Poll: Diamonds! Are Worthless Little Chunks Of Worthless Rock...

[Shraggler]

Ever since I was young, I've always felt like making the ring yourself would have a far deeper meaning, significance and importance. Alloying the gold with platinum and silver, etching out the mould, aligning the gemstones, etc. THAT would show some fuckin' dedication.

Not this fuckin' Zales bullshit or "He went to Jared" campy-ass, phony, pussy-whipped assholery.

 

[dvd_72]

Really? Just because they aren't practical they are useless? Why not go around wearing a burlap sack as cloths? You don't need anything more than that do you?

A diamond looks pretty yes, but it also has symbolic value. Diamonds last forever and are used to symbolise the love you feel for your parter, showing that your love too will last forever.

 

[Galletea]

*mild facepalm*


As for whether or not I'd use diamonds to propose... eh, never really given it any thought.

Actually, it just occurred to me, I'd probably prefer to use an opal. I just think they're prettier:

There are more reasons to use diamonds than just tradition. They are hard wearing, elegant and go with anything. Being hard wearing is most important. Unless you want to be replacing said engagement ring every few years.

Get your ladyfriend an opal by all means, but not for an engagement ring. An engagement ring is something that you wear almost every day and opals are very brittle, as are emeralds, tanzanite, and most other stones. Sapphires are strong enough if you don't want a diamond, but opals are not really suitable. It's something that has to last, so it's worth spending a bit extra on it.

 

[Galletea]

Whoops s'cuse my double post.

 

[disgruntledgamer]

Yes when it comes to girls and diamonds the rule of thumb goes "Bigger is usually better" Just like that thing in your pants.

 

[chiggerwood]

When I propose to the woman I love I will present her with the severed head of her most hated enemy. It's more romantic.

 

[BlazeRaider]

Actually, it just occurred to me, I'd probably prefer to use an opal. I just think they're prettier:

Yeah, the only thing I really feel like contributing to this thread is that those are stunningly beautiful.

Wow, agreed, I'm not usually one for jewelry but that is one amazing looking substance. It's like staring at a tropical ocean on a bright sunny day.

 

[Moonlight Butterfly]

Diamonds are pretty but I really prefer Tanzanite because they are such a beautiful blue. I doubt there is a guy out there that thinks I'm worth that though. xD

 

[Bertylicious]

Without diamond you can't build an MFSU or a quarry so they're pretty important IMO.

Saying that though we can just make them out of coal so digging pure diamond out of the ground is kind of saft.

 

[Moonlight Butterfly]

snip

They are beautiful to look at. You may as well ask why anyone would pay for a Van Gogh or Monet and hang it on their wall. :/

 

[Guitarmasterx7]

Making an industry out of a tradition or a need is a great way to get people by the balls and ring them of way more than should be fair. I strongly consider both marriage and medical care to be a driving forces for disgusting corporate greed. Marriage being the lesser of the two evils since both it and the subsequent expenses are technically entirely optional. (Though most girls have spent their whole lives pre-planning their future weddings and the chances of that not involving something that costs way more than it should are extremely slim)

 

[Giftfromme]

We've got some presumptuous motherfuckers up in dis *****!

First quick thing, WTF is the water-diamond paradox?

Second quick thing, read the OP! I clearly acknowledge the fact that diamonds have worth because we assign worth to them. I state that they can be considered an investment and have many industrial applications where they are highly valuable. I am talking specifically about diamonds worn in any form of jewelry that you plan on keeping forever. I guess that wasn't so quick. If someone can rationally explain how carrying around hundreds or thousands of dollars on your finger or in your ear is of any benefit to anyone ever I will gladly hear you out.

Third quick thing, I addressed the issue of damn near everything in ones life pretty much being in the same position but I clarified that no other item in one's life concentrates so much money into such a small and useless item.

If you have counters I'll be happy to read and consider them. If you have nothing constructive to add then you're a diamond to me.

