

Diamonds Suck - kumarski
http://diamondssuck.com/

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pedalpete
I like the attitude, but I think this is the wrong way to get people away from
buying diamond engagement rings.

If people think it is a diamond, it continues to serve DeBeers in promoting
the idea that when you get engaged, you buy an expensive diamond ring.

The real solution is to come up with something completely different which
still identifies the occasion, but without the geopolitical overhead.

The clever way to do it is to find something that in some way has meaning to
both of the couples.

When a friend of mine was proposing to his wife, he was fiddling with a stone
he had picked-up by the river side. He didn't have a ring to give her as he
couldn't afford a diamond, which she knew. She took the stone from him and
suggested they make a necklace out of it.

Now, not every girl is as cool as Christine, but they have the most
interesting engagement jewelry of anybody else, and a story that goes along
with it which is better than "I looked for the right diamond for ages...".

~~~
kumarski
I agree with you. I'm not sure this is the optimal way to discourage diamond
purchases.

I'm not sold on your idea either though.

What do you think of this: thediamondpledge.com, where you make a pledge to
support humanity by not buying diamonds.

For every diamond you don't buy, you get discounts to alternatives.

not sure if it will work, what are your thoughts?

~~~
pedalpete
You're still promoting 'Diamonds', which is what you want to get away from. I
think it is very difficult to get promote and get people to not buy vs. buy.
Look at the fur industry as an example. I don't think the anti-fur people have
been very successful.

How would you measure diamonds people don't buy? It's difficult as a negative
input. What you really want to do, if you really want to do this at all, is
figure out what is better than a diamond.

I can't say I really have much thoughts on it. I've never bought a diamond,
likely never will (not a new one at least).

