Why Engagement Rings Are a Scam

[onehandle]

I should have known.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. Yeah, I knew all that...

I still like 'em...

[onehandle]

2. I had no idea. Off to hock my wife's ring...

Ok, not. But I am going to get it re-appraised for insurance.

[Squinch]

3. As a wise woman once said, "I'd rather have a deed than a diamond."

[bayareaboy]

4. I'm glad I know now

Dee-light-ful!

[monmouth3]

5. I have quite a few zircona rings, they're beautiful and inexpensive..n/t

[WhoIsNumberNone]

7. ...And worth about as much

[WhoIsNumberNone]

6. And he didn't even get into conflict diamonds

Another one of the diamond racket's dirty little secrets is that money from the diamond trade is funding several very nasty wars and propping up a number of brutal governments (mostly in Africa, thus mostly unreported elsewhere- I doubt the diamond money that goes to Israel is considered 'conflict' although it probably should be)

[Neoma]

24. Not all engagement rings are diamonds.

I don't get the point of diamonds. No color = boring to me. I got an emerald that looks like one of those lord of the rings ring.

[dickthegrouch]

8. Go visit the Crown Jewels in London

I couldn't believe my eyes at the piles of diamonds in every case.

And Liz wants us to believe that she's broke? Now I know why.

[Dawson Leery]

12. Those Anglo Tory bastards stole them from India.

[Diclotican]

26. dickthegrouch

dickthegrouch

This diamonds who is in the tower of London, are not the property of the royal house - it is the property of the State.. Who now and then borrow it out to the royals when great celebration, and now and then a crowning is in order - Some of it goes back to ancient times - to the middle ages - but most of it, is from the 1600s when Charles II was crowned King after the horrible republic who was for 16 years...

Diclotican

[groundloop]

9. ALL high priced pretty rocks are a scam

Young people are far far better off saving money for a down payment on a house rather than purchasing expensive jewelry.

[gopiscrap]

11. exactly

[Dawson Leery]

10. Diamonds are like credit derivatives, stay far away from both.

Also, they are a far worse investment than gold.

[eggplant]

13. No, diamonds have more intrinsic value than derivatives!

If you are ever trapped in a glass box, try cutting your way to freedom with credit derivatives.

Ok, that's the only example I can think of. But it's an example!

Of course, without gold we'd never have absurdly priced wire! See http://www.amazon.com/Monster-1000HD-2M-Ultra-High-Speed-meters/dp/B000UF3FT8

[Dawson Leery]

15. I agree that Diamonds have an industrial use.

Industrial diamonds are usually sold at a fair value. The stuff you see in jewelry shops are never worth the price tag.

[whopis01]

18. Your argument doesn't make any sense

A glass box would imply transparency and there is no way that credit derivatives could exist within a transparent system!

[Jackpine Radical]

23. Brilliant analysis!

[eggplant]

30. Oh no! You've divided by zero! We're all doomed! >poof<

[Dyedinthewoolliberal]

14. Great!!!!

[Dark n Stormy Knight]

16. Excellent vid. Too bad it's true that people cling very tightly to societal rituals, even when those

rituals involve something as nefarious as diamonds. Even when we discover we've been brainwashed, we have trouble rejecting what we were brainwashed to accept.

[bkanderson76]

17. Its you and me babe....How about this red apple.....?

[CFLDem]

19. My wife wanted a cat instead of a ring

just more confirmation that I have a keeper!

[kiawah]

31. You have a "keeper"... how very nice and sexist of you...

n/t

[CFLDem]

32. Seriously?

It's a saying that can apply to both genders.

[EC]

20. Mine was an opal

I wanted a ring that I wanted rather than one that was supposed to be the chosen stone. I don't like diamonds, too plain. I like opal, rubies, saphires, onyx and others. But not diamonds.

[rurallib]

25. got Mrs. Lib a small sapphire

and the wedding ring is gold. It is different, it is distinctive (never seen another like it) and we were saving money for a house so it was {ahem} inexpensive.

[DesertDiamond]

21. I've always been a rhinestone fan myself. They're pretty, they sparkle, what more do you need?

[DeSwiss]

22. And that's not the only scam.....

...those rings will initiate.

- It's like a virtual marriage puddle with concentric scam circles emanating outward for eternity. Ring(s)-car(s)-mortgage(s)-college-fund(s)-401K(s)-Reversemortgage(s)-Nursing-Home(s)-Death. And then The Last Ring from LifeGem......

K&R

[calimary]

27. OMG!!!!!!!!!

Are you kidding me?????

Actually, I know you're not, DeSwiss. I went on that site and was Holy-Shit-Dumbfounded! Gee, how nice! I'm gonna wear my dad/husband/mom/whoever on my finger… EEEEUUWWWW!!! That's pretty doggone REVOLTING!!! And the prices?!?!?! Shit!

Sweet God…

[DeSwiss]

28. Gives new meaning to the words:

''These diamonds were my mother's.''

- Your mother's what?

[Thor_MN]

33. Not to mention "wrapped around my finger"

Almost literally, not that one's dead spouse can be persuaded to do anything more...

[DeSwiss]

35. Yeah but there's always pawn shops....

- Could still do a ''little' more......

[pansypoo53219]

29. i always thought diamonds were bullshit.

white is BORING. plus i prefer antiques. tho, i did see a nice older diamond ring, but it was the setting.

[drmeow]

34. We took a sapphire

which was a gift from my grandmother in a ring that didn't fit and had it made into an engagement ring - there are some small diamonds around the stone for sparkle. It is beautiful and gets lots of compliments. Unique, too.

Most of the other diamonds in the house were gifted, inherited, or bought used.

Now, the strand of black pearls which I think were bought by my grandmother in Japan in the late 60's/early 70's - those I think have value (we still need to get it appraised).