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The diamond world takes radical steps to stop a pricing plunge

bloomberg.com

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Re: The diamond world takes radical steps to stop a pricing plunge

#531

Post by gnicholas »

lelanthran wrote: post #292
gnicholas wrote: post #112

Earlier quoted context omitted.

From what I hear, moissanite (and man-made diamonds) are pretty much indistinguishable from natural diamonds. How would someone's friends figure out that it's not a natural diamond? I would think the only way the wife would know is if she asked about the diamond's papers, if she was going to get an insurance policy for it or something.

> How would someone's friends figure out that it's not a natural diamond? I would think the only way the wife would know is if she asked about the diamond's papers, if she was going to get an insurance policy for it or something. It actually doesn't matter how she finds out that you lied to her about the biggest life change she will ever experience for the rest of her life. What matters is that lying to a person you…

> Arguing that it's okay because you will never be found out isn't relevant.

I didn't argue this at all, and in a reply to another comment below, 3 hours before your comment, I made it clear that all I was saying was that it's a bit farfetched to say someone is going to be embarrassed in front of her friends because of the ring.

Re: The diamond world takes radical steps to stop a pricing plunge

#532

Post by forgetfreeman »

paulddraper wrote: post #475
forgetfreeman wrote: post #233

Earlier quoted context omitted.

because I definitely want to spend the rest of my life with someone who's hypnotized by multi-generational marketing campaigns into wearing industrial abrasives as a status symbol. who wouldn't?

That's like saying you wouldn't want to spend the rest of your life with someone who plays video games. Or eats dessert. Or likes flashy cars. There's some level that is perfectly healthy, as long as it doesn't interfere with the important stuff. --- If she says "diamond ring or else I don't want you"...that's bad. If she says "I prefer a diamond ring, but either way I want you"...nothing wrong with that.

Your assumption that all the things in your list are roughly equivalent and indicate a healthy, well-adjusted human is questionable.

Re: The diamond world takes radical steps to stop a pricing plunge

#533

Post by forgetfreeman »

esailija wrote: post #418
friend_and_foe wrote: post #208

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Can't tell if you're being sarcastic, but it definitely is a deal breaker for me. It speaks to someone's priorities. If they're more concerned about outdoing their girlfriends over cosmopolitans or worthless trinkets than the fiscal health of their family I don't want to start a family with them. And that's what this is all about right, family. I'd like to leave my kids with something significant and more than I was…

In reality even having a several "deal breakers" means you would need infinite options to find a match that doesn't have any of the so called deal breakers. Most guys don't get to pick from infinite, or even 10s of options. So you need to settle or stay single.

Because "settling" is certainly a well documented path to successful long-term relationships...

Re: The diamond world takes radical steps to stop a pricing plunge

#534

Post by fsflover »

UncleMeat wrote: post #466
serf wrote: post #298

Earlier quoted context omitted.

acknowledgement of irrationality, especially one that isn't accompanied with a wish to better themselves away from that irrationality, would be a major red flag for me personally entering into a long-term relationship. there is also a great distinction between "Yeah I know another helping of chocolate syrup on my ice cream is a bad decision, but it'll make me feel good today.", and "You need to make a 10kUSD+ purchas…

Moissanite is also irrational if we push on this. Why does it get a complete pass?

Moissanite looks quite rational to me: It's very pretty without terrible externalities plus makes a reasonable investment.

Re: The diamond world takes radical steps to stop a pricing plunge

#535

Post by fsflover »

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.

Does it mean you can forget about rationality forever and stop trying to bring it to the world?

Re: The diamond world takes radical steps to stop a pricing plunge

#536

Post by fsflover »

raisedbyninjas wrote: post #457
averageRoyalty wrote: post #446

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The irony that you definitely typed this on a device that was partially or fully made in inhumane conditions by people below the poverty line.

We don't choose to purchase slave phones, computers, etc. over free trade alternatives. Choosing blood diamonds over artificial diamonds, makes the cruelty the point, no?

You can buy Fairphone or Liberty Phone.

Re: The diamond world takes radical steps to stop a pricing plunge

#537

Post by fsflover »

ben_w wrote: post #478
ako wrote: post #392

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Jewelry is not unpractical, it's like an insurance for bad times. When shit hits the fan you still have your jewelry to sell.

That used to be true, but now, and specifically with diamonds, not so much: https://www.brightonsavoy.com.au/why-does-a-diamond-have-no-... .

Which is why you should not buy diamonds.

Re: The diamond world takes radical steps to stop a pricing plunge

#538

Post by fsflover »

skywhopper wrote: post #494
serf wrote: post #298

Earlier quoted context omitted.

acknowledgement of irrationality, especially one that isn't accompanied with a wish to better themselves away from that irrationality, would be a major red flag for me personally entering into a long-term relationship. there is also a great distinction between "Yeah I know another helping of chocolate syrup on my ice cream is a bad decision, but it'll make me feel good today.", and "You need to make a 10kUSD+ purchas…

If you really believe that humans can or do operate "rationally" about any significant part of their lives, you should probably step back and re-examine your own behavior and that of those around you. Your definition of "rational" and the assumption that it could be universal is itself irrational. The fact that you spent any time typing a comment on this site is wildly irrational.

> The fact that you spent any time typing a comment on this site is wildly irrational.

I find making such comments very rational: They convince random observers not to support wars and child labor without any reason apart from following blind marketing.

> If you really believe that humans can or do operate "rationally" about any significant part of their lives

People can and do operate rationally from time to time: It's our main difference from the animals.

> Your definition of "rational" and the assumption that it could be universal is itself irrational.

If your definition of "rational" is supporting wars and child labor, then I indeed agree with you that you are irrational.

Re: The diamond world takes radical steps to stop a pricing plunge

#540

Post by ben_w »

fsflover wrote: post #537
ben_w wrote: post #478

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That used to be true, but now, and specifically with diamonds, not so much: https://www.brightonsavoy.com.au/why-does-a-diamond-have-no-... .

Which is why you should not buy diamonds.

One reason why.

I've been tempted to try making them at home since about 2007, but for some reason all the different people I've lived with since then have objected to me running a lightly modified microwave oven continuously for a month at a time, with a few holes in the heating cavity so I can install an inverted pyrex bowl and pipes to connect it to a low-pressure methane supply system…

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