are diamond engagement rings a scam? ππΈπ
Summary
TLDRThis video delves into the history and impact of diamond engagement rings, from their ancient roots to modern societal pressures. It explores the evolution of ring styles, the diamond industry's manipulation of consumer values, and the media's role in promoting materialism as a symbol of love. The script challenges the necessity of expensive rings, advocating for ethical and personal choices in symbolizing love and commitment.
Takeaways
- π The tradition of engagement rings dates back to ancient civilizations like the Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans, symbolizing commitment and unity.
- πΊ Initially, engagement rings were made from simple materials like iron, leather, and bone, with gold becoming more common in ancient Rome.
- π° Roman women received two rings upon betrothal: a simple one for daily chores and a fancier one for public wear, showcasing the early display of wealth.
- π The first recorded diamond engagement ring was given in 1477 by Archduke Maximilian of Austria to Mary of Burgundy, highlighting the rarity and expense of diamonds at the time.
- π The popularity of diamond engagement rings grew with the influence of royalty and the upper class, who often incorporated diamonds into their rings.
- π‘ The discovery of diamonds in South Africa in the late 1860s and the subsequent diamond rush led to a monopoly by Cecil Rhodes, which artificially inflated diamond prices.
- πΌ Tiffany & Co.'s introduction of the Tiffany setting in the 1880s, featuring a solitary diamond held by six prongs, revolutionized engagement ring design and became highly popular.
- π The 20th century saw a surge in the popularity of diamond engagement rings, influenced by marketing campaigns and the desire for status symbols, especially after the slogan 'A diamond is forever' was introduced by De Beers.
- π² The idea that engagement rings should cost two months' salary was promoted by De Beers in the 1980s, setting an expectation that influenced consumer spending on engagement rings.
- π The 21st century has seen a shift towards more ethical and affordable alternatives to traditional diamond engagement rings, such as lab-grown diamonds or vintage pieces.
- π± The diamond industry has faced criticism for its environmental impact, exploitative labor practices, and links to conflict in Africa, leading some consumers to seek more ethical options.
Q & A
What is the historical origin of engagement rings?
-The practice of giving engagement rings is theorized to have begun with the ancient Egyptians, who might have made their rings out of reeds or hemp, symbolizing an endless bond. The tradition was later adopted by the ancient Greeks and Romans, with the Romans being the first to use metal rings that have stood the test of time.
Why did ancient Roman women have two engagement rings?
-Ancient Roman women were given two rings when they were betrothed: a simpler one for everyday wear during household duties, and a fancier one to be worn out in public. This was to show off the engagement and the wealth associated with it.
What is the significance of the 'Vena amoris' or 'Vein of Love' in the context of engagement rings?
-The 'Vena amoris' refers to the myth that the ancient Romans believed there was a vein in the fourth finger that ran directly to the heart. Although this has been debunked, the tradition of wearing an engagement ring on this finger persists.
How did the diamond engagement ring become popularized?
-The first recorded diamond engagement ring was given by Archduke Maximilian of Austria to Mary of Burgundy in 1477. However, it wasn't until the discovery of diamonds in South Africa in the late 1860s and the subsequent marketing strategies of companies like De Beers that diamonds became the standard for engagement rings.
What role did the Tiffany setting play in the popularity of diamond engagement rings?
-The Tiffany setting, trademarked in the 1880s by Tiffany & Co, featured a solitaire diamond held by six prongs on a single band. This design allowed the stone to catch more light and became immensely popular, contributing to the widespread acceptance of diamond engagement rings.
What is the 'four C's' grading system for diamonds, and how did it come about?
-The 'four C's' (Cut, Color, Clarity, and Carat) is a universal grading system for diamonds developed by De Beers in partnership with the Gemological Institute of America in 1939. It helps determine a diamond's quality and value based on these four factors.
How did the Great Depression impact engagement ring styles?
-During the Great Depression, there was a shift towards more modest engagement ring styles with smaller stones or no stones at all, reflecting the economic hardships of the time.
What marketing slogan is considered one of the best of the 20th century and how did it influence the diamond industry?