You are new to forums and/or point making thing. There is no point in being obtuse about this. Many things we do and own are about status. Diamonds are one of those things. They also serve as a sign that someone is married (Most of the time). So what else do you need? This is what the replies were trying to tell you, but you did not understand this. There is no need to get a fast car but we do so anyway largely as a status symbol. Please brother I pray you understand this and change your ways

snip

They are beautiful to look at. You may as well ask why anyone would pay for a Van Gogh or Monet and hang it on their wall. :/

No don't put it so succinctly!

 

[The Artificially Prolonged]

Oh goody I get to use a Civ quote, but I was ninja'd by pretty much everyone D:

Besides out of all the "unless" pretty rocks I think Diamonds earn their price by being kind of the badass of the geology world. Plus diamond drills are hardly what I'd call useless.

<spoiler=diamonds>

You know what is real sad though? How freaking useful diamonds are outside of the jewelry context.

Or you could just buy Australian, Canadian or Russian diamonds, which are about as plentiful (for diamonds anyway) as ones from Africa.

 

[Tiger Sora]

<spoiler=diamonds>

You know what is real sad though? How freaking useful diamonds are outside of the jewelry context.

Ahh, smells like capitalizm.

Diamonds are overrated and over expensive. I'd just get a gold ring with some nice inscriptions on it if I were to be married. It's what it's about, not what it is. And if she thinks otherwise, I would of figured out before and not married her.

 

[geK0]

As long as there is a demand for hard shiny rocks, and they remain difficult to acquire being buried under tons of rock, they are valuable. WHY there is a demand for it is beyond me though.

It's sort of like this "Squishy Baff" stuff that my work sells, it's this powder that you put in the bath tub to turn it into jello, and it sells for $10 a box, which is only good for two uses! there is absolutely no rational reason to buy the stuff, it would be worth nothing if not for the fact there is FUCKING DEMAND FOR IT! we sell out of this stuff all the fucking time! People fucking love squishy baff!

Consumer demand just doesn't always make sense, but as long as it exists, worthless junk like diamonds and 'Squishy Baff' are going to be expensive, and they're going to sell.

 

[ShadowKatt]

Diamonds are pretty but I really prefer Tanzanite because they are such a beautiful blue. I doubt there is a guy out there that thinks I'm worth that though. xD

I ABSOLUTELY think you're worth it. You're not getting it because I can't afford it, but nonetheless you're still ABSOLUTELY worth it!

Now, I go to spread happiness throughout the rest of the world. it is a hard job, but I've come to accept it. AWAY!

 

[Dwarfman]

Let's start with the diamond ring. We're going to assume a loving relationship that lasts until death. Whoever is wearing the diamond ring is walking around with anywhere from hundreds (poor folk) to hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of dollars (rich folk) on their finger for absolutely no fucking reason!

My understanding is the reason is love. If love isn't a legitimate enough reason for you then you can look back in time to when weddings used to have large dowries attached to them in order to make the wedding legitimate. Why lug around large piles of shit when you can represent the same amount of money in a couple of rocks.

The diamond serves absolutely no purpose apart from impressing other people (and honestly, if you care about the opinions of people who are impressed by a useless rock then we can't have a rational discussion)

Whilst I can't deny this statement I do have to ask which of you would be the irrational one. After going to great lengths expressing your opinion in the hopes of discussing it with someone, don't you think not listening to the other person's opinion makes this debate irrelevant?

In any other form of jewelry I can maybe understand it if you plan on selling it later on for more than you paid, or even at a slight loss. Sure, they do look kinda pretty, whatever.

You can tell me that the diamond is a symbol of your never ending love but fuck all that jazz. If my partner doesn't get that I love them from the fact that I'm promising the rest of my life to them then we have issues that no pebble can solve.

Wow...just wow. Ummm I'm not the one to discuss issues of relationships and what not, but my understanding - however limited - of the female mind tells me 'Chicks Dig Symbolism' and don't really appreciate it when someone tells them to '...fuck all that jazz'. Although if I were to have a ring made for a woman I love I would prefer opal to diamond.

So... TLDR version. A diamond that you plan on keeping forever is a worthless piece of rock that some people might have even died for. A diamond that you plan on reselling some day is a needlessly risky investment. Discuss?

