# if women didn't want diamonds, would they be worth anything? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 28, 2013, 9:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-women-didnt-want-diamonds-would-they-be-worth-anything/656902 "2013-04-28T09:07:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![lazybratsche](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ba8739/32.png) [@lazybratsche](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lazybratsche)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2013, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-women-didnt-want-diamonds-would-they-be-worth-anything/656902/42 "2013-11-20T12:51:15Z")
Spam reported ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2013, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-women-didnt-want-diamonds-would-they-be-worth-anything/656902/43 "2013-11-20T13:02:31Z")
> [@brandy1](#): > > Though Diamond are beautiful but they are not worth because it’s re-sale value is zero. But if you want to buy than click here I think that’s got to be the most self-defeating spam post ever. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2013, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-women-didnt-want-diamonds-would-they-be-worth-anything/656902/44 "2013-11-20T13:09:33Z")
> [@minor\_details](#): > > Diamond has some really useful properties… > > Diamond windows are used for spectroscopy, as they transmit quite well in the infrared, visible and UV. These windows are made of synthetic diamond (using chemical vapor deposition). > > Diamond is also an excellent electrical insulator, while also being an excellent heat conductor, which makes thin diamond films useful in microelectronics. > > See [http://www.iiviinfrared.com/Optical-Materials/cvd-diamond\_substrates.html](http://www.iiviinfrared.com/Optical-Materials/cvd-diamond_substrates.html) and click on the pdf link for relevant plots. You’ve said much of what I came in to say. I’ll just add that diamond windows are also indispensable for use as “anvils” for ultra-high pressure research, and that the high heat conductivity of diamond is also useful in applications besides electronics. Diamond sheets have been used to convey heat from laser materials. In fact, it’s possible to use point defects in the diamond itself as a lasing medium (as was demonstrated back in 1983), and so have a solid laser which also efficient carries the heat away from itself. ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2013, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-women-didnt-want-diamonds-would-they-be-worth-anything/656902/45 "2013-11-20T14:04:04Z")
[Obligatory Family Guy clip.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gpcW-4RbD7Y) ---
**Author:** ![md2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/73ab20/32.png) [@md2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md2000)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2013, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-women-didnt-want-diamonds-would-they-be-worth-anything/656902/46 "2013-11-20T17:02:22Z")
> [@drew870mitchell](#): > > Here’s a great story about the true value of diamonds. Anyone interested in this thread should find it a good read. > > [http://www.edwardjayepstein.com/diamond/chap20.htm](http://www.edwardjayepstein.com/diamond/chap20.htm) However, the story I remember reading about this was different. (The story was famous because the guy used the encoding system to simulate transactions, one of the first serious hacking thefts). Epstein leaves us hanging with the diamonds transferred to to a Lichenstein dealer. The story I remember reading mentioned the bank made $1.5 million on the transaction. This may have barely covered expenses (or not); and the story I remember simply said they made money, did not go into detail about the hassles. As mentioned, diamonds are a “display” item, showing off wealth and hence power. Like Prada handbags or Rolex watches, their value is what others perceive the value to be. I suppose part of the appeal is that it’s a lot harder to fake a real, sparkly diamond than a leather handbag or plated wristwatch. Also, of course, the diamond is more to impress your immediate circle of friends than passing strangers; friends are more likely to know if the person is able to even remotely afford such a bauble. Synthetic rubies have been available for decades; it hasn’t destroyed the market for mined ones (although some jewelers, like Tiffany’s, are avoiding them because of the African conflicts and profits issues). It has, however, made large ones much less desirable; hence cheaper. it’s less about precious stones and more about decoration. I suspect this is what will happen to diamonds. “World’s leargest natural” and similar categories may be desirable for their uniqueness. Smaller diamonds, for decorative purposes, may still find a market but nowhere near as expensive. If large diamonds are dirt-cheap, then what’s the point? Anything over 1ct starts to get too big for practical for a ring; they will become fodder for decorations like earrings, pendants, etc. like costume jewelry. The worst spot is if an artificial diamond is still expensive, but not expensive enough. Would people pay, say $2000 for a flawless diamond the size of a nickel and half as thick? Not if everyone else had them, and they were likely to get cheaper in the future. ---
**Author:** ![MacCat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maccat/32/216_2.png) [@MacCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacCat)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2013, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-women-didnt-want-diamonds-would-they-be-worth-anything/656902/47 "2013-11-21T12:48:21Z")
> [@Polycarp](#): > > “Sic” (properly put in square brackets, and preferably italicized), is used to mean “so in the original”, as for example “The Congress shall Chuse _[sic]_…” or “…to dig the dirt encloas’d _[sic]_ here…” It is used when one reproduces a quoted text verbatim, to show it is not an introduced error but a faithful reprodiiction of the quoted text. As in “It is used when one reproduces a quoted text verbatim, to show it is not an introduced error but a faithful reprodiiction [_sic_] of the quoted text.”? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2013, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-women-didnt-want-diamonds-would-they-be-worth-anything/656902/48 "2013-11-21T15:04:20Z")
> [@](#): > > Quoth **CalMeacham** : > > You’ve said much of what I came in to say. I’ll just add that diamond windows are also indispensable for use as “anvils” for ultra-high pressure research, This is what the golf-ball-sized ones I mentioned earlier were used for. They had to be diamond to support the high pressures, and they had to be perfectly clear to allow for observation of the sample while it was being pressed. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-women-didnt-want-diamonds-would-they-be-worth-anything/656902.md?page=2)