We all know that diamonds are a lot precious then anything in this world. Therefore we are always careful while grading a diamond because we want our customers to have the best. To attain the maximum purity standards we have set four stages of tests that each diamond has to pass through, before we label them as the best of the best. These four stages are known as the 4cs. These 4c’s represent color, clarity, cut and carat. Evaluation is based on all these features. The diamonds that are presented to you to make your every moment special and that it stays with you with all its glitter and strength throughout your life like a true companion.

I know this is just spam but I want to comment anyways.

First off, diamonds are not precious by conventional standards. If you read the history of diamond mining, you realize that diamonds are actually relatively common. Sure, there are only a few diamond mines in the world but the number of diamonds they produce are quite staggering.

Because of this, DeBeers uses its monopoly power to limit the number of stones on the market at any given time. There are other, smaller companies but the situation is equivalent to the MS monopoly. If DeBeers didn't artifically limit the number of gems, the market would be flooded and the bottom would drop out of the diamond market.

So, diamonds aren't as precious as everyone believes. And with the new synthetic diamonds being created, there's even more of a concern. The lab-created gems are perfect with no flaws and, AFAIK, can't be distinguished from the "real" ones without extensive testing. I believe they may be marked somehow w/ lasers though.

A benefit of lab gems is that, not only are they cheaper and often of higher quality, but there is also none of the environmental waste associated with them. No open pit mines, no hazardous waste runoff, no "slave labor", and definitely no wars. Blood diamonds are supposedly on the decline but they realling can't tell whether a diamond was involved in financing a war.

The only reason diamonds are considered so valuable is because of the DeBeers marketing. Personally, I think diamonds are ugly; I prefer colored stones to clear stones. Plus, colored gems are cheaper because they aren't controlled by DeBeers.

So, if you must have a diamond, do your research and don't believe the hype. Often you can find a fantastic deal on second-hand jewelery and just move the stones to a new setting. You have something you want at half the cost.

__________________
Common Sense v2.0-Striving to make the world a little bit smarter.

What a party pooper.

Next you will be telling us that gold isn't really all that precious either, and that its price is set by a cabal of international bankers and a faction of the U.S. Government!

Regards,

Dave

Footnotes:

"Get gold. Humanely if possible, but at all costs, get gold."
---King Ferdinand of Spain
At the Conquistadors Project organizational kickoff meeting
Spring, 1509.

"Who says a little good-natured spam can't be fun?"
---davekw7x


"Spam, Spam, Spam, Spam, Spam, baked beans, Spam, Spam, Spam and Spam"
---Monty Python

"Now, don't even get me started on baked beans..."
---Anonymous (Or was it Mel Brooks in Blazing Saddles???)

I know you're just kidding, Dave, but at least gold has a standard of trade value, plus a historical basis as currency.

__________________
Common Sense v2.0-Striving to make the world a little bit smarter.

Well, kidding a little, but not completely kidding. Everything that is bought and sold has prices that are set by the buyers and sellers. If the seller has good enough marketing (or some other coercive skills), then the price is mostly determined by the seller.

Diamond prices are mostly determined by the sellers of diamonds (mining companies and jewelry stores).

Gold prices are mostly determined by certain buyers and sellers of money (certain international bankers).

Regards,

Dave

"History records that money changers have used every form of abuse, intrigue, deceit, and violent means possible to maintain their control over governments by controlling money and its issuance.”
---James Madison, fourth U.S. President

Well, if the rich people are dumb enough to pay out the nose for something, I won't say anything.

I saw a $750 purse and $400 flip-flop sandals in a magazine once. I can almost guarantee you that the quality isn't any better than what you'd find at Target.

I gotta start my own brand and label. That's where the money is.

__________________
Common Sense v2.0-Striving to make the world a little bit smarter.

First of all, I agree your DeBeers comments.

However, consider the following from a commercial that I just saw:

At (...store name here...) all of our diamonds are (???I forgot the buzz word???) certified. We guarantee that they are worth 100% more than the appraised value.

My first thought was that that is silly: How the heck can a retail outlet sell things that are worth more than the appraised value? I mean, sometimes an individual will sell something for a lower-than-appraised amount, but a retail outlet selling these things all day, every day?

What are the criteria that appraisers use? I think the way that they are grades is pretty well defined (the 4 c's), but how is a dollar amount attached to the gem?

Then I began to think a little.

My observation is that "discount jewellers" routinely sell things in the range of 50% of the prices in the uptown stores (which presumably sell them at appraised value). If the discounters can still make a profit by selling things at 50% of the "appraised value", what is the real cost to the retailer? It's not just DeBeers that's taking advantage of us; it's the entire supply chain.

Maybe there is money to be made in appraising end of the business. How much would a store pay me to appraise a piece of diamond jewelry for $1000 so they could sell their $400 item for $500 and make the customer think it's a real bargain?

Bottom line: "Appraised value" means nothing. The actual monetary value of an item is whatever a buyer is willing to pay at a given time. Good marketing creates demand. Control over production regulates supply. Questionable appraisal regulations deceive the unsuspecting customer to the point where he/she is happy to be "taken."

Regards,

Dave