Speaking of rubies, I saw on PBS a doc about lab-made rubies that are in all ways superior to mined rubies. So much so that the makers voluntarily add doping that makes them look, I think, blue under certain light.
I don’t think the appeal is as much in the quality or the value as it is in the price.
Women I’ve known would tell friends the “retail” price, not what the guy actually paid for the gem.
“Hearts of Fire”. Sheesh, how can you compete with that?
There was a fantastic article on the history of Diamonds and how DeBeers essentially created the guilt-based advertizing about how A mother shouldn’t hand down her diamonds to her daughter/son when they get married but the kid should buy their own for their spouse because They Are a One Person One Diamond guilt trip. And how they created the idea that diamonds are an investment. Unless you are buying some huge flawless rock ( and you aren’t, admit it) your $2-4K spend on the ring will never increase in value.
I wish I could find the article. It was from some paper in Atlanta and I don’t know where or which one.
It totally changed my already jaded opinion on diamonds completely.
Fantastic article.