Diamonds are a girl's best friend ... right? In some familys a guy is respected when he can afford a diamond for a girl. In some countries you are a somebody if you can wear a diamond .. and it's always a big news if someone gives a special-someone a huge diamond. It's almost like the reporters see something shiny and they go: "uuh shineeeyyy, me likey, me has to write about it because it's a shiney little rock!!" . But have you ever thought what's all the fuzz about? Why are those little rocks so special? So honored? So worthy? Why women go nuts on that little piece of mineral?
The answer to this question lies nowhere else but in business. A cartel called De Beers has been dominating the diamond industry for a very long time and they are the ones to blame for all the ramble about diamonds. Throughout the whole 20th century - the time were this maniac "bling trend" began and has rooted until this day today - was De Beers responsible for everything regarding diamonds - from mining to selling. To put it in the most simple words what they did was artificially making the diamond price go high by reducing production and selling only a certain amount to certain people. By doing this selection and keeping the price sky high without any lowering they created a situation where only few could possess diamonds and well the rest .. they wanted what they couldn't have. What a brilliant plan right? It's like you are saying to your little sister she can never have those ugly, old shoes you are wearing (though they mean nothing to you) and later you sell them to her with a nonsense-price just because you know she wants them badly. Because she couldn't have them earlier.
Now you might think that "wait but why should I care about some stupid company manipulating with the price and selling only a few? It's still a DIAMOND!" .. Did you know that diamonds aren't really that rare anymore? It's not like you will be wearing something so unique that no one else in the world can have (unless your fiance is like ... the prince of some country or something). The more rare ones are the ones in the range around 2-3 carats and yes it takes some work to cut and give the shape but in the end .. diamonds that we know are not that rare. Even the chairman of De Beers himself has stated (and I quote): "Diamonds are intrinsically worthless, except for the deep psychological need they fill". You won't be getting something super-unique. It's your mind that has been manipulated with by the cartel saying to the world: "hey look, we have something you don't have!"
Also, it has been proven that diamonds are not the hardest substance in the world - scientists have even created artifical subtances that are 10 times as strong as diamonds. So the saying "diamonds are forever" - yeap, not true. Not true at all! And what's even worse - diamonds are not really a good investment. If you thought "hey I can buy this diamond necklace and if I'm broke as hell I will sell it and be rich again" you are wrong. It is no secret that one can never sell the diamond at the same price they bought it! If you can sell it at all. Here comes De Beers in again with their price-manipulation - they gave diamonds this "let's-pass-this-on-by-generations" cult so the public who possesses diamonds couldn't sell them and make the price go Boooom-down. Clever of them, ha?
But don't get me wrong. I'm one of the biggest jewelry-holics and everything that shines .. well, I probably love it. That is the reason why this subject is very close to the heart for me and at the same time pisses me off. Knowing the background of diamonds has made me one of the women who will never want to possess diamonds. And why should I when there are rhinestones! They are equally beautiful, they have not been manipulated with, they are very durable and some types have been given the same "shine effect" that diamonds have on the light.
When to think about it, rhinestones can even look more beautiful than diamonds and they are legitimate jewelry that hasn't a background filled with greedy men trying to get as rich as possible. Beautiful, affordable, has the same characteristics .. what's there not to love?
So, are you a diamond-lover and belong to one of those girls who can't imagine her life without diamonds on her neck? What do you think about this whole subject? If you'd have unlimited budget, would you rather buy diamonds than rhinestones? Share your thoughts with me!
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