What is it you love about diamonds?

[Phoenix]

I've had this so-called "disease" (that's what my DH calls my diamond obsession) every since I was a little girl. I got it from my mum. She was totally obsessed with it. She had many beautiful diamonds that my dad bought her on his numerous overseas trips and when she had to sell most of them to pay cash for our first home (we used to live in an army barrack prior to that), she was totally heart-broken. Since then, she'd had many more diamonds, a lot of which were to her by me as gifts, though my very first diamond was given to me by her when I was 16 (it must have been I3 clarity or something but I wore it proudly, until I gave it back to her, but I still treasure the memory of it and the fact that it was a gift from my mum). Actually, my sisters and nieces (well most of them) are also obsessed with diamonds and I am sure my mum had something to do with this!

Also, this week, after having had this 'drama' with my dad (for those who wish to read my later posts in the family thread about my mum passing away), I spent an entire day window-shopping in London's New Bond Street. I browsed and actually tried on literally dozens and dozens of huge beautiful diamonds as well as some gorgeous antique pieces. I went to Graff, Harry Winston, Tiffany, Cartier, you name it.... It was totally therapeutic and I was soooo happy and for a day, I was somehow transported to a happier place.

So, for me, diamonds make me think of my mum (also it's a trait I've inherited from her) and in addition are really therapeutic. They just make me so happy, magically! When I was crying non-stop this week, DH suggested I tried counselling. I said "no need to throw money away, diamonds are just as therapeutic, if not more, and I get to keep them!"

Care to share your reasons for loving diamonds, PS'ers?

 

[KimberlyH]

I love diamonds because they are, quite simply, beautiful.

 

[Phoenix]

Date: 9/2/2007 11:15:28 AM
Author: KimberlyH
I love diamonds because they are, quite simply, beautiful.

That''s a given, he he! And I couldn''t agree with you more!

 

[gwendolyn]

Growing up, I always felt badly for liking diamonds because my mother is the personification of practical. I always loved looking up at the stars at night, and watching them twinkle and sparkle in the distance--they made me feel wistful and dreamy and inspire me to imagine all kinds of things, and to get some real perspective on life. When I first came across diamonds (in person), they literally took my breath away and made me think immediately of the stars in the sky that I love so much. So ever since I was a little kid, I always looked forward to getting my own engagement ring so I would have my own beautiful star, right there in my grasp.

Of course, whenever I tell my mom about how much I love diamonds (even now, and I''m 29), she scolds me for being selfish and wanting things that are so expensive. I battle with myself sometimes about whether or not my boyfriend and I should get an engagement ring for me when we get engaged, because he''s not a jewelry-oriented person either, so I feel like it''s up to me whether or not we spend the money on a ring I''d love to bits but don''t need, or use the money to pay back student loans or put a down payment on a house or something. And I have a sneaking suspicion if we got a "for now" engagement ring, it''d be my "for always" engagement ring....

 

[Phoenix]

Date: 9/2/2007 11:25:04 AM
Author: gwendolyn
Growing up, I always felt badly for liking diamonds because my mother is the personification of practical. I always loved looking up at the stars at night, and watching them twinkle and sparkle in the distance--they made me feel wistful and dreamy and inspire me to imagine all kinds of things, and to get some real perspective on life. When I first came across diamonds (in person), they literally took my breath away and made me think immediately of the stars in the sky that I love so much. So ever since I was a little kid, I always looked forward to getting my own engagement ring so I would have my own beautiful star, right there in my grasp.

Of course, whenever I tell my mom about how much I love diamonds (even now, and I'm 29), she scolds me for being selfish and wanting things that are so expensive. I battle with myself sometimes about whether or not my boyfriend and I should get an engagement ring for me when we get engaged, because he's not a jewelry-oriented person either, so I feel like it's up to me whether or not we spend the money on a ring I'd love to bits but don't need, or use the money to pay back student loans or put a down payment on a house or something. And I have a sneaking suspicion if we got a 'for now' engagement ring, it'd be my 'for always' engagement ring....

What a beautiful story about the stars! I LOVE that!

Honestly, you shouldn't feell guilty about wanting a ring that you'd "love to bits", esp. if you've been wanting it for a long time. Nobody needs a diamond but some of us want them nonetheless!

Even if you end up getting an engagement ring that is not your dream ring, perhaps you could get another one later when you're older and more-established, financially speaking? Just a suggestion. I got a "regular sized", ie. one carat diamond for my e-ring and loved loved loved it and it will always be my e-ring. I got a bigger stone last year as an early 10th anniversary gift from DH. When we got engaged, we got little money, did not own a home, and had some credit card debts (though I am advocating getting in debt here, just in case anyone thinks so!). But DH knew it was important for me to get a beautiful diamond for my e-ring and even though it was "smaller" (smaller not small), he was willing to spend the money (his hard-earned savings). Has your BF actually said he didn't want to spend the money to buy your dream ring? You might be surprised yet, esp. if he knew how important this was to you. My hubby is not a jewellery-oriented person either.

And, everyone I know has something they spend money on, no matter how much or how little. What's important and meaningful to someone maybe frivolous and not so important to others. I wouldn't worry so much about what your mum says or thinks. She may also have a different value-set from you.

 

[ice_princess]

I love the sparkle. I can honestly sit for hours with the overhead lights on (since there''s not that much sunshine in the South east at the moment) and just stare at it and all the fire it gives off. I only have a tiny one at the moment (previous engagement ring from current bf....looooong story..), .25ct (which I wear as RHR) but it has amazing fire and sometimes when I''m cooking and it catches the light in the kitchen it amazes me how much it sparkles. My bf looks at me like I''m nuts because I just keep staring at it. I''ve had it for years but it still mesmerises me......

