Diamonds vs. HDTV. Gee, really?

[kyrielle]

http://www.livejournal.com/talkread.bml?journal=wired_news&itemid=43626

Ah, a news article about how women prefer an HDTV system to a 1-karat diamond ring. Come on people, is that so hard to figure out? Diamond rings are stupid. The diamond is not all that pretty; glass or cubic zirconium can match or better it, at a fraction of the cost. Myths aside, the diamond ring is an awful value, since the market is controlled as it is; it resells for less than most people think.

All the ads that try to sell you diamond rings? Are practically insulting, saying that's what a woman wants. Do I look like I have fuzz for brains? If you want to get me a jewel, get me something with color, or get me cubic zirc. If you want to get an investment, buy me some stock. Don't fiddle with the two.

At least the HDTV is useful. And I don't want one of those, either. Now, a digital video recorder, or a digital voice recorder, or both..... (Actually investigating the latter to figure out which one I want; simply drooling over the former.)

WHY do people assume the inherent worth (monetary and sentimental) of diamonds? Ugh. Expensive marketing campaign makes a nice lead weight for an already-iffy stone, anyway.

And yep, it is before 5 am and I am grumpy. Imagine that.

Comments

[ladywraith.livejournal.com]

I don't personally like diamonds. Or rings with stones in them, to be truthful. My mother had bought me a simple, small gold ring when I was 16...it had 4 diamonds on the corners of a larger emerald. Pretty little thing, but I was so terrified to wear it (for fear of losing it or the stones), that it sat in my jewelry box for years.

One night, my Mom borrowed it. I never got it back, which is fine. She was 'safekeeping' it, you know? Well, I didn't mind, because I'm not really a gold fanatic, either. I can't even wear gold earrings...I get infections like mad. Anyway, last year, her apartment was broken into and the ring is gone now. I was more upset over the fact that it was the ring that -she- had saved and saved for to buy me. It was special. Not because it had stones in it, but because it was from Mom.

Anyway, I digress. My engagement ring? Sterling silver, fairly flat, with an engraving of a Celtic triskele in it. My wedding band? A two-toned gold band with Celtic knotwork and the Claddagh symbol (and it's primarily white gold). No stones. Karat? 10k gold. I had the option of 18 or 24. No way. I wanted something sturdy.

See, I'm tough on my hands. I shelve books for a living and have always worked with my hands. Some of those books are 10+ lbs each. I don't know how many of my co-workers have ruined their rings because of squishing their hands between books, getting their rings caught on bookshelves, etc. I think they have lost a small fortune between all of them in various jewels (diamonds, sapphires, opals, etc.). One lost so many stones at work that she finally had the ring melted down and made into a new ring with the remaining stones!

So, I just don't want the hassle. Give me something flat with a pretty engraving or other markings and I'm a happy gal. ;) I told my hubby flat out when we were getting engaged that I'd hurt him if he spent a fortune (or even a small fortune) on an engagement ring. He let me pick it out. Cost: $20. *laugh* But it's not how much it is, or how many stones, IMO... it's the meaning behind it. He could have given me a ring from a Cracker Jack box and I would have been just as happy. :) :)

Or new computer 'toys'. *laugh* ;) (Sorry about the long-winded-ness...)