-The slogan 'A Diamond is Forever' created by copywriter Frances Gerety in 1947 for De Beers is considered one of the best marketing slogans of the 20th century. It positioned diamonds as a status symbol and an ultimate symbol of love, which successfully pressured the public into purchasing diamonds for engagement rings.
What ethical concerns are associated with the diamond industry, and what alternatives are available?
-The diamond industry has been linked to environmental damage, exploitative labor practices, and violent conflicts in Africa, known as 'blood diamonds'. Alternatives include lab-grown diamonds and vintage diamonds, which are more ethical and often more affordable.
How has the perception of the value of diamonds changed over time, and what is the reality of their worth?
-While diamonds have been marketed as a valuable investment, the reality is that they often do not retain their value when resold. This is in contrast to other precious materials like gold, which is considered a better investment in terms of retaining value.
What societal pressures and marketing strategies have contributed to the commodification of marriage, including engagement rings?
-Societal pressures and marketing strategies have commodified marriage by promoting the idea that the value of a relationship can be measured by the size and cost of an engagement ring. Companies use tactics that play on insecurities and the desire to keep up with societal norms, encouraging overspending on such symbols of commitment.
Outlines
π The Origins and Evolution of Engagement Rings
This paragraph delves into the history of engagement rings, starting from their theorized beginnings with the ancient Egyptians and Greeks, through the more concrete evidence from ancient Rome. It discusses the transition from simple metal bands to rings that symbolized a contract and a woman's loyalty. The influence of Roman culture on the tradition of wearing rings on a specific finger, known as 'Vena amoris' or the vein of love, is also highlighted. The paragraph continues through the Middle Ages, the first recorded diamond engagement ring in 1477, and the changing styles and materials used in rings over the centuries, including the significance of birthstones and the introduction of more elaborate designs for the wealthy.
π The Industrial Revolution and the Rise of Diamond Engagement Rings
The second paragraph examines the impact of the Industrial Revolution on engagement ring trends, particularly the shift towards more extravagant rings as a display of wealth. It discusses the 'conspicuous consumption' of the era and how it influenced the design of 19th-century engagement rings, with Queen Victoria's preferences setting fashion trends. The discovery of diamond mines in South Africa and the monopolization of the diamond industry by Cecil Rhodes led to artificially inflated diamond prices. The development of the Tiffany setting and the marketing strategies of Tiffany & Co. and De Beers are also covered, highlighting how these companies shaped the perception and desirability of diamond engagement rings.
π The Marketing and Popularization of Diamonds
This section explores the marketing tactics that led to the widespread popularity of diamonds in engagement rings. It discusses the creation of the 'a diamond is forever' slogan by De Beers and how it positioned diamonds as a symbol of eternal love and status. The influence of celebrities on diamond trends is highlighted, with figures like Elizabeth Taylor and Marilyn Monroe exemplifying the allure of large diamonds. The paragraph also covers the introduction of the 'two months' salary' rule by De Beers and its impact on consumer spending, as well as the rise of alternative diamond options and the ethical concerns surrounding the diamond industry.
π Economic Shifts and the Changing Trends in Engagement Rings
The fourth paragraph discusses how economic events, such as the 2008 recession, affected engagement ring trends, leading to a preference for more modest and affordable options. It also touches on the resurgence of vintage-style engagement rings following Prince William's proposal to Kate Middleton with Princess Diana's sapphire ring. The paragraph examines the ethical issues in the diamond industry, including environmental impact, worker exploitation, and the connection to violent conflicts, also known as 'blood diamonds'. It concludes with a call for consumers to consider more ethical alternatives, such as lab-grown diamonds or vintage diamonds.
π The Commodification of Marriage and the Role of Engagement Rings
The final paragraph reflects on the commodification of marriage, with engagement rings at the forefront. It criticizes the societal and media pressures that equate the size and cost of an engagement ring with the value of love. The paragraph emphasizes the importance of personal happiness over materialistic displays and encourages viewers to challenge the norms set by the diamond industry. It concludes with a reminder that the value of a relationship should not be determined by the material cost of an engagement ring, and that there are alternative, more ethical options available.
