Engagement Rings
Oct 21, 2021 09:31:41 #
I'm glad I got married over fifty years ago, when I could afford an engagement ring. An ad for rings popped up here - $72,000. I don't think so.
You know, years ago, an engagement ring did not contain diamonds. That was the brilliant idea of the diamond industry. You'll see that in old movies, or movies set in the past. You've heard of the movie "Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend." The diamond industry was behind that. The diamond market is totally controlled, and the prices are set artificially high. There is no shortage of diamonds.
You know, years ago, an engagement ring did not contain diamonds. That was the brilliant idea of the diamond industry. You'll see that in old movies, or movies set in the past. You've heard of the movie "Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend." The diamond industry was behind that. The diamond market is totally controlled, and the prices are set artificially high. There is no shortage of diamonds.
Oct 21, 2021 09:36:17 #
jerryc41 wrote:
I'm glad I got married over fifty years ago, when ... (show quote)
Yep, and hopefully with the artificial diamonds being produced, the diamond industry will lose it's control on prices...
Oct 21, 2021 14:50:36 #
Just like gas, oil, prescription drugs, and a whole host of other items that are artificially priced
Lately it's just about everything. About a month ago I checked the price of 3/4 inch pressure treated plywood at Home Depot; $75.00. I thought it was a typo so I called them. He asked me how many did I want? I told him not many at that price. Now there still high at 24.14 but not as bad as before
Lately it's just about everything. About a month ago I checked the price of 3/4 inch pressure treated plywood at Home Depot; $75.00. I thought it was a typo so I called them. He asked me how many did I want? I told him not many at that price. Now there still high at 24.14 but not as bad as before
Oct 21, 2021 17:25:32 #
tramsey wrote:
Just like gas, oil, prescription drugs, and a whole host of other items that are artificially priced
Lately it's just about everything. About a month ago I checked the price of 3/4 inch pressure treated plywood at Home Depot; $75.00. I thought it was a typo so I called them. He asked me how many did I want? I told him not many at that price. Now there still high at 24.14 but not as bad as before
Lately it's just about everything. About a month ago I checked the price of 3/4 inch pressure treated plywood at Home Depot; $75.00. I thought it was a typo so I called them. He asked me how many did I want? I told him not many at that price. Now there still high at 24.14 but not as bad as before
Yes! Lumber prices have been crazy! Covid shut everything down - except for the contractors and DIY people. That caught the lumber people by surprise, and it took them a long time to get back to producing lumber. They took advantage of the situation to raise prices. Fortunately, my lumber needs are minor.
Oct 22, 2021 10:16:08 #
jerryc41 wrote:
I'm glad I got married over fifty years ago, when ... (show quote)
Smart people will create their own engagement rings in whatever stone/color they love, not held hostage to social norms of the diamond industry. Diamonds = boring.
Oct 22, 2021 10:37:05 #
jerryc41 wrote:
I'm glad I got married over fifty years ago, when ... (show quote)
Absolutely correct! Rubies, emeralds and sapphires are considerably rarer than diamonds but cost less. Ditto for "diamonds are forever" even though other gems are just as long lived. Diamond advertising is designed to make a guy feel cheap and a woman to think he doesn't really love her if he buys her a ring with anything less (expensive) than a diamond.
Oct 22, 2021 11:41:43 #
DeBeers controlled the diamond industry, and the advertising programs. One of the slogans was "Diamonds are a Great Investment".
For DeBeers.
If you've ever tried to sell a "used" diamond and you're offered 10% on the dollar, you've hit a triple trifecta!
For DeBeers.
If you've ever tried to sell a "used" diamond and you're offered 10% on the dollar, you've hit a triple trifecta!
Oct 22, 2021 13:50:01 #
Paul Diamond
Loc: Atlanta, GA, USA
All is true. Diamonds are price controlled worldwide. Less than perfect and perfectly cut, diamonds become much more affordable. If you are in the market for diamonds, look at the acceptable color for your diamond. Instead of "D Flawless," you will pay far, far less for a G or H color diamond with VS, SI clarity and good to very good 'cut'.
