# Is a diamond's price a true measure of its value? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [September 3, 2004, 9:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-diamonds-price-a-true-measure-of-its-value/262937 "2004-09-03T09:53:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Qur\_Tharkasdottir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Qur\_Tharkasdottir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qur_Tharkasdottir)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2004, 9:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-diamonds-price-a-true-measure-of-its-value/262937/1 "2004-09-03T09:53:04Z")
Working myself in the gemstones business, I can confirm that this is absolutely correct. [Is a diamond’s price a true measure of its value?](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/040903.html) ---
**Author:** ![Alan\_Smithee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/2acd7d/32.png) [@Alan\_Smithee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alan_Smithee)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2004, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-diamonds-price-a-true-measure-of-its-value/262937/2 "2004-09-03T14:18:55Z")
Qûr, I think you meant to say that, working in the gemstone bussiness, you are glad Cecil has finally revealed to you as Truth, what you had previously known only through direct personal experience and extensive training. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![John\_W.Kennedy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_w.kennedy/32/1031_2.png) [@John\_W.Kennedy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_W.Kennedy)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2004, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-diamonds-price-a-true-measure-of-its-value/262937/3 "2004-09-03T16:22:45Z")
What about non-diamonds – rubies and emeralds, to begin with? The last I heard, they could be more valuable than diamonds. ---
**Author:** ![Skott](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Skott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skott)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2004, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-diamonds-price-a-true-measure-of-its-value/262937/4 "2004-09-03T19:14:03Z")
My question is, despite the now obvious fact that diamonds are severly overrated, even coming from such a great source as Cecil, how many women will actually accept the idea that many diamonds come from diabolic sources and there are alternatives? And if, one can only hope, the De Beers company came crashing down and the market was flooded with diamonds, would they still want them? I came to the message boards to get advice on how to go about [buying a ring for her without soiling my morals](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=31955). > [@](#): > > She would probably get really mad at me if I did spend two months salary on a ring… she’d rather have a house. With the advice I recieved, I eventually bought her an ring with an aquamarine stone and two diamond chips (similar to [this](http://store1.yimg.com/I/antiquejewelrymall_1806_154385657&R208)) and related the story [here on the board](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=48770): > [@](#): > > She loves the ring and said she won’t trade it for anything else. I offered to get her a full size diamond, instead of the aquamarine stone in the center, but she wouldn’t hear of it. She loves the ring just the way it is and shows it off to everybody. We’ve been [married](http://home.pacbell.net/gotskott/097.jpg) three years now and she is still as happy as ever with her ring and still continues to reject the idea of getting a diamond at some point… she much prefers our [house](http://home.pacbell.net/gotskott/1919_i3.jpg) and the sentimental value of her ring. 🙂 P.S. As **stuyguy** [pointed out to me](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=553039&postcount=6), there was an excellent documentary that aired on PBS detailing the evils of the diamond business. “[T]he execs at DeBeers have a special little niche carved out by the guys in red suits with the pitchforks already.” - **jamshid** ---
**Author:** ![Mathochist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c89c15/32.png) [@Mathochist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mathochist)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2004, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-diamonds-price-a-true-measure-of-its-value/262937/5 "2004-09-03T20:04:36Z")
> [@John W. Kennedy](#): > > What about non-diamonds – rubies and emeralds, to begin with? The last I heard, they could be more valuable than diamonds. Actually, I was going to ask about other precious and semi-precious stones and other jewelry. The Great One ™ pointedly didn’t go into the brutality that goes on in the supply side, but I’ve heard enough about it elsewhere. What I haven’t heard is if there are similar moral quandaries about rubies, emeralds, and so on. Particularly, I’d like to hear if there’s any nastiness associated with the supply side of pearls, especially black ones. Most of my s/os tend to be extremely pale and wear black pearls well, and they make unusual gifts (since most people just get white). Should I be feeling guilty about this habit? Oh, and **Qûr** : I’m not sure where you’re from, but if it’s anywhere near Connecticut is there a Doper Discount? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Agent\_Foxtrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc29f/32.png) [@Agent\_Foxtrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agent_Foxtrot)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2004, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-diamonds-price-a-true-measure-of-its-value/262937/6 "2004-09-03T20:17:44Z")