Mindmap
Keywords
π‘Engagement Ring
π‘Diamond
π‘Ancient Roman Roots
π‘Media Manipulation
π‘Materialism
π‘Tiffany Setting
π‘Conspicuous Consumption
π‘Four C's
π‘Blood Diamonds
π‘Ethical Considerations
π‘Commodification
Highlights
Engagement rings symbolize a couple's commitment, unity, and trust, with a large stone becoming the modern standard.
Ancient Egyptians may have initiated the ring exchange tradition, signifying an endless bond.
Ancient Romans solidified the practice of metal engagement rings, with iron initially being the metal of choice.
Roman women received two rings during betrothal: one for household duties and a fancier one for public wear.
The Vena amoris, or vein of love, theory suggested a direct vein from the ring finger to the heart, though debunked.
The Visigoths and the Roman Catholic Church formalized the ring exchange as a symbol of an unbreakable promise.
The first recorded diamond engagement ring was given by Archduke Maximilian of Austria to Mary of Burgundy in 1477.
Diamonds remained rare and expensive, with other gemstones being more common in engagement rings until the 19th century.
The discovery of diamonds in South Africa in the late 1860s led to a diamond rush and the eventual monopolization by Cecil Rhodes.
Tiffany & Co.'s Tiffany setting, featuring a solitaire diamond, became a signature design and immensely popular.
The 20th century saw engagement rings become almost a requirement in the United States, with a rise in diamond prices.
Platinum gained popularity in the 1920s for its flexibility, allowing for intricate Art Deco designs in engagement rings.
The Great Depression led to more modest engagement ring styles, with smaller stones or no stones at all.
De Beers partnered with the Gemological Institute of America to develop the four C's grading system for diamonds.
The slogan 'A diamond is forever' by De Beers in 1947 was a highly effective marketing strategy, linking diamonds with eternal love.
Celebrities like Elizabeth Taylor and Marilyn Monroe helped to popularize large diamond engagement rings in the mid-20th century.
The 1970s saw coordinated double-stacked sets of engagement and wedding rings, influenced by the individualistic spirit of the era.
De Beers' '2 months salary' rule for engagement rings in the 1980s put a price on love and influenced consumer spending habits.
The 1990s trend towards minimalist engagement rings saw the rise of affordable jewelry retailers like Kay Jewelers.
The 2000s saw celebrities boasting large, million-dollar engagement rings, with colored diamonds becoming a trend.
De Beers' hold on the diamond supply chain lessened, but ethical concerns over diamond mining persisted.
The 2008 recession impacted engagement ring trends, with a move towards smaller, more affordable diamonds.
Prince William's proposal to Kate Middleton with Princess Diana's sapphire ring sparked a resurgence in vintage-style engagement rings.
Alternative options to natural diamonds, such as lab-grown diamonds or vintage diamonds, offer more ethical and affordable choices.
The commodification of marriage, starting with diamond engagement rings, has led to societal pressure to spend beyond means.
The video encourages viewers to choose engagement rings based on happiness rather than societal expectations or materialism.
