What's the point of buying diamond jewellery?

[CuppaTeaJanice]

...when cubic zirconias, Swarovski crystals etc look exactly the same?

I'm sure you can tell the difference with the big rocks that some of the slebs wear, but for us mere mortals, what's the point of spending hundreds of pounds on a ring that's identical to one you can pick up for 20 quid at Argos?

Add to that the dubious pedigree of 'blood diamonds' - why do people still want the real thing?

It would have been about £1500 back then - I got a half carat pair for £1200 in 1999 - they are not that large, maybe 4mm across?

You can have a look on ebay and see what they go for now, mine haven't appreciated in value - big mark up on jewellery.

yep, £2500 could easily mean high quality one carat diamonds.

I agree new jewellery is shockingly more expensive than second hand - you can buy some amazing second hand Cartier, Tiffany etc in for example, the Burlington Arcade in St James for not much more than you would pay for a similar carat piece in Goldsmiths.

screw one carat earrings - 2 carats overall

I have Tiffany diamond studs that have a screw on back. They could easily be worth the amounts you mentioned.

what about these beauties

If you go to Graff their pieces can be x5 that price.

Give me emeralds any day, nasty tacky common diamonds !

Ah Emeralds - the most expensive precious stone. Love them too!

emeralds? but you can get emerald rings cheaply.....nearly a whole carat of emerald for £144

am I missing something?

Those will be synthetic emeralds, rather than natural.

They're real, not from their 'diamonique' range which also comes in emerald colour [green]

www.minerals.net/gemstone/gemstone/emerald/emerald.htm

This may help.

according to that article Zambian emeralds are 'quality' - here you can have it for £203 for 0.8 carat

Holly -Go-lightly reckoned they were rather vulgar on a woman under 40..that was a handy excuse not to have more till this year!

diamonds,i mean..

Are you obsessed with QVC?

Try goggling the 'Hooker Emerald' - that was 75 carats.

lizzy duke

thats me

I always thought the Colombian ones were the best?

I had a lovely 1.32ct emerald engagement ring, sadly the relationship was not to be and I ended up selling the ring. Because I'd had it custom-made in Singapore, it had no British hallmark so I only got about £300 for it.

I love diamond jewelry. I never wear CZ as feel that it cheapens the diamonds i already wear and may make them look fake too iykwim. I wear diamond earrings and engagement ring pretty much every day.

Altogether I have:
-x3 diamond rings
-x3 pairs of diamond earrings
-x2 diamond necklaces

I have often looked at diamond bracelets but cannot find anything I really like. I have decided against getting one. I have recently got a pandora bracelet and may get a diamond charm for that instead.

I think I have enough diamond jewels now though and am planning on branching into different stones for new pieces I buy. Should be a fair bit cheaper hopefully too, lol.....

Emeralds are supposed to be unlucky if you are superstitious. I love them but always a bit worried..

have a lovely big aquamarine very plain, rectangular.

I wanted a blue engagement ring. We couldn't afford a sapphire when we got engaged so got blue topaz. Had it replaced (by which time it had cracked and we had more money) with a sapphire on our 4th anniversary.

but I think this thread title is a bit odd. What's the point of any purchase? It's down to a mix of personal preference and budget surely?

Exactly! It is horses for courses. I see my jewelry as beautiful, an investment and heirlooms.

I'm a diamond girl
cz is obvious as it clouds with time