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What's the case for naturally mined diamonds anymore?

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Re: What's the case for naturally mined diamonds anymore?

#11

Post by ramsj »

mvnuweucxqokii wrote: post #9

> “People don’t buy Swiss watches to tell the time,” he said. “Apple probably sells more watches than the entire Swiss watch industry but does that matter if they’ve grown during that period?” Exactly. That diamonds are expensive is almost the entire point. If it becomes possible to buy artificial diamond rings for like $50, the tradition will disappear entirely. People will find some other signaling act.

If people move on to some other form of signaling that is less exploitative (of people and the environment), great!

Re: What's the case for naturally mined diamonds anymore?

#12

Post by ramsj »

mytailorisrich wrote: post #10

A diamond manufactured becomes a product like any other, an iPhone, a TV, whatever. There is something more profound with holding a stone that was forged deep in the Earth and somehow mined from there, too, even if chemically it's the exact same thing.

I'm too utilitarian to see the distinction, but I guess that feeling is valid in others.

Re: What's the case for naturally mined diamonds anymore?

#13

Post by mvnuweucxqokii »

ramsj wrote: post #11
mvnuweucxqokii wrote: post #9

> “People don’t buy Swiss watches to tell the time,” he said. “Apple probably sells more watches than the entire Swiss watch industry but does that matter if they’ve grown during that period?” Exactly. That diamonds are expensive is almost the entire point. If it becomes possible to buy artificial diamond rings for like $50, the tradition will disappear entirely. People will find some other signaling act.

If people move on to some other form of signaling that is less exploitative (of people and the environment), great!

Fair point!

Re: What's the case for naturally mined diamonds anymore?

#14

Post by brnt »

boppo1 wrote: post #5

The DeBeers marketing is still effective and most (US at least) women still want them for their romantic authenticity. I suspect this will be unpopular, but I know many of my married buddies would likely not be if they had insisted and held firm that a lab grown diamond is just as good. Doctors, lawyers, tech guys.

I exclusively hear this from US folks. Would love to see a breakdown of where DeBeers makes its money. Frankly I can't imagine anyone I know caring about this.

Re: What's the case for naturally mined diamonds anymore?

#15

Post by xhkkffbf »

I bought a pair of 7mm diamonds that are said to be made with chemical vapor deposition. They're very nice and very cheap, at least relative to the mined diamonds. If anything, they're too perfect. The natural ones are imperfect in the way that real wood siding is less perfect than vinyl siding on a house.

Re: What's the case for naturally mined diamonds anymore?

#16

Post by xhkkffbf »

boppo1 wrote: post #5

The DeBeers marketing is still effective and most (US at least) women still want them for their romantic authenticity. I suspect this will be unpopular, but I know many of my married buddies would likely not be if they had insisted and held firm that a lab grown diamond is just as good. Doctors, lawyers, tech guys.

A smart woman would realize that every dollar spent on a diamond is a dollar that can't be spent on home improvements, cars, clothing etc.

Re: What's the case for naturally mined diamonds anymore?

#17

Post by cjs_ac »

mvnuweucxqokii wrote: post #9

> “People don’t buy Swiss watches to tell the time,” he said. “Apple probably sells more watches than the entire Swiss watch industry but does that matter if they’ve grown during that period?” Exactly. That diamonds are expensive is almost the entire point. If it becomes possible to buy artificial diamond rings for like $50, the tradition will disappear entirely. People will find some other signaling act.

Here's one for £15: https://www.argos.co.uk/product/7627747

Re: What's the case for naturally mined diamonds anymore?

#18

Post by analog31 »

boppo1 wrote: post #5

The DeBeers marketing is still effective and most (US at least) women still want them for their romantic authenticity. I suspect this will be unpopular, but I know many of my married buddies would likely not be if they had insisted and held firm that a lab grown diamond is just as good. Doctors, lawyers, tech guys.

Glad I married a scientist. ;-)

Re: What's the case for naturally mined diamonds anymore?

#19

Post by sealeck »

boppo1 wrote: post #5

The DeBeers marketing is still effective and most (US at least) women still want them for their romantic authenticity. I suspect this will be unpopular, but I know many of my married buddies would likely not be if they had insisted and held firm that a lab grown diamond is just as good. Doctors, lawyers, tech guys.

I would not marry anyone who given the option of buying thing A @ X units of currency/kg and a chemically identical version of thing A @ 3X units of currency/kg would pick the option which is 3 times more expensive for the sole reason of "status".

Re: What's the case for naturally mined diamonds anymore?

#20

Post by sealeck »

mvnuweucxqokii wrote: post #9

> “People don’t buy Swiss watches to tell the time,” he said. “Apple probably sells more watches than the entire Swiss watch industry but does that matter if they’ve grown during that period?” Exactly. That diamonds are expensive is almost the entire point. If it becomes possible to buy artificial diamond rings for like $50, the tradition will disappear entirely. People will find some other signaling act.

At least there is some aesthetic difference between a Swiss watch and an Apple Watch.
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