Why should a husband/boyfriend ever buy an actual diamond when alternative is there?

What?!? Things other than gold have monetary value? I'm calling BS

themanontherun wrote:

CZ is short for Cubic Zirconium (I think I spelled that correctly...). It is the same as a diamond in almost every way, but there are ways to differentiate the two. Cubic Zirconium is a far less expensive rock than diamonds are, despite the inability of most people to tell the two apart. A study of professional jewelers demonstrated that even with the aid of microscopes designed for examining the quality of jewels, they have trouble telling the two apart. Better microscopes make the difference more apparent.

Thats wrong, actually. What you are talking about are Lab produced synthetic Diamonds. Anyone with even a little bit of jeweler training can tell you the difference between a Cubic Zirconium and a diamond. A professional jeweler could tell you the difference between the two with nothing more than a scale, or a light and a loupe, or electrical current meter.

quick question for ya wrote:

Can you buy CZ at any jewelry store ?

No, go to Ebay.

My wife bought one from QVC and has had tons of her women friends go nuts over it. They all think it is real, too.

FYI- only feign exictement over other women\'s jewlery. We really couldn\'t give a shi%.

I don't want to bid, I want to buy. Any other store suggestions ?

To each is own.

Do want you want.

asasmzcxv wrote:

Uhh... money isn't based on gold anymore.

Actually money still pretty much is, the US does not have gold to back up it's dollars, but gold is still the easiest method to move money. Most countries hold gold in reserves to defend their currency, just because the US does not follow the "Gold Standard" doesn't mean gold is worthless. Gold is still used as a way to store wealth, look up the price per ounce of gold on the open market if you don't believe that.

Gold, unlike diamonds, has been the basis for currency as long as we have been able to mine it. Anywhere in the world, you'll be able to either use gold directly for transactions, or get currency with it. Diamonds, on the other hand, must go through the diamond cartel, which sets purchase prices, and which means you will have a hard time sell a diamond legitimately anywhere near its perceived "value", adjusted for inflation.

I don't think you quite grasp what it means to say that a currency is based upon gold.

The fact that gold's price changes so much with economic conditions should make that clear.

My husband gave me a smallish diamond when we got engaged, however it was beautiful and symbolized his committment to me. 15 years later he wanted to upgrade my ring. I couldn't see spending thousands on a new ring so we bought a beautiful CZ ring in 14k gold. Spent a few hundred not a few thousand on it. I love it. I guess once you're married awhile and you know it's real, what goes on the finger doesn't matter as much any more. However I will admit that I still have the social pressure of wanting the big ring. Otherwise I would have stayed with my original ring.

That's pathetic, really. I have lots of friends with large diamonds adoring their fingers, ears and wrists. Never once have I felt pressure to upgrade my jewelry to mimic theirs. I don't measure myself in terms of what others perceive of me based on my appearance. And, I could care less what my non-friends perceive of me anyway.

its the truth wrote:

Thats wrong, actually. What you are talking about are Lab produced synthetic Diamonds. Anyone with even a little bit of jeweler training can tell you the difference between a Cubic Zirconium and a diamond. A professional jeweler could tell you the difference between the two with nothing more than a scale, or a light and a loupe, or electrical current meter.

I stand corrected. So are artificial diamonds more or less expensive than real ones, and how do they compare to CZ in terms of price?

FrostyTheShowMan wrote:

From the dawn of time women have liked, enjoyed, and sought out shiney bobbles, trinkets, jewels and such. It's hardwired into them, it's part of their DNA.

Any woman that says she doesnt want a big shiney diamond ring is a liar. It's like a man saying he doesn't like women with juicy lips, a nice rack, and great @ss.

WRONG. It is not in our DNA.

I wear jewelry but I think advertising your diamonds is dumb. Honestly, I would prefer to not even wear my wedding ring in the winter but people might talk if I took it off. My diamond is tiny and I would feel silly wearing anything bigger. I think I have nice hands and it would ruin it.

I think some guys feel the pressure also. My husband had wanted to get me a bigger ring for a few years but we have forgotten about it. He did buy me diamond earrings once and I cant wear them because I am afraid of losing them! I always want to look good, but I don't see how a big diamond does this. And no, it has nothing to do with the size of your commitment.

Social Pressure? wrote:

That's pathetic, really. I have lots of friends with large diamonds adoring their fingers, ears and wrists. Never once have I felt pressure to upgrade my jewelry to mimic theirs. I don't measure myself in terms of what others perceive of me based on my appearance. And, I could care less what my non-friends perceive of me anyway.

LM, we have a large home on the harbor, paid for, tie the boat up out back, live however luxuriously we want to and my wife has a real diamond. None of this is faux or fake. To each his own but keep it real. Hard work and diligence has its own rewards to enjoy.

All right, referring to someone as trailer park is wrong. Should not have used that phrase. But we didn't work hard and prosper to buy phony stuff and try pass it off as real.

yes this is the most ridiculous overpriced gem stone in existence. For millennia it had no real value for a number of reasons but either way it was only with De Beers and their marketing campaigns/a tight control on supply that this useless rock got a substantive value associated with it. While I wouldn't try to trick my gf or wife to be with a fake diamond I would certainly find a ring with some kind of value beyond what the jewellery store at the mall assigns it

No Name wrote:

LM, we have a large home on the harbor, paid for, tie the boat up out back, live however luxuriously we want to and my wife has a real diamond. None of this is faux or fake. To each his own but keep it real. Hard work and diligence has its own rewards to enjoy.

All right, referring to someone as trailer park is wrong. Should not have used that phrase. But we didn't work hard and prosper to buy phony stuff and try pass it off as real.

I would think that someone who works so hard would learn to appreciate things for actual value rather than perceived value.

tmoth - I can tell you we would not buy a phony diamond and try to impress people to make them believe it is real. I'd do without rather than trick or deceive someone. Sometimes one deceit leads to another, where does it stop?

Social Pressure? wrote:

That's pathetic, really. I have lots of friends with large diamonds adoring their fingers, ears and wrists. Never once have I felt pressure to upgrade my jewelry to mimic theirs. I don't measure myself in terms of what others perceive of me based on my appearance. And, I could care less what my non-friends perceive of me anyway.

Thank you for your holier-than-thou attitude. Where in my post did I say my husband or I felt "pressure to upgrade" in order to mimic my friends?

I said he WANTED to upgrade my ring. I wanted a bigger ring but was practical enough to save the money.

Oh, and Merry Christmas to you too. You don't have a chip on your ring finger...it's firmly affixed to your shoulder.