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Your own links disagree with you. From the second one:
Quote:
According to De Beers, more than 70 countries participate in the Kimberley Process, which requires the governments in these countries to ensure that all diamond shipments are exported in secure containers. In addition, each shipment must also have a specifically numbered and government-validated certificate that promises the shipment does not contain conflict diamonds. The countries must also agree to refuse any diamond shipments not containing an authentic Kimberley Process Certificate.
De Beers? Really? The biggest buyer of blood diamonds on the planet?
Quote:
Proponents of the Kimberley Process claim that 99.8 percent of the world's diamonds are now legitimate and conflict-free. Critics, however, claim that the program doesn't prevent diamonds from being easily smuggled from war-torn countries to Kimberley Process countries and then passed off as legitimate. In fact, the United Nations and the United States government released reports as recently as 2006 stating that roughly $23 million worth of Ivory Coast diamonds were smuggled into trade and distributed as legitimate
That bolded sentence notes exactly the problem: The smuggling. If you watch the videos, you will see that the claim of "only 4%" is not verfiable because the pedigrees are not being tracked because the diamonds are being smuggled.
If you want to make sure that a diamond is not a blood diamond, you must buy it from Canada or buy a synthetic. If it crosses an ocean, you have no real guarantee because of the smuggling, the falsified paperwork, and the money laundering.
Please do not gloss over the facts because this is a very real, ongoing problem and people are dying just so Americans can have their bling. Maybe you are okay with potentially giving your money to people like Joseph Kony, but I'm not. Not even a 1% chance would make vanity worth the price.
If you truly love her and want to spend the rest of your life with her - then your proposal should not be a test of your love - it should be an expression of it. And if she loves you and your proposal is an expression of your love and not a test, she should say yes no matter how much you spent on the ring. If you buy a ring that you know she won't like to prove a point - well, that's a pretty crappy way to start a relationship. And if she will only say yes if you spent X amount on a ring - well, that's a pretty crappy way to start a relationship as well.
How does she know how much her friends' rings were? I've never told any of my friends how much my ring was and I have no idea how much any of theirs were either. I would never even think of asking them.
Yeah...I have no idea how much most of my friends rings cost, it's not something that comes up in polite conversation. In fact, most of my friends have vintage or estate jewelry and I did help two of their now husbands pick out the rings themselves, so I do know those prices. Both were well under 1k and both women absolutely LOVED the rings. They were both purchased on etsy.com if that matters any.
Yeah...I have no idea how much most of my friends rings cost, it's not something that comes up in polite conversation. In fact, most of my friends have vintage or estate jewelry and I did help two of their now husbands pick out the rings themselves, so I do know those prices. Both were well under 1k and both women absolutely LOVED the rings. They were both purchased on etsy.com if that matters any.
I totally agree - I would NEVER ask someone how much their ring cost - or what size the stone was or the total weight or whatever. I mean, between girlfriends - CLOSE friends - or on an anonymous site like this - it's OK to discuss price, size, etc. but to ask someone what their ring cost - even your FIANCE - well, it's just ridiculous. BAD SIGN.
Yeah...I have no idea how much most of my friends rings cost, it's not something that comes up in polite conversation. In fact, most of my friends have vintage or estate jewelry and I did help two of their now husbands pick out the rings themselves, so I do know those prices. Both were well under 1k and both women absolutely LOVED the rings. They were both purchased on etsy.com if that matters any.
Exactly right. It's just uncouth to make the price of something so personal public knowledge
Actually, I don't think that ^^ (photo) would happen to this OP. He already had a whole thread about car-buying, and who should pay for whose car and how much, and all that.
Actually, I don't think that ^^ (photo) would happen to this OP. He already had a whole thread about car-buying, and who should pay for whose car and how much, and all that.
Just then think of any of his other possessions in place of it instead.
If you truly love her and want to spend the rest of your life with her - then your proposal should not be a test of your love - it should be an expression of it. And if she loves you and your proposal is an expression of your love and not a test, she should say yes no matter how much you spent on the ring. If you buy a ring that you know she won't like to prove a point - well, that's a pretty crappy way to start a relationship. And if she will only say yes if you spent X amount on a ring - well, that's a pretty crappy way to start a relationship as well.
Yes...
The focus on money is what is most disturbing. I get the impression the OP cherishes his wallet more than his human relationships.
Personally, I did not know people spent more than $3K on a ring, and even that sounds like a lot to me.
Since you generally wear the ring all the time & it's a symbol of your commitment, if I ever got engaged, then I'd like one which suits my style & is nice looking; and I'd appreciate a partner who considered my feelings in picking out a ring & did not get stuck on cost (beyond not spending above their means). Given my taste, I'd probably be pleased with a relatively inexpensive non-diamond, vintage, funky piece. But the point is, it's more about attitude than money spent.
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