The diamond world takes radical steps to stop a pricing plunge

Post by oblio » Mon, Nov 13, 2023, 9:42 AM UTC

Retric wrote: post #352

oblio wrote: post #339

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes, it counts. If you look at most modern traditions, 90% of them are less than 100-150 years old. Christmas today looks nothing like Christmas in 1900, across the world. Most of the foods today (and I'm not talking about fast food) were invented in the same period. At least their modern incarnations, sometimes they have really old names but the old versions had very little in common with the current food.

I disagree, Tinsel is at the edge of that 150 year window only going back to 1890’s, but Christmas hasn’t changed that much from 200 years ago. If you look at old pictures Christmas trees taken in 1900 it looks basically the same as one today except for the LED lighting showing how slowly things evolved. Documentation isn’t that great, but back in the 1450’s people decorated fir trees with apples alongside other orna…

Post by benj111 » Mon, Nov 13, 2023, 9:43 AM UTC

Retric wrote: post #313

yayitswei wrote: post #269

Earlier quoted context omitted.

KFC Christmas dinner in Japan is a fun one. To be fair, all of our major holidays have been co-opted by corporations and they are still warmly celebrated. Going back to wedding rings, giving your new partner something of value is a very old tradition indeed (though what's perceived as valuable has changed greatly).

Giving a partner something of actual value is one thing, but diamonds aren’t worth what you’re paying. That purchase needs to support an entire industry and massive marketing campaign around maintaining an artificial tradition.

Post by ginko » Mon, Nov 13, 2023, 9:45 AM UTC

oblio wrote: post #360

ginko wrote: post #351

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Diamonds are still too expensive as long as you can't get phone screens, PC heatsinks and chip wafers made from the stuff.

I imagine they're working on it. But why heatsinks and chip wafers? I know diamond is carbon, but does it have some specific properties except hardness that help with those?

Post by [deleted] » Mon, Nov 13, 2023, 9:48 AM UTC

oblio wrote: post #319

sneak wrote: post #285

Earlier quoted context omitted.

People who make irrational choices about large financial purchases don’t make good long term life partners.

Wait till you hear that car purchases are largely emotional and 99% of what we say about those decisions are post-facto rationalizations.

Post by ozim » Mon, Nov 13, 2023, 9:56 AM UTC

jamiek88 wrote: post #4

Has anyone ever tried to sell an engagement or wedding ring with diamonds? You get cents on the dollar. Even or I should say especially brand names like Tiffany. The whole thing is a scam from start to finish and I wish I could go back in time and avoid the entire thing.