• polygon6121@lemmy.world
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    11 months ago

    I am also convinced that diamonds are a scam. If you like the stone and think it is worth it, by all means, go ahead and buy it. I fucking love shiny things too. But really? Have you seen the price for a tiny 1 karat stone on a ring? That is ridiculous, there is no way in hell those stones are rare enough or warrant that kind of price, and even if the cutting process was the reason for the price ( as if it is not completely fucking automated by now). Fuck the diamond industry.

      • LordOfTheChia@lemmy.world
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        11 months ago

        I think they’re better. Way more fire, less brittle, and a more unique and much rarer stone.

        First discovered 120 years ago in very tiny amounts in a meteorite crater, it wasn’t till the 90s that you could actually get a moissanite gemstone.

      • SuperIce@lemmy.world
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        11 months ago

        The reflections that moissanite makes are a lot more colorful. I prefer that, but some people may prefer the more subdued colors of diamonds. Lab grown diamonds are similarly priced, so just choose which one you prefer.

        • Flying Squid@lemmy.worldM
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          11 months ago

          Either way, you’re getting something lab grown. Almost all moissanite is synthetic because the natural stuff is far rarer than diamond. I don’t know why it matters if it’s formed naturally or made in a lab anyway (aside from avoiding the blood diamond problem obviously). Is it because we’re playing god with diamonds?

    • frickineh@lemmy.world
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      11 months ago

      Also, all the violence involved in the industry. I prefer my sparkly shit to involve less blood.

    • NotATurtle@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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      11 months ago

      It’s definitely a scam, because they gained their value through manipulation as well as artificial and controlled rarity.

    • runswithjedi@lemmy.world
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      11 months ago

      I was shopping for a ring and the salesperson said it’s not even worth buying a diamond now because synthetics are expected to take over the market in a few years. It will likely tank the price of real diamonds because they’re chemically and structurally identical.

      • TexasDrunk@lemmy.world
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        11 months ago

        For a while they weren’t as good. Then they were TOO good. They were identical but the way the inclusions were structured was a giveaway (supposedly, I’m still not sure how true that was).

        Now? The biggest giveaway is the lab certificate of authenticity.

        • captainlezbian@lemmy.world
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          11 months ago

          Also like why would I care if it was made in a lab instead of obtained through large amounts of human suffering?

          And as it is lab grown corundum is good enough for me. Choice in color, low price, and it’s not like I run in circles that have a problem with sapphire

    • Swedneck@discuss.tchncs.de
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      11 months ago

      diamonds aren’t even that pretty, like oh wow how impressive, a bit of particularly reflective glass…

      meanwhile there’s minerals like labradorite or opal that have actually interesting optical effects and CHANGE COLOUR, for a fraction of the price.

      • nBodyProblem@lemmy.world
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        11 months ago

        Moissanite is by far a better buy. It has more fire for 1/100th the price than a natural diamond.

        But I feel like the people saying clear stones like diamond and moissanite aren’t pretty have never seen a clear, well cut, multi karat, example in the sun. The rainbow colors and brilliance from a clear high refraction stone like a diamond is frankly insane. You can see the rainbow colors shooting off of it from like 100 yards away if the lighting is right. No colored stone has quite the same wow factor as a good diamond or moissanite in the right light. That’s why diamonds have historically been in such high demand.

        Opal, Alexandrite, and many other stones are equally beautiful in their own way. But it’s weird to make that point by putting down clear stones that are absolutely spectacular.

      • Flying Squid@lemmy.worldM
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        11 months ago

        I disagree on the first part. I think diamonds, properly cut diamonds anyway, are very pretty. But they are vastly overvalued and if humanity as a whole gave up on diamonds as an aesthetic item, I wouldn’t shed a tear.

    • Aleric@lemmy.world
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      11 months ago

      Because they were brainwashed into believing they’re somehow valuable and a good investment that retains its value, despite them actually being neither of those.

      • Awkwardparticle@programming.dev
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        11 months ago

        It’s funny because once the diamond is on the ring and sold it becomes worthless, the metal in the ring may be worth more than the stones after it leaves the store. I had thousands of dollars worth of diamond jewelry and could barely get a few hundred for it.

  • Buddahriffic@lemmy.world
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    11 months ago

    I am so anti-diamond that if a partner insisted on a diamond ring, I would have to think very hard about the whole relationship. Especially because it’s one of the less interesting stones, even ignoring all the scam and ethical issues.

