How we got brainwashed into diamond e-rings

@GummBearSTL...he's paying off student loans!!! THAT'S a proposal and I'm here for it!!

Orchids, still not as hard as a diamond though. Although rare, they can still be scratched by diamonds or objects made out of diamonds.

Again, I'm not judging, just curious if people with softer stones know that they are not as durable (so yes, ruby may not have been the best example).

I'm with Olivia. I've had my moissanite referred to as fake and it pisses me off. I read this article before deciding on my stone and I'm happy I didn't go with a diamond.

@GummBearSTL - that's amazing!!! I'd take paid off student loans over a fancy ring any day. Cute that yours is sentimental, though

@lyla, I'm not trying to shame people with diamonds. I clearly stated that have a diamond myself that I absolutely love (although the "why" has been something I never thought about). The "how they became the it thing" part is the thing I find interesting and the subject of this post

Edit: also second on the student loans thing - although now that I have the ring no take backs

That's crazy! It works on me, I LOVE looking down and seeing that little sparkle.

There is definitely a huge marketing aspect to it. There is no inherent reason why marital status should have anything whatsoever to do with wearing a certain type of ring on a certain finger.

But, with that said, I don't think it's fair to say the choice of diamonds is just arbitrary and made up. Diamonds are very hard, which makes them a natural choice for a ring worn daily throughout a person's lifetime. Softer gemstones can be gorgeous, but many/most can't withstand 50+ years of constantly jostling around and banging into things. And because diamonds are (nearly) colorless, they will never clash with an outfit the way other jewels can.

Never once have I been concerned if my e-ring clashes with my outfit... Wtf???

That's one of the reasons I have a garnet. I would rather have a large stone that we could afford than a tiny diamond.

We just got one hell of a deal on mine. 1 full carat for dirt cheap. I love it tho and wouldn't trade it for anything

Oh Lordt.

StPaulGal, you also just described a moissanite...

I always thought diamonds were over priced and over rated (absolutely no offense to the diamond lovers out there). I love my morganite. I do know it's fragility, I did a LOT of research on this stone. I literally only wear it when I'm out of the house.

I love my diamonds. I am GIA certified and I sold fine jewelry at the retail level for 9 years in the late 80's and early 90's.

I used to tell women who were getting their diamonds reset because they were divorcing that "relationships may come and go but Diamonds are forever". It is a mindset that is finally changing after decades.