I heard about the whole diamond racket a few years ago from my dad. My ex-girlfriend already knew about this, too, and told me she would never wear a diamond, preferring sapphires, rubies, emeralds, etc. The sad thing is, last year seemed to be the year for engagements, and all the ladies were ga-ga over their new diamond engagement rings. When we all talked about De Beers and the _actual_ worth of a diamond, they all say the same thing: **"Oh, we know, but we’re girls and this is the one thing we buy into."** :smack: Adam ---
**Author:** ![thwartme](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecc23a/32.png) [@thwartme](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thwartme)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2004, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-diamonds-price-a-true-measure-of-its-value/262937/7 "2004-09-03T20:50:50Z")
If you want ethically clean diamonds, buy Canadian. Our northern expanse has yielded up a supply of surprisingly high-quality rocks, and the local native population has taken great steps to protect their claim on the land. A brand-new type of diamond industry is resulting, in which the stones are mined, polished and prepped for retail sale by a non-cartel co-operative. There was a great article about it in [this](http://www.walrusmagazine.com/article.pl?sid=04/05/05/1320258&tid=1) magazine (link goes to magazine info, not the article itself.) thwartme ---
**Author:** ![CheapBastid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8baadc/32.png) [@CheapBastid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CheapBastid)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2004, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-diamonds-price-a-true-measure-of-its-value/262937/8 "2004-09-03T20:53:57Z")
My [post](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=266272) has finally been addressed by the great one. Good job Cecil! ---
**Author:** ![Skott](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Skott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skott)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2004, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-diamonds-price-a-true-measure-of-its-value/262937/9 "2004-09-03T21:12:58Z")
> [@thwartme](#): > > If you want ethically clean diamonds, buy Canadian. Our northern expanse has yielded up a supply of surprisingly high-quality rocks, and the local native population has taken great steps to protect their claim on the land. A brand-new type of diamond industry is resulting, in which the stones are mined, polished and prepped for retail sale by a non-cartel co-operative. So I’ve heard (but after I had already proposed). The odd thing is that their prices are usually _higher_ than DeBeers-sourced diamonds. But I guess that’s a supply and demand type thing, seeing as how few non-DeBeer diamonds there are? I had also heard about similar things happening in Russia and Australia, but then I think DeBeers ended up buying them. ---
**Author:** ![Qur\_Tharkasdottir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Qur\_Tharkasdottir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qur_Tharkasdottir)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2004, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-diamonds-price-a-true-measure-of-its-value/262937/10 "2004-09-03T21:55:26Z")
> [@Alan Smithee](#): > > Qûr, I think you meant to say that, working in the gemstone bussiness, you are glad Cecil has finally revealed to you as Truth, what you had previously known only through direct personal experience and extensive training. > > 😃 Oops, of course! :smack: ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2004, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-diamonds-price-a-true-measure-of-its-value/262937/11 "2004-09-03T23:58:41Z")
> [@Mathochist](#): > > Actually, I was going to ask about other precious and semi-precious stones and other jewelry. The Great One ™ pointedly didn’t go into the brutality that goes on in the supply side, but I’ve heard enough about it elsewhere. What I haven’t heard is if there are similar moral quandaries about rubies, emeralds, and so on. > > Particularly, I’d like to hear if there’s any nastiness associated with the supply side of pearls, especially black ones. Black pearls are almost all dyed. I’m not saying that there aren’t true black pearls. Just telling it like it is. As far as colored gem stones-- many of these are mined, cut, and polished in the third world. This is labor-intensive work. So, if you can get it done for $5/day, instead of $15/hr., then you see how valuable a blue topaz might be. ☹ Natural emeralds and rubies, say in the 3/4 ct. and larger category, that are **not treated** and are internally very clean and of great color are truly rare. Modern technology has allowed for colored gems to be heat treated, irradiated, etc. This is an overwhelming problem in the industry. And I’m not even talking about synthetic stones, or lab-grown stuff. Even the labs can’t detect some things that are being done today. It can only go downhill from here. ---