Transcripts
are diamond engagement rings a
ripoff engagement rings are considered
the ultimate Declaration of love with
the relatively small piece of jewelry
being representative of a couple's
commitment unity and trust or at least
that's what you'd hope in modern times
it's become standard practice for an
engagement ring to feature a large Stone
usually a diamond but do you know how
this expensive tradition came to be in
today's video we're going to be talking
about all things engagement ring
including its ancient Roman roots the
evolution of different ring Styles the
popularization of diamonds the
industry's negative impact and how the
media has manipulated us all into
believing that materialism is a sign of
true love let's get into it the practice
of couples giving one another rings to
symbolize their Union is theorized to
begun with the ancient Egyptians who
might have made their rings out of reads
or hemp with the circle signifying their
endless Bond the the practice is
believed to have then been adopted by
the ancient Greeks years later around
the time of Alexander the Great where
they were possibly made out of leather
bone or Ivory it's only in the time of
the ancient Romans that the tradition's
existence is less debatable as various
written accounts and archaeological
discoveries mention the practice
directly unlike the Egyptians or Greeks
early Roman engagement rings were made
out of metal allowing them to stand the
test of time with rings even being found
in the ruins of Pompei
initially iron was the medal of choice
as gold was reserved only for certain
public officials but the right to wear
gold was eventually extended to common
citizens as early as 200 BC Roman women
were given two rings when they were
betrothed one that was simpler that
would be worn while attending household
duties and a second fancier ring that
was worn out in public because yes even
back then people wanted to show off how
much they had spent on their engagement
ring initially a part of a woman's dowy
these Rings came to signify that a
contract had been made and were the
physical manifestation of a wife's
loyalty towards her husband as is often
the case the jewelry worn by women of
higher classes were more elaborate with
their betral bands being adorned with
Engravings or small stones the idea of
wearing a ring on a specific finger on a
specific hand is also theorized to have
come about during this time period with
some claiming that the ancient Romans
believed that there was a vein in the
fourth finger that ran directly to the
heart a theory that was referred to as
Vena amoris the vein of love this has
since been proven to be a myth but the
Romantic tradition can still be seen
today even after the fall of the Roman
Empire in 476 ad Rings continued to be
exchanged between couples with the
Visigoths a group of Germanic people
that controlled a good deal of Western
Europe through the 5ifth to 8th
centuries officially stating in their
viag Gothic code that the exchanging and
acceptance of rings during a betral
ceremony was symbolic of a promise that
under no circumstances could be broken
Pope Nicholas I later solidified the
practice within the Roman Catholic
church and the Eastern Orthodox Church
in 860 ad proclaiming that an engagement
ring was the physical representation of
The pact between the betroth as well as
a symbol of their faith in God this
custom was also present in Jewish
ceremonies with a solid metal band being
presented to the bride as part of her
betral as it was an object whose value
was easy to ascertain
while different stones have been
incorporated into engagement rings for
centuries the first diamond engagement
ring on record can be traced back to
1477 when Archduke maximilan of Austria
proposed to Mary of burgundy because
diamonds were incredibly rare at the
time and remarkably expensive they
didn't catch on for engagement rings for
several Centuries with most Royals
opting for other precious gemstones like
amethysts rubies and emeralds while
everyday folk continued to use Simple
metal bands this was the standard for
much of the Middle Ages but around the
14th century we began to see more
elaborate styles of rings grow in
popularity amongst those who could
afford them this included Signet Rings
which had Unique Designs engraved into
them that were used to seal documents
being used in some form as early as
ancient Egypt over the years signate
Rings had become associated with
nobility and power so having one as your
engagement ring was quite the statement
gimmel Rings became popular in the
centuries that follow followed
especially in England and Germany with
Martin Luther marrying his wife in 1525
with said ring style setting a precedent
for other Protestants made up of
multiple bands an Engaged couple would
wear one each before looping them
together to use as a single wedding ring
being symbolic of how they had joined
together as one Hy Rings which featured
short poetic inscriptions were an
alternate ring style that became more
common place around this time period as
well and were used as a general gift
between lovers
these metal focused Rings remained in
fashion for several centuries but in the
wake of the Industrial Revolution people
began clamoring for more extravagant
engagement rings at the time there was a