 

[ice_princess]

Date: 9/2/2007 11:25:04 AM
Author: gwendolyn
Growing up, I always felt badly for liking diamonds because my mother is the personification of practical. I always loved looking up at the stars at night, and watching them twinkle and sparkle in the distance--they made me feel wistful and dreamy and inspire me to imagine all kinds of things, and to get some real perspective on life. When I first came across diamonds (in person), they literally took my breath away and made me think immediately of the stars in the sky that I love so much. So ever since I was a little kid, I always looked forward to getting my own engagement ring so I would have my own beautiful star, right there in my grasp.

Of course, whenever I tell my mom about how much I love diamonds (even now, and I'm 29), she scolds me for being selfish and wanting things that are so expensive. I battle with myself sometimes about whether or not my boyfriend and I should get an engagement ring for me when we get engaged, because he's not a jewelry-oriented person either, so I feel like it's up to me whether or not we spend the money on a ring I'd love to bits but don't need, or use the money to pay back student loans or put a down payment on a house or something. And I have a sneaking suspicion if we got a 'for now' engagement ring, it'd be my 'for always' engagement ring....

Do you think this could be because older generations weren't extravagant because my mum is sort of the same. I always feel guilty about things that my mum taught me to feel guilty about and I'm only now (24) coming to terms with it that I really don't have to feel guilty about anything...I think my mum's things come from religion though and the fact that she is absolutely obsessed with being like my grandmother who passed away years away and I find it really weird and upsetting how her children tend to think she was such a saint

. They follow her way of thinking blindly even though she's been gone for years and clearly would react differently if she was still alive...anyhoo, that's another story entirely....
You absolutely don't have to feel guilty about loving diamonds. It's your choice!

 

[gwendolyn]

Date: 9/2/2007 11:37:14 AM
Author: lienTN
What a beautiful story! I LOVE that!

You shouldn''t feell guilty about wanting the ring that you''d ''love to bits''. Nobody needs a diamond but some of us want them nonetheless!

Even if you end up getting an engagement ring that is not your dream ring, perhaps you could get another one later when you''re older and more-established, financially speaking? Just a suggestion. I got a ''regular sized'', ie. one carat diamond for my e-ring and loved loved loved it and it will always be my e-ring. I got a bigger stone last year as an early 10th anniversary gift from DH.

And, everyone I know has something they spend money on, no matter how much or how little. What''s important and meaningful to someone maybe frivolous and not so important to others.

Thanks! I know it sounds a bit cheesy, the bits about being in love with the stars, but I really was, even as a very little kid. They were always so magical to me.

Anyway, it''s not that I want a big diamond, really--a one-carat would be perfect, and probably more than we can afford even after a lot of saving. My thing is that I want it to be good quality, I want it to be beautiful and sparkly and big enough to look good on my finger (I''m a size 8.5/9, depending on who measures my finger), which means it would be a fair amount of money. And although my boyfriend and I have talked a few times about getting engaged (and married and kids--all of which he brings up, not me!), he seems to shut down when we talk about a ring. I think because he feels like it''s so much more than he realized (he''s a bit sheltered and thought diamond rings were just in the hundreds, not the thousands), that he''ll never be able to have the money for one. Which of course then makes my mother leaps to mind, with all her reprimands about priorities and how I''d only deserve something that nice if there were no other financial concerns in my life, which of course will *never* be the case because I had to pay my own way through college (both undergrad and now grad in the UK). So, I feel like I''ll lose out either way.

Hmmm... Maybe J and I should start playing the lottery...*strokes chin*

Author:ice_princess
Do you think this could be because older generations weren''t extravagant because my mum is sort of the same. I always feel guilty about things that my mum taught me to feel guilty about and I''m only now (24) coming to terms with it that I really don''t have to feel guilty about anything...I think my mum''s things come from religion though and the fact that she is absolutely obsessed with being like my grandmother who passed away years away and I find it really weird and upsetting how her children tend to think she was such a saint. They follow her way of thinking blindly even though she''s been gone for years and clearly would react differently if she was still alive...anyhoo, that''s another story entirely....

You absolutely don''t have to feel guilty about loving diamonds. It''s your choice!

Aye, I think it is something about my mom''s generation. My mom is the eldest of 8 kids (which was pretty common in her area at that time), so even though my grandfather made a lot of money at the time, it all went right out the window again on all his kids. My mom, every time she catches me looking at jewelry when we go shopping together, or if she sees me window-shopping (harmlessly!) on the web, she turns her nose up at me and says, "I don''t know why you insist on being so selfish and impractical. Know what I got for an engagement present?" (Of course I do, Mom, you tell me all the damn time.) "I got an engagement couch! You''d do well to not be so frivilous and heed your bills before going off to spend thousands of dollars on something so stupid."

Of course, my dad (ironically) rather likes to get jewelry for my mom, and she never used to wear any of it until recently, when she saw how pretty some of the little things I have are. And a few years ago, my dad got her a diamond anniversary band with 13 (I think) little round brilliant channel-set diamonds, and she couldn''t stop staring at it, for WEEKS. She''s still obnoxious to me about my love of diamonds, but she''s not *quite* as bad as she used to be, now that she''s got some bling of her own.

 

[baby monster]

Date: 9/2/2007 11:44:25 AM
Author: ice_princess
I love the sparkle. I can honestly sit for hours with the overhead lights on (since there''s not that much sunshine in the South east at the moment) and just stare at it and all the fire it gives off. I only have a tiