Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Have You Ever Tried to Sell a Diamond? (1982)

theatlantic.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

151–160 of 239 posts

Re: Have You Ever Tried to Sell a Diamond? (1982)

#151

Post by raleec »

evincarofautumn wrote: post #62
boyter wrote: post #47

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I actually had this argument as well recently. She however did agree with me and is now sporting a Sapphire engagement ring. It does have some diamonds on it but the main stone in Sapphire. She wanted it because she didn't want what everyone else had. Not sure how old you are, but I have also noticed this trend in Gen Y (friends like myself) starting to get colored gemstones. Of course this is totally anecdotal but m…

I haven’t noticed such a trend, but it would be welcome. Never liked the look of diamonds, myself, so I always figured if I got engaged I’d just look for the gemstone that’s right for my partner—their look, their personality.

The fact that you (and probably she) are presuming that a stone is required in the first place means that DeBeers has won the larger victory.

Re: Have You Ever Tried to Sell a Diamond? (1982)

#152

Post by theorique »

JoeAltmaier wrote: post #39
elwin wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I swear, De Beers has probably pulled off the greatest marketing stunt in the history of humanity. De Beers has the advantage of selling a luxury good. The point of buying a diamond is to demonstrate one's financial ability. People don't really want cheap diamonds. I doubt their marketing campaign is a good pattern for normal products.

How about the iPhone? Many 'imitations' yet people who don't really know any better by the Apple product. "I don't want a fake" is very likely the reason.

In that case, though, the UI and details actually create a different user experience. As a professional software engineer, I like to think that I "know better" on various criteria.

I've used Android phones and while they are fine enough, the UI feels a little 'off' and the responsiveness is lower. It's enough to make a real, subjective difference.

Re: Have You Ever Tried to Sell a Diamond? (1982)

#154

Post by JoeAltmaier »

theorique wrote: post #152
JoeAltmaier wrote: post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How about the iPhone? Many 'imitations' yet people who don't really know any better by the Apple product. "I don't want a fake" is very likely the reason.

In that case, though, the UI and details actually create a different user experience. As a professional software engineer, I like to think that I "know better" on various criteria. I've used Android phones and while they are fine enough, the UI feels a little 'off' and the responsiveness is lower. It's enough to make a real, subjective difference.

The point is, most consumer buy without knowing any of that, or even trying the phone out.

Re: Have You Ever Tried to Sell a Diamond? (1982)

#155

Post by theorique »

Tichy wrote: post #97
kamaal wrote: post #61

Sorry but is this the real reason why somebody buys a diamond? The number one reason why anybody buys anything expensive is because they wish to make a statement for that moment. Now if you go by what this article is trying to convey is the value of diamonds in the investment per se. No body I know buys diamonds as an investment. My father once gave me a gift which his father gave it to him. Which is basically a wris…

That my all be true, but at the root of it, I find the concept revolting. I mean demonstrating your economic viability as a spouse. It is actually the most unromantic thing ever, because it means at the end of the day you marry for economic reasons, not for love. Which is OK, but then don't pretend for it to be romantic. As for remembering a moment, I don't see why something expensive is required. You could as well c…

Isn't it possible to love someone because they are the kind of person who is considered economically valuable by society? Such a person is romantically desirable because they offer more resources and their offspring are more likely to survive to adulthood.

(sort of an evolutionary biology / Ayn Rand-ian concept, of course, but I see this kind of reverence for 'the best' coming from some people)

Re: Have You Ever Tried to Sell a Diamond? (1982)

#156

Post by theorique »

JoeAltmaier wrote: post #154
theorique wrote: post #152

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In that case, though, the UI and details actually create a different user experience. As a professional software engineer, I like to think that I "know better" on various criteria. I've used Android phones and while they are fine enough, the UI feels a little 'off' and the responsiveness is lower. It's enough to make a real, subjective difference.

The point is, most consumer buy without knowing any of that, or even trying the phone out.

I'm sure there's a lot of following the herd.

I like to think that I got an iPhone after carefully considering all the alternatives and making an informed technical analysis because I am a unique individual and I would never follow the herd or copy other peoples' actions. (At least that's what I tell myself.)

Re: Have You Ever Tried to Sell a Diamond? (1982)

#157

Post by mseebach2 »

Tichy wrote: post #95
icelancer wrote: post #76

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A belief in a higher power can easily be a rational decision.

Interesting: how can a belief ever be a rational decision? Isn't it irrational by definition?

If it makes you happy then it's rational.

Re: Have You Ever Tried to Sell a Diamond? (1982)

#158

Post by christiansmith »

The discovery of the South African diamond mines in 1870 and its impact on the diamond industry seems to be a good analogy for what the music industry is going through today. In both cases there is rapid shift from scarcity to abundance, and in both cases, the supply side of the market try to save their businesses by engineering artificial scarcity. Somehow I doubt the record industry in its present form will fare quite as well though.

Re: Have You Ever Tried to Sell a Diamond? (1982)

#159

Post by Symmetry »

philwelch wrote: post #55
HorizonXP wrote: post #26

Wow, absolutely brilliant. I can't believe this article popped up on HN's front page tonight. I just got back from looking at engagement rings with my girlfriend. I've known about this monopoly for a while, and so has she. Heck, one of the first movies we watched together when we first started dating 7 years ago was Blood Diamond. Here's the conversation we had while in the jewellery store tonight. Me: "Sweety, I rea…

My fiancee and I did tattoos instead. We came up with a design that we both got in the same place and can be filled in and completed when we get married. The best part is, we are the only two people who had to suffer and shed blood for it.

Ooh, nice. To the extent that an engagement ring says "I'm willing to make a sacrifice to prove that I'm serious about you" a tattoo totally works.

Re: Have You Ever Tried to Sell a Diamond? (1982)

#160

Post by [deleted] »

HorizonXP wrote: post #26

Wow, absolutely brilliant. I can't believe this article popped up on HN's front page tonight. I just got back from looking at engagement rings with my girlfriend. I've known about this monopoly for a while, and so has she. Heck, one of the first movies we watched together when we first started dating 7 years ago was Blood Diamond. Here's the conversation we had while in the jewellery store tonight. Me: "Sweety, I rea…

[deleted]
Post reply on HN