war going on between old money families
those who had inherited their wealth for
generations and often had aristocratic
connections versus the novo re who had
risen from a lower social class more
recently this battle resulted in both
sides exorbitantly displaying their
wealth for the entire world a practice
known as conspicuous consumption which
could be seen in everything from their
parties to their houses to their
clothing of course engagement rings were
no exception the styles of 19th century
engagement rings were heavily influenced
by Queen Victoria who popularized
numerous wedding trends that have become
Stables today like white dresses her
snake engagement ring which would be
considered quite quirky today featured
emeralds the Queen's birthstone and it
became popular for Victorian era
engagement rings to contain the bride's
birthstone the queen also had a penchant
for diamonds with the stone appearing on
her crowns necklaces and Rings members
of the upper class emulated this by
incorporating clusters of small diamonds
into other gem dominant engagement rings
but large diamonds were still fairly
rare and it was uncommon for them to be
the main feature of a ring that all
changed in the late 1860s following the
discovery of diamonds in South Africa
which prompted a period of mass
migration to the area known as The
Diamond Rush initially individual
diggers of any background held ownership
but as production grew ownership and
labor practices quickly became divided
racially the industry was eventually
monopolized by English colonialist cesil
rhs in 1889 with his company de's
Consolidated mines becoming the sole
owner of all diamond operations in South
Africa because of this Monopoly Brads
was able to negotiate the sale of a
fixed quantity of diamonds at an agreed
upon cost regula worldwide supply and
demand in order to maintain a set price
this allowed him to artificially inflate
the price of diamonds as he saw fit even
when other factors should have dictated
that they'd be cheaper rhs would become
Prime Minister in 1890 something
attributed to his hold over the diamond
industry and to help with the expansion
of the British Empire he made it
increasingly difficult for Native
Africans to vote by tripling wealth
requirements redrawing voting lines to
disqualify rural areas and instilling
literacy conditions in case it wasn't
already clear he was a terrible person
around this time other companies began
to make a name for themselves in the
engagement ring world this included
Tiffany enco which was founded in 1837
as a stationary and fancy Goods Emporium
in the 1850s the company pivoted their
focus to jewelry and other Metal Goods
and in the 1870s they developed an
association with high quality diamonds
in the 1880s the company trademarked a
design known as the Tiffany setting
which became a signature of their
engagement rings the Tiffany setting
featured a solitire diamond held by six
prongs on a single band allowing the
stone to catch more light and making it
more practical for everyday wear unlike
prior styles that had a diamond sit
lower on the finger the design became
immensely popular and getting your
engagement ring from Tiffany and Co was
something every woman dreamed of a
sentiment that remains today thanks to
the romcom genre by the turn of the 20th
century engagement rings had not only
become a common practice in the United
States over almost a requirement with a
Chicago Tribune reporting in 1904 quote
the engagement ring is getting to be so
indispensable to engagements in this day
and age that the girl who admits her
betral without at the same time shyly
exposing the diamond solitire that
twinkles on her little left hand is
extremely rare and hard to find no
diamond no engagement might be set down
as the modern watchword in matters of
the heart the same article also noted
that the price of diamonds had risen 30
to 40% which was artificially inflated
by the diamond industry as American
women prefer diamonds to color gemstones
around this time Platinum a newly
invented metal gained popularity in
jewelry due to its flexibility which
could be crafted into intricate designs
that were all the rage because of the
art nvo movement in the 1920s Art Deco
inspired designs replaced the elaborate
styles of the Edwardian era featuring
combinations of diamonds and colored
gemstones along with angular lines when
the Great ression hit in 1929 there was
an understandable shift towards more
modest engagement ring styles that
featured smaller Stones if any in 1939
deers partnered with the gemological
Institute of America to develop the
industry's first Universal grading
system for diamonds the four C's the
first C cut plays a crucial role in a
stone Sparkle Brilliance and fire it
refers not only to its shape but also
its proportions angles and symmetry
While most modern day shop Toppers think
of the cut as simply the shape of the
stone it can also have a notable effect
on a Gem's Beauty the second C color
unsurprisingly refers to the color of
the gemstone for colorless diamonds they
should effectively be transparent with
no off yellow
cloudiness
this this is
uh a topaz a topaz among my Jewels are
you mad it's a yellow diam to the First
Quality you'll have to go a long way to
see one like
it this grading system also incompasses