**Author:** ![Mathochist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c89c15/32.png) [@Mathochist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mathochist)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2004, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-diamonds-price-a-true-measure-of-its-value/262937/12 "2004-09-04T01:17:57Z")
> [@samclem](#): > > Black pearls are almost all dyed. I’m not saying that there aren’t true black pearls. Just telling it like it is. I understand this, though it doesn’t at all answer the question I asked. Maybe I need to be more explicit: does the trade in gemstones and pearls other diamonds involve such brutality as the diamond trade does? I’m willing to accept that the average person “producing” a random ruby I buy is likely being paid less for the same work than someone in the USA would be for the same work. Hell, the same goes for most clothes these days. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2004, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-diamonds-price-a-true-measure-of-its-value/262937/13 "2004-09-04T01:46:44Z")
So, are there “blood” colored gemstones(like “blood” diamonds)? Not that I know of, but I’ll ask our resident GG(grauate gemologist) tomorrow at work. ---
**Author:** ![jsleek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8dc957/32.png) [@jsleek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsleek)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2004, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-diamonds-price-a-true-measure-of-its-value/262937/14 "2004-09-04T02:41:06Z")
We’ve been [married](http://home.pacbell.net/gotskott/097.jpg) three years now … Skott is a showoff. ---
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2004, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-diamonds-price-a-true-measure-of-its-value/262937/15 "2004-09-04T05:06:15Z")
> [@Mathochist](#): > > . > > Particularly, I’d like to hear if there’s any nastiness associated with the supply side of pearls, especially black ones. AFAIK, essentially all the black pearls are produced in French Polynesia or for a smaller part in Okinawa. I doubt much blood is spilled in either place. ---
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2004, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-diamonds-price-a-true-measure-of-its-value/262937/16 "2004-09-04T05:19:32Z")
I googled for figures, and I found that at least 90% of natural black pearls (I’m not sure “natural” is the correct english word. I mean cultivated pearls, but naturally black, not dyed) come from Polynesia. Though I didn’t search for them, I came across a number of mentions about other (non-black) pearls, and they seem to be produced mainly in Japan, Australia, Vietnam…So, I assume pearls are quite a safe buy, from an ethical point of view. ---
**Author:** ![SCSimmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e495f1/32.png) [@SCSimmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCSimmons)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2004, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-diamonds-price-a-true-measure-of-its-value/262937/17 "2004-09-04T14:40:25Z")
Don’t forget that to make cultured pearls, one must _torture an oyster_!! This message brought to you by PETA. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Kat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b19c9b/32.png) [@Kat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kat)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2004, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-diamonds-price-a-true-measure-of-its-value/262937/18 "2004-09-04T18:04:24Z")
_Perspective!!!_ 😃 ---
**Author:** ![ShortBus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2bfe46/32.png) [@ShortBus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShortBus)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2004, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-diamonds-price-a-true-measure-of-its-value/262937/19 "2004-09-04T18:55:16Z")
[Definately worth a gander.](http://www.theatlantic.com/issues/82feb/8202diamond1.htm) ---
**Author:** ![ShortBus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2bfe46/32.png) [@ShortBus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShortBus)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2004, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-diamonds-price-a-true-measure-of-its-value/262937/20 "2004-09-04T18:58:28Z")
> [@ShortBus](#): > > [Definately worth a gander.](http://www.theatlantic.com/issues/82feb/8202diamond1.htm) Doh! They went subscriber-only. Never fear: [Fixed link.](http://web.archive.org/web/20031202223039/http://www.theatlantic.com/issues/82feb/8202diamond1.htm) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-diamonds-price-a-true-measure-of-its-value/262937.md?page=2)