I suppose this is a matter of perspective. You could take this statement remove diamond and put any number of things attached to it. Cars and Houses (Although much more useful) are just as needlessly risky an investment as anything else in the world.

There are lots of 'worthless things' in my possession that cost me a lot of money that I plan on keeping 'forever' (forever is in '' cause lets face it nothing's forever and you can't take it with you). These things however contain worth - however sentimental - to me. Regardless of whether it's a diamond, a picture or a stuffed Tuzz, people will often hold onto these things, not because they are worth money but because they hold memories and other sentiments that make a person feel safe or secure or melancholy happy. Whilst this mightn't mean a damnable thing to you it does to them. You may wish to roll your eyes at this and say 'Why?' but the feeling for such an item is a difficult one to explain and usually matters only to the owner.

Just a quick thing, I see this come up a lot. Don't use this thread to whine about how you are forever alone. If you truly believe that then clearly the poll question wasn't meant for you. Stop being whiny and go ask someone out. The worst they can do is say no.

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Hehheh. I'm sorry mate I just couldn't help myself >

 

[Falcon123]

Diamonds when used for industrial purposes are pretty valuable iirc.

A diamond sitting in a ring (read: anywhere other than industrial purposes) is absolutely worthless. No?

Let's start with the diamond ring. We're going to assume a loving relationship that lasts until death. Whoever is wearing the diamond ring is walking around with anywhere from hundreds (poor folk) to hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of dollars (rich folk) on their finger for absolutely no fucking reason!

The diamond serves absolutely no purpose apart from impressing other people (and honestly, if you care about the opinions of people who are impressed by a useless rock then we can't have a rational discussion). Sure this argument can be applied to a great many things in any given home but none of those things concentrate as much money in such a small package.

In any other form of jewelry I can maybe understand it if you plan on selling it later on for more than you paid, or even at a slight loss. Sure, they do look kinda pretty, whatever.

You can tell me that the diamond is a symbol of your never ending love but fuck all that jazz. If my partner doesn't get that I love them from the fact that I'm promising the rest of my life to them then we have issues that no pebble can solve.

So... TLDR version. A diamond that you plan on keeping forever is a worthless piece of rock that some people might have even died for. A diamond that you plan on reselling some day is a needlessly risky investment. Discuss?

Just a quick thing, I see this come up a lot. Don't use this thread to whine about how you are forever alone. If you truly believe that then clearly the poll question wasn't meant for you. Stop being whiny and go ask someone out. The worst they can do is say no.

Ok, I hope you don't mean to come off like a horrible person here (for the record, you come off as incredibly dismissive and intolerant of those who might have a different opinion than you), so I'm going to give you another side of the argument at face value and see if this helps you understand.

Since women were just little girls, they've been told by the media, by society, and by family and friends that that engagement ring is the most important gift she will ever be given. This is the ring she is going to show off to all her friends to say, "We're engaged!" and most women will subconsciously judge that ring depending on how big the diamond is or how pretty the ring looks, and, in turn, judge the new fiance accordingly. If you get a crappy ring, your future wife is the one who will have to suffer through the social stigma, and she won't be able to show off this gift, which should mean a hell of a lot if you're going to give it on an emotional level (if you plan on reselling it at some point, you're not ready to get married. Enough said).

Basically, you have to forget that the diamond itself isn't worth all that much, and that there is a small risk (you can educate yourself pretty easily to ensure you don't buy blood diamonds) in buying one, BUT it holds a hell of a lot of value to her. That's what she's going to look down and see for the rest of her life and think of you. Therefore, you get it right, damn the cost. Maybe I'm just a romantic, but that's how I feel. The woman I marry is going to get the best ring I can afford. And I hope it makes her smile

 

[Winthrop]

Buying an engagement ring will be the single most important purchase of my life, and you are trying to convince me to cheap out on it? Nothing has real value anyway. If the diamond ring makes her happy, thats what I will propose with.

 

[eternal-chaplain]

I think diamonds are valuable, in the sense that they are incredibly durable and can be used for industrial purposes wonderfully. But as far as jewelry goes...eh.