fancy colored diamonds such as pink blue
green brown black purple orange and
green the third C Clarity refers to
imperfections that can be found inside
of a diamond whether they occur
naturally or are made during The Cutting
process these imperfections can vary in
size color position quantity and shape
and can obstruct the the passage of
light through the stone carrot the final
C measures the weight of the diamond the
most easily discernable of the four C's
a diamond's carrot value is directly
proportional to its mass however just
because two diamonds have the same
weight that doesn't necessarily mean
that they have the same value as that's
dependent on the value of the remaining
Seas Harry Winston Incorporated named
after its founder who was cloy referred
to as the king of diamonds made history
in 1944 by loaning actress Jennifer
Jones diamond earrings for that Year's
Academy Awards in the years that
followed it became increasingly common
for celebrities to sport jewelry loaned
to them by various companies with both
parties benefiting from the exchange
with diamonds being the most frequently
loaned out it developed a reputation for
being the stone of the Stars which made
their prices soore even higher as the
public attempted to replicate what
they'd seen on the red carpet and on the
big screen while diamonds had become
more common over the course of the 20th
Century they were by no means the norm
as rubies emeralds pearls and sapphires
continued to be featured in engagement
ring designs into the 1940s deers had
been advertising diamonds in an
assortment of ways since they'd been
founded in order to manipulate consumer
demand but one of their most effective
marketing strategies came in 1947
created by copywriter Francis gity the
slogan a diamond is forever became a
staple of the company's advertising and
implied that diamonds were not only an
investment of sorts but were the
ultimate symbol of your partner's
one-of-a-kind Love by positioning
diamonds as a status symbol that proved
your monetary and romantic worth this
campaign successfully pressured the
public into purchasing them for their
engagement rings with the style seeing a
surge of popularity that eventually set
the standard in just a few short years
as a result colored stones were instead
relegated for more casual occasions
despite the fact that in many cases
diamonds were more common before the
release of the campaign less than 10% of
engagement rings given in the US
featured diamonds but by the 1960s it
had grown to over 50% and by the end of
the century to 80% considered one of the
best marketing slogans of the entire
20th century deir strategy would greatly
impact the diamond industry with their
sales in the United States alone
increasing from $23 million to $2.1
billion between 1939 and
1979 notable figures of the 1950s and
60s like Elizabeth Taylor Jackie Kennedy
Marilyn Monroe Audrey heurn Princess
Margaret and Grace Kelly were credited
for making diamond engagement rings even
more of a coveted item amongst young
women not only because they were in
romantic relationships with high-profile
men that were positioned as aspirational
but because they were also massively
influential in the Fashion World
effectively giving diamonds a Chic stamp
of approval Audrey heurn helped
popularize the three metal Trinity ring
by cardier which was vaguely reminiscent
of the gimmel Rings of the 16th century
Princess Margaret and first lady Jackie
Kennedy royalty of their respective
countries helped repop poize colored
stone accents while Elizabeth Taylor and
Marilyn Monroe some of the biggest sex
symbols of the era epitomized a more is
more mindset when it came to their
betral bling in the 1970s Brides began
to match their engagement rings to their
wedding bands creating a coordinated
double stacked set that was inspired by
the sense of individuality that defined
the era instead of Simply adding more
stones to the ring like prior decades
the actual band became more elaborate
sometimes even mixing metals of course
diamonds were the stone of choice often
times even being the main selling point
because of her supposed fairy tale
romance Princess Diana set numerous
wedding trends of the 1980s including
gigantic dresses and colored engagement
rings yellow gold became the medal of
choice during this time period while
large stones and baguette sides mirrored
the Bold Spirit of the decade similar to
the Gody Gilded Age which saw the the
upper class of the Victorian era
flaunting their wealth the 1980s saw the
rich get even richer resulting in it
being dubbed the decade of greed seeing
this increase in conspicuous consumption
deers introduced another engagement
focused ad Campaign which told men they
needed to spend at least 2 months of
their salary on a diamond engagement
ring these ads effectively put a price
on Love by urging Shoppers to remember
that thousands of dollars was nothing
compared to a lifetime of happiness this
sort of pony up sentiment trick down
into other engagement ring
advertisements of the time period
resulting in the widespread acceptance
of the 2month rule in hindsight I'm
surprised that this campaign wound up
being as influential as it was as I
personally find the message to be kind
of depressing not only are the women