"Used Diamond Jewelry" is worth maybe as little as 1/2 to 1/3 of the retail store price. If the ring has signs of use/wear, the value might be just for the diamond and the melt value of the gold. This isn't much. But, due to Covid, worldwide nervous 'buyers' wanted to own gold more than their country's currency. Almost overnight, gold increased from $360/ounce to $1800/ounce! It has not come down much from these levels.
"Used Diamond Jewelry" is worth maybe as little as 1/2 to 1/3 of the retail store price. If the ring has signs of use/wear, the value might be just for the diamond and the melt value of the gold. This isn't much. But, due to Covid, worldwide nervous 'buyers' wanted to own gold more than their country's currency. Almost overnight, gold increased from $360/ounce to $1800/ounce! It has not come down much from these levels.
Oct 22, 2021 20:38:07 #
Jerry, this an old one, but relevant to your comment:
A balding, white haired man walked into a jewellery store one Friday evening with a beautiful much younger gal at his side. He told the jeweller he was looking for a special ring for his girlfriend.
The jeweller looked through his stock and brought out a $5,000 ring.
The man said, 'No, I'd like to see something more special.'
At that statement, the jeweler went to his special stock and brought another ring over. 'Here's a stunning ring at only $40,000 the jeweller said.
The lady's eyes sparkled and her whole body trembled with excitement. The old man seeing this said, 'We'll take it.'
The jeweller asked how payment would be made and the man stated, 'By check. I know you need to make sure my check is good, so I'll write it now and you can call the bank Monday to verify the funds; I'll pick the ring up Monday afternoon.'
On Monday morning, the jeweller angrily phoned the old man and said 'Sir...There's no money in that account.
''I know,' said the old man...'But let me tell you about my weekend.'
A balding, white haired man walked into a jewellery store one Friday evening with a beautiful much younger gal at his side. He told the jeweller he was looking for a special ring for his girlfriend.
The jeweller looked through his stock and brought out a $5,000 ring.
The man said, 'No, I'd like to see something more special.'
At that statement, the jeweler went to his special stock and brought another ring over. 'Here's a stunning ring at only $40,000 the jeweller said.
The lady's eyes sparkled and her whole body trembled with excitement. The old man seeing this said, 'We'll take it.'
The jeweller asked how payment would be made and the man stated, 'By check. I know you need to make sure my check is good, so I'll write it now and you can call the bank Monday to verify the funds; I'll pick the ring up Monday afternoon.'
On Monday morning, the jeweller angrily phoned the old man and said 'Sir...There's no money in that account.
''I know,' said the old man...'But let me tell you about my weekend.'
Oct 22, 2021 20:43:38 #
I’ll bet that you’ll see a lot commercials here for “them” now that you mentioned “them” in a post.
Oct 22, 2021 21:08:06 #
Oct 23, 2021 09:40:51 #
jimward wrote:
''I know,' said the old man...'But let me tell you about my weekend.'
Oct 23, 2021 09:41:06 #
Indi wrote:
I’ll bet that you’ll see a lot commercials here for “them” now that you mentioned “them” in a post.
Yes!
Oct 23, 2021 11:33:13 #
Many years ago, my late grandmother bought diamonds as an "investment". She evidently believed the jeweler when he told her she "would always get her money back" on diamonds. True, in some respects, but diamond values never go up, vis-a-vis inflation. Several times she traded in diamonds at that jeweler, and she always got what she paid in trade for newer jewelry.
When my dad and uncle sold them to settle the estate (neither one wanted the brooches or pins), they got around 25% of the price she paid.
When my dad and uncle sold them to settle the estate (neither one wanted the brooches or pins), they got around 25% of the price she paid.
Oct 24, 2021 11:10:50 #
pendennis wrote:
Many years ago, my late grandmother bought diamond... (show quote)
Are you implying that salespeople lie?! It's the same with timeshares. We had them, and they were great, but we never expected to get our money back. When we stopped traveling, we donated them to the Florida Veterans. We had to pay to make the donation, but it was a tax deduction, and they went to a good cause. I have no regrets about having the timeshares, though. We went to Hawaii three times by trading out VA Beach unit.
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