diamonds are so pointless

As with any gemstones, there are also spiritual properties of diamonds - clarity, enlightenment, hope, love, endurance. You can connect with all this if you choose. I’m sure many people here will say that’s a load of nonsense and there’s no evidence. Well that’s up to them. But if you know, you know. Billions of people have killed each other throughout history in the name of this religion or this god or that god. Personally I’d rather meditate with my crystals. Natural citrine for the solar plexus - fantastic for depression. Pink amethyst is incredibly calming - try some around your home or next to your bed. Aquamarine for the throat chakra, helps you find you true voice, Different crystals resonate with different people. If you are among crystals, you will know what you need and be drawn to it. People do far more crazy things in this world.

@Boomer55 I agree with you & I think it's partly to do with the fact that because lab grown stones are so much cheaper people tend to go for overly big stones which is often out of keeping with the rest of their lifestyle so it looks fake.

Also some lab grown stones are definitely identifiable.

At the end of the day it doesn't make an iota of difference to me what anyone else has on their hands. Do whatever makes you happy.

I have always loved jewellery & work in a design related sector & there was no way that I would have been happy to be engaged or married without a decent ring

I agree with much of what @Meowzabubz says though I can see it's not popular on here.

Are you sure you can see the difference? How?

Nor me. You can see the difference. I love a real diamond. 👍

Absoloutely not.

What's interesting is that you all understand that money is synonymous with the value of something in every other context. You understand that when your boss says 'we're like a family here so I shouldn't have to pay you overtime or promote you' that the person is trying to bs you and take advantage, but when a man says it you all eat it up like candy. It's nonsense to me.

Whatever man convinced you all that poverty and struggle love was synonymous with true love, that man I hope is somewhere running a multinational public relations corporation because he is a genius. You all act like no one can be in true love if there's money involved and that's just not true.

It's not so much about the cost of the ring, it's about the thoughtfulness. It's about the investment in something you'll care about. Because people can comment what they want, but I have never seen a man who like "oh, I can't afford a nice ring' put together a thoughtful proposal. Those two things typically go hand in hand.

Every happily married man I know, I'm talking about men whose wives are in a good marriage where the husbands are caring equally for the children, they are dotting on their wives, giving them thoughtful gifts, don't have to be reminded about their anniversries. LOVE their wives tenderly and take care of them like wonderful men should -- all of those men tell me that they knew right away when they met the women that those would be their wives and so they started moving accordingly. They started saving and what not.

So if you are two years in and he's talking about how he can't afford a ring, you were never it. That's just the cold, hard truth. And I think women don't like when I say that because they think it means something about their worth. No. It means HE doesn't see your worth, that's a problem with his vision, it doesn't compremise your worth at all. But get out of there, don't let him waste your time.

Two years max, especially the older you get.

You're not wrong there.

Thanks. It's weird. That poster seems to think that the two choices available to a woman are downtrodden drudge and pampered princess. I mean fgs, even Disney seem to have grown out of those stereotypes

Fair enough if you genuinely make a choice on that basis.

But you couldn’t possibly know what’s mined and what’s manufactured. You have only the dealer’s word for it, and even if that’s given honestly the dealer can’t be sure.

For the person who asked me why i wouldn't be interested in a lab grown diamond, it's because to me it's a fake. Sure it looks like the same thing mostly but I'd know. The same as I'd have zero interest in owning a fake designer handbag no matter how real it looked.

To some people it doesn't matter, to me it does.

I love good jewellery in general & I would choose a small, conflict free, certified, high grade for clarity, inclusions & cut any day over a large lab grown diamond

If diamonds were not within budget I'd choose a different stone.

Okay, you settle for that struggle love.

I don't understand this as a response to someone saying "If dh were the kind of man who was looking for a 'a fulltime maid, cook, cleaner, secretary, nanny, surrogant, sex worker, chauffeur, cheerleader, and so much more',I would have given the engagement ring right back!"

How is that poster settling for any kind of struggle??

All the diamonds I own I bought for myself. I don’t need DH choosing my jewellery for me.

(ha! Sounds like loads but it’s a solitaire and a cluster)

Honestly you’re making me cringe. I mean it’s great you wanted to be paid for and do the homestuff, but I wanted to do it myself and as part of a patnership. Equality.

So a plastic ring from a cracker wouldn't cut it then? It's about the materialism of the now, and not the love and promise/intent/desire to be together forever?

People can find pleasure or value in many things. If you don’t want diamonds, nobody is forcing you OP.

I have diamonds and they mean a lot to me. Ones I wear everyday - my engagement ring and another ring my husband gave me which is a Boodles waterfall ring. I have some other diamond jewellery he has also given me on various occasions over the years, but I don’t wear these everyday. I still love that I have them hidden away though. I’m fascinated by the design, the cut and the brilliance of the sparkle as it catches the sunlight. The stones seem alive - like fire and ice and some jewellery really is art. Whenever I’m feeling low, I look for the sparkle on water, mostly on the Thames, but if I lived near the sea thst would be amazing. It uplifts me almost instantly and there is something about diamonds that does the same. Plus they hold so many memories and are something that will outlive me and I can pass down to my daughters.

If you think that makes me shallow, I don’t really care. What I would say is, I don’t buy expensive leather shoes or bags. These are ugly items for me - all I can see there is the dead animal. But I understand that some women get a great deal of pleasure out of their leather bags, shoes, jackets, other accessories so what can you do? Each to their own.

I love diamonds and my engagement and eternity rings are both diamonds. Both are second hard though.

He got you a ring-pop, didn't he?

A what now? He gave me a beautiful diamond and platinum engagement ring. Nothing too flashy (not my style). Chose it himself. 21 years ago next month.

I love diamonds. But it is all silly nonsense at the end of the day, really.

I love this post. I work in the city and see a LOT of very big diamonds.

Getting married was a joint decision here, without an engagement ring, but my MIL gave me a family one. How kind is that? But your logic still holds because DH does probably 60% of the all household stuff and is a great shag, so lucky me !

He got you a ring-pop, didn't he?

What struggle?! Our bills are paid just fine, thanks. Nice comfortable life here.

But you’d have to chemically analyse the stone to know any difference. You can’t tell by looking at them. And there’s no difference in any meaningful sense anyway. The water example is spot on.

Loads of diamonds are now manufactured but sold without any declaration. You may be wearing one of those.

Utter bollocks.

Okay, you settle for that struggle love. Couldn't be me, I wanted a nice, comfortable life that wasn't filled with stress and worries about how the bills would be paid. I wanted a husband who was in a position to give me and my children the world. But you do you.

Well if you think about it…. most of what we own is pointless.

How old-fashioned and patronising! I don't need to be taken care of and elevated, thanks. If dh were the kind of man who was looking for a 'a fulltime maid, cook, cleaner, secretary, nanny, surrogant, sex worker, chauffeur, cheerleader, and so much more',I would have given the engagement ring right back!