positioned as shallow and demanding but
the men seem desperate and insecure and
overall it just feels like a rather
pessimistic way to view
relationships you love
her you cherish her
but let's face it she's a lot this
negativity seemed to mirror Society at
large with 50% of marriages ending in
divorce in the 1980s a record high which
women were routinely blamed for even
though in reality it was just that we
were finally at a point where we weren't
royally screwed if we got a divorce in
contrast to the prior decade the 1990s
saw a rise in more minimalist engagement
rings resulting in an increase in
affordable jewelry retailers like sales
J and K Jewelers with the latter
introducing the tagline every kiss
begins with k in 1997 which became one
of the most recognized in history these
Brands while lacking The Prestige of
Tiffany and Co cardier Harry Winston or
van CLE were much more accessible to the
average consumer not only in regard to
price point but they could also be found
at any mall in America although there're
sometimes ridiculed for being cheap or
cheesy there actually isn't a huge
difference in quality between the
jewelry from these Brands and those with
higher price points it's mainly
marketing at the end of the day in the
2000s celebrities began to boast bigger
and bigger engagement rings with
numerous Rings reportedly being valued
at over a million dollar Jennifer Lopez
and Paris Hilton popularized colored
diamonds during this time period a trend
which alluded to the colored Gemstones
of earlier decades but with the status
of a diamond what is it you see it's a
diamond thing's Brown champagne
it's the newest thing s in culture it's
a trending diamonds champagne yeah no no
I heard about this it's very big in the
diamond trade they're they're training
to create a new market it was around
this time that deer's hold over the
diamond supply chain lessened decreasing
from 85% to 63% which is still a
ridiculous amount but hey at least it's
an improvement the 2008 recession
greatly impacted engagement ring Trends
with many people opting for smaller more
affordable diamonds flaunting wealth
during this time period was perceived as
tacky and insensitive and as a result on
average men spent 50% Less on engagement
rings than before the economic downturn
history repeated itself in 2010 when
Prince William proposed to Kate
Middleton with his mother Princess
Diana's sapphire ring sparking a
Resurgence in vintage style engagement
rings that lasted throughout the 2010s
and into the
2020s while many couples today are still
on the 2mon salary to beers train we are
seeing an increase in alternative
options the majority of natural diamonds
that are distributed worldwide originate
from Africa and the industry has had an
incredibly detrimental effect on the
region besides the actual diamond mining
process negatively impacting the
environment it's also exploitative with
many companies severely underpaying its
workers the diamond trade has also been
linked to the violent conflicts
throughout Africa for decades children
have been forced to mine diamonds in
active War zones with these blood
diamonds being sold to fund armed groups
continuing the violent cycle although
the diamond industry has a certification
process to ensure diamonds are Conflict
Free they've put even more of a premium
on the product pushing many consumers
towards blood diamonds while still
managing to profit themselves I can
already see the comments going well
there's no ethical consumption under
capitalism but I want to emphasize that
a diamond engagement ring is not a
necessity by any definition of the word
there are other options out there like
moist night lab grown diamonds or
vintage diamonds which are not only more
affordable than mind diamonds but are
more ethical as well sure you could
argue that these Alternatives aren't
worth as much but as we've said over and
over again throughout this video
Diamonds aren't really worth what you're
paying for anyways which the industry is
well aware of just try and resell a
diamond ring and see what you get for it
don't let the ads trick you they are not
a rarity nor are they an investment
you're way better off buying gold if
you're looking for something that will
retain value which is exactly what I did
when I got
engaged over the years almost every
aspect of marriage has been commodified
starting with a diamond engagement ring
and ending with a party that threatens
to put you into dead these companies
will use anything at their disposal to
make you feel like crap about not
spending more money they pick at our
insecurities and prompt us to live
beyond our means buy these creams so you
won't have wrinkles buy this car so your
neighbors will be jealous and sadly
engagement rings have become another
materialistic way to prove yourself to
others when it should just be about the
love between you and your partner now
this video might have made me sound like
a Negative Nancy but I promise I'm not
anti- engagement ring I just want to
shed some light on why a diamond ring
isn't as big of a deal as the media and
society makes it out to be just get what
makes you happy even if it's a Ring Pop
I hope you enjoyed this video don't
forget to like And subscribe and I'll
see you
soon
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