'll know.
Me: Well, yes, that's a given.
Her: I'll know you didn't want to pay for my ring.
Me: I thought we'd established that.
Her: I'm tired of talking about this. Forget it.
Me: I'm trying to understand, really. We're supposed to have a token of our love, right?
Her: Whatever. Right.
Me: This token is something you would want anyway, a piece of jewelry.
Her: Honey...
Me: Bear with me. The token is sized for you, presumably styled the way I think you'd like it...
Her: Actually, I get to pick it out.
Me: Even better for my purposes. So the token is styled just for you, sized so only you can wear it. You keep it with you always. Do we both own it?
Her: No, the bride owns the ring always.
Me: OK. So you get a ring that may or may not be expensive, depending on your definition, which is your exclusive property to do with as you please. I get to pay for it. Remember what I said about asymmetry?
Her: So you want a ring?
Me: No. To be symmetrical, it would have to be something I want. A laptop, for instance.
Her: You want an engagement laptop?
Me: That's just an example.
Her: That's not parallel. Computers depreciate; good jewelry doesn't.
Me: Good point. I guess there's no such thing as a ring upgrade.
Her: Actually, they make these things called "sleeves" which you buy for major anniversaries....
Me: Dude, I'm gettin' a Dell!
They missed the best selling point! (Score:3, Funny)
Maybe if you laid off the midget porn.... (Score:2, Funny)
Best goddamn midget porn in town! [fuckporn.net]
High tensile bolt cutters (Score:4, Funny)
Besides, it's motivation to stay trim taut 'n' terrific, isn't it? (-:
He could always be proactive and fatten her up before the wedding, before sizing the ring...
Re:They missed the best selling point! (Score:5, Funny)
You wish you could make your girlfriend QUIET.
=)
Re:Something I saw posted... (Score:5, Funny)
Scene: a chalet bedroom, 3am.
Her: Do you love me?
Me: Wha? Who? Whassamatta?
Her: Are you asleep?
Me: Have we not already established the futility of asking that question?
Her: So you don't love me?
Me: What? Start over.
Her: I asked if you love me and you said it was a futile question.
Me: No, asking "Are you asleep?" is a futile question.
Her: Why?
Me: Either I am, in which case I can't hear you, or I'm not, in which case you can go ahead and talk to me without asking if I am. The question itself is pointless.
Her: But if you answer it, I know you're awake.
Me: But you want to know if I'm awake for a reason, right? You want to ask another question, right?
Her: Right.
Me: So why not just ask it? If I'm awake, I'll answer. If not, I won't. Same thing, fewer questions.
Her: So asking if you're awake is inefficient?
Me: Exactly.
Her: I wasn't aware efficiency is a concern in conversation.
Me: Efficiency is always a concern.
Her: So why do you leave the seat up?
Me: Clarify.
Her: Why do you leave the toilet seat up? I always need it down, and you need it down 50% of the time. Efficiency would require leaving it down as a matter of practice.
Me: True.
Her: So why doesn't efficiency govern your behavior in the bathroom?
Me: I'm a hypocrite.
Her: That's a defense for anything.
Me: Clarify.
Her: Committing to a principle means abiding by its consequences. If you adopt rules in one situation, but ignore the implications of those rules in another...
Me: I'm a hypocrite.
Her: Exactly.
Me: But I admitted that.
Her: That obviates the utility of adopting rules in the first place. If you can wiggle out of anything by acknowledging hypocrisy, I could kill you and justify it by saying, "Well, I don't believe in killing people, but I'm a murderer."
Me: That's interesting.
Her: That's what you say when you can't think of anything else to say.
Me: What?
Her: "That's interesting." Then you say "What?" when I call you on it.
Me: You wanted something when this conversation started, didn't you?
Her:
Me: Your critique is merely descriptive, and therefore trivial. I know what I do. Stating it as if you've caught me at something scores you no points.
Her: I just wanted you to know I'm not fooled.
Me: Noted. Now, was there some other question?
Her: Do you love me?
Me: I believe the fact we were just married should answer that question adequately.
Her: Lots of married people don't love each other.
Me: True. I do love you, as it happens.
Her: Thank you.
Me: Wanna have sex?
Her: It's less fun now that it's legal.
Me: Is that a "no"?
Her: No.
Re:You know, it's just too easy (Score:5, Funny)
Just wait for five years until the Slashdot generation starts having kids. You'll be seeing stories about baby formulae and disposable diapers.
Re:alternatives? (Score:4, Funny)
Well, apparently, they're the materialistic small-minded bitches who would marry someone for the financial security they could provide. OF COURSE they're going to want something ridiculously expensive and pointless - it establishes the way things are to go from that point on.
Sorry, I do know you were joking...
Indeed (Score:4, Funny)
Didn't want to fuel that whole "more time with the computer" thing you know
Re:graphite Thermodynamic stability of Diamonds (Score:5, Funny)
I routinely put my girlfriend in a high temperature and pressure environment. She seems to enjoy it.
Best Form of Carbon (Score:5, Funny)
According to a friend's chemistry professor, diamonds are a rip-off anyway. The crystaline structure of the carbon atoms in diamonds isn't the most stable form of carbon. Apparently, diamonds aren't really "forever," they're only for a few billion years. Now graphite, on the other hand, now that's forever! (Or at least a lot closer!)
So buy her some pencil lead, and maybe one of those cool, high-dollar mechanical pencils to go with it!
(Disclaimer: I assume no responsibility for any bodily harm that may result from following this advice. I, myself, am happily married, and if you tell my wife I said this, I'll deny it.)
Re:apparently, an ugly rock == proof of love. (Score:2, Funny)
Re:Do you two talk to each other? (Score:3, Funny)
That's what I get for trying to insert a witty reamark after writing the entire message.
Just for the record, we skipped the tatoo route
Still shaking head in disbelief,
Troy
Re:alternatives? (Score:2, Funny)
Um, dude, this century started last year.
Re:There are other countries... (Score:2, Funny)
OT: how C++ does its dirty deed (Score:5, Funny)
I agree: a lot more people are made a lot more miserable by the diamond trade than by C++. The latter is a subtle, merciful killer; it eschews violence. Freshmen simply lose the will to live about four weeks into CS101, when they learn the true meaning of inheritance and friendship: "you aren't going to get a lot of money from your parents, but you will probably get the same self-destructive behavior they had, which will probably be triggered by someone covering his ass after someone you thought was your friend tripped you up by playing with your member".
["Only friends can play with your member(s)" heard from Andy Kinley at RHIT, IIRC. Hi, Andy!]
Re:Progress in synthetics (Score:3, Funny)
Dude, a diamond ring that glows in the dark under blacklight? That's BETTER than a slave mine diamond, who are they kidding? :-)
Re:Dump the bitch and find a man! (Score:1, Funny)
I might even turn straight for this.
Re:Something I saw posted... (Score:1, Funny)
It's what she thinks that counts (Score:2, Funny)
Alternate Jewelry (Score:2, Funny)
Re:Let's give this some thought (Score:2, Funny)
Speaking as a female geek, the idea of spending vast sums of money on a bit of rock and metal in order to 'prove your love' seems utterly ludicrous. Quite frankly, if she's more interested in that than she is in you, dump her.
In my country... (Score:1, Funny)
If I brought my gf a diamond ring she'd throw it at my face and tell me to find some lame bimbo who's impressed by "horteradas" (Anyone know the translation for that??? - hint: it's Spanish....)
Re:Toilet Seat Etiquette (Score:2, Funny)
-Tom