    • RiverGhost@slrpnk.net
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      11 months ago

      Same. My partner and I are engaged but there’s never going to be a diamond in the picture. If they had found the diamond ritual important, we wouldn’t be too compatible.

      I also cannot deal with rings in general due to sensory issues.

      We do want to find some kind of wearable, interesting symbol though.

      • Suck_on_my_Presence@lemmy.world
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        11 months ago

        I know it’s not the best recommendation, but my partner and I have matching tattoos on our ring fingers. It’s a symbol for something we both really really love and it’s delicate and sensible enough that no one looks twice. Even if we split, it’s not their name or anything and it’s still something that means a lot to me on its own and is vague enough to be something I’ll still enjoy

      • AquaTofana@lemmy.world
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        11 months ago

        Ooohhh have you about buying a band and wearing it on a chain around your neck instead? I know people who work with machinery do that to avoid their rings getting caught on the equipment.

        I’ve always thought it was kind of sweet because now your ring hangs close to your heart everyday!

    • nBodyProblem@lemmy.world
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      11 months ago

      Same. I like the whole engagement ring ritual but I’ll be damned if our marriage is going to hinge on my “proving my love” with some overpriced trinket that costs a couple months’ salary and loses 95% of its value when it leaves the store. If that’s what it takes for us to get married it’s not the type of relationship I want in my life.

    • Flying Squid@lemmy.worldM
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      11 months ago

      My wife wore a diamond engagement ring (multiple small diamonds set in a ring), but it belonged to my great-grandmother, so it had value beyond just buying a diamond for the purposes of showing off your engagement. One of the diamonds fell out and got lost, so she stopped wearing it before any of the rest fell out. I would certainly never have bought her a new diamond ring even if I could have afforded one and she wouldn’t have wanted me to.

  • Dudewitbow@lemmy.zip
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    11 months ago

    millennials aren’t buying a rare earth gem that has its price and value artificially increased for maximum profits*

      • Dudewitbow@lemmy.zip
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        11 months ago

        Rare earth gems arent necessarily elements (on the periodic table) diamond is just a form of a common element (carbon) but rare due to the conditions required to turn carbon into diamond (high pressure)

  • TrickDacy@lemmy.world
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    11 months ago

    Also…they’re less likely to be morons who live their lives based on television commercials made by con artists

  • henfredemars@infosec.pub
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    11 months ago

    My wife wanted amethyst because “everyone gets a diamond ring. And it’s purple!” It was also very cost effective.

  • jtk@lemmy.sdf.org
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    11 months ago

    Have they tried marketing discolored green ones as “Avocado Diamonds”?

  • sebinspace@lemmy.world
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    11 months ago

    I mean what does the diamond do besides just sit there and be pretty?

    For the same money, I can buy a model train

  • Commiunism@lemmy.wtf
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    11 months ago

    If any of you want diamond jewelry, be it rings or necklaces or whatever, look up synthetic diamonds. Far cheaper and result is often the same if not better, as its made in controlled environment and perfect conditions it offers.

    • jol@discuss.tchncs.de
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      11 months ago

      Synthetic diamonds are practically perfect. So perfect that “real diamond” marketers have pivoted to say that the best diamonds have imperfect, like people.

    • rosymind@leminal.space
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      11 months ago

      I have one and it’s exquisite. My husband had originally proposed with a dull, heart-shaped blood-diamond that cost him about 10k. I think he could tell that I didn’t like it, and told me it could be returned.

      I felt bad for not liking the first, but worse about the thought of some poor lil kid digging it up in Africa. We found a synthetic diamond that is PERFECT and glitters like crazy. I’m extremely happy with my synthetic diamond ring. It’s the prettiest piece of jewelry that I’ve ever owned. Highly recommended

      • nBodyProblem@lemmy.world
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        11 months ago

        I agree diamonds are dumb and overpriced when you can get a better result from moissanite or lab grown.

        That said, I’m curious why you assume it’s a blood diamond? Conflict diamonds only account for ~5% of all diamonds in the trade. Russia and Canada combined account for >50% of all rough diamonds in the industry.

  • Bigoldmustard@lemmy.zip
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    11 months ago

    Found me a lady who wanted an amethyst. Paid like $300, biggest issue was the stone was so big it kept getting loose. Those are our preferences though, some people want the diamond and that’s fine. It’s okay to want something dumb. Nothing you acquire will be meaningful in the long run, it’s the memories.