My girlfriend doesn't want a diamond...

[wfbberzerker]

just a gold ring?

 

[EyeMWing]

Cultured yellow diamond a la the Wired article pasted above. A girl like that is worth her WEIGHT in _REAL_ diamond.

 

[prvteye2003]

give her a rock with a smiley face painted on it

 

[Ameesh]

Originally posted by: minendo
Pearl Necklace.

my boy

 

[Walleye]

what's her birth stone?

as others have said, sapphire is a good choice, as is emerald...

EDIT: and cultured diamonds are a good choice. due to controlled conditions, they're actually brighter than natural diamonds.. have more luster.

 

[GagHalfrunt]

Definitely either go with cultured or try to find an antique ring with some sentimental significance. Other gemstones like sapphires are as controlled as diamonds with cartels fixing prices and exploiting their workers. Getting a cultured stone spits in the face of the monopoly, gets a stone that's vistually indistinguishable from natural one and costs much less, so it winds on three levels.

 

[ElFenix]

AFAIK the diamonds in the wired article aren't available for sale atm

 

[Azraele]

I'd go with sapphire.

 

[jhu]

moissanite. they look better than diamonds

 

[yllus]

You may want to look into Canadian diamonds? Do a Google search for more results like the one linked.

Furthermore, the local territorial government has launched an auditing and certification program which accompanies all locally extracted Canadian diamonds from mine to the shipping of the finished product in a manner unprecedented in the entire history of the diamond trade, providing an unparalleled example of non-conflict diamond handling: diamonds of conflict-free origin and clean bill of ethical provenance. It culminates in the issue of a Government Certificate of Authenticity of Canadian Diamond. The certificate number is also microscopically laser engraved on the diamond's girdle and kept on file with the government. In a word, most probably the world's most responsibly produced diamonds, of the highest ethical standards around.

 

[ElFenix]

Originally posted by: yllus
You may want to look into Canadian diamonds? Do a Google search for more results like the one linked.

Furthermore, the local territorial government has launched an auditing and certification program which accompanies all locally extracted Canadian diamonds from mine to the shipping of the finished product in a manner unprecedented in the entire history of the diamond trade, providing an unparalleled example of non-conflict diamond handling: diamonds of conflict-free origin and clean bill of ethical provenance. It culminates in the issue of a Government Certificate of Authenticity of Canadian Diamond. The certificate number is also microscopically laser engraved on the diamond's girdle and kept on file with the government. In a word, most probably the world's most responsibly produced diamonds, of the highest ethical standards around.

they're benefitting from debeers' pricing schemes. and it'll still be worthless in 30 years

 

[yllus]

Originally posted by: ElFenix
they're benefitting from debeers' pricing schemes. and it'll still be worthless in 30 years

I guess you're right on the first count (pricing scheme), but its worth down the road shouldn't really matter much anyhow. AFAIK you have as much luck of reselling a diamond at a decent price as I do winning the Californian gubernational recall election.

 

[Krassus]

You could buy a diamond from those new mines in Canada. If not, get a sapphire.

 

[Vic]

Originally posted by: Harvey

Originally posted by: deftron
She's against the whole DeBeers monopoly / South African slave ring thing.

What would be a good alternative engagement ring to get her?

If you know you're serious about her, and you can afford to think about diamonds, how about a down payment on a nice house or condo? It's impressive, and it's far more useful than a pretty rock.

Preach it, brotha!

Seriously, I'm sick of seeing young couples who just dumped $10k+ for a stupid rock and $20k+ on their wedding, and then can't figure out why they can't get a loan to buy a house....

 

[civad]

Whats a cultured diamond?

 

[GagHalfrunt]

Originally posted by: civad
Whats a cultured diamond?

One that likes opera, poetry and fox hunting. No, they're created in a lab rather than mined. There are some tests to tell them apart from the natural kind, but visually they're identical, even a diamond expert with a loupe can't see the difference.

 

[b0mbrman]

My girlfriend doesn't want a diamond...

Sorry my friend but that's what women call a "mind game"

 

[jhu]

like i said, get a moissanite

 

[PunDogg]

Eat alot of cracker Jacks, u will find a ring sooner or later

Dogg

 

[jdini76]

Originally posted by: abracadabra1
These are cultured diamonds

extremely interesting!

A yellow diamond is extremely rare in nature, but easier to create in a lab!

 

[fs5]

She's lying, all chicks wants a diamond. don't believe what they say.
Just like all guys want head but some say they don't.

 

[shopbruin]

Originally posted by: civad
Whats a cultured diamond?

cultured diamonds by gemesis

basically they are diamonds made by machine. they speed up the natural process significantly. gemesis makes mostly yellow diamonds.

its exciting because you can make a quality diamond that is almost 99% like a diamond for a significant fraction of the cost of a real one from debeers.

also it would be great for future processors as they have better heat conductivity, so on.

 

[Amorphus]

rubies are actually the most rare rock. wanna try that? otherwise, her birthstone.

 

[jdini76]

Originally posted by: fivespeed5
She's lying, all chicks wants a diamond. don't believe what they say.
Just like all guys want head but some say they don't.

Of course she wants a diamond. But she refuses to support the type of monopoly and slave trading that goes on in the industry. I can understand her reason for not buying into that just for a status symbol. I really respect that. and you should too!

Edit another though

If she said "I don't want a diamond because they are too expensive" then yes I would say it was a test. but the reason in this situation is very specific and if he called her "bluff" and goes ahead and buys a diamond he could be making a big mistake.

 

[alkemyst]

check out diamondtalk.com and the ASHA stone (I may have the name wrong).

not a real one but hard to tell as a fake.

All these people saying 'their' diamond-clone can't be figured out under a 'scope', know that the first thing someone trying to verify if it's a real diamond will try is: Attraction to Cobalt.

Fakes won't be attracted...

other than that Ruby, Sapphire, etc are all popular now as alternatives. Diamonds are 'cheap' now though compared in the 80's were I think a carat was close to $50k.

I know a lot about diamonds....i have bought two as e-rings. My wife wants a watch instead of a diamond, but I know that's only because she knows we can't afford both.

My diamond purchases have been a D SI2 .42 cut perfect round and sold by my crazy ex for $100 to a pawn shop as a 'fake' in 1996 and a F VS1 .71 princess I bought and resold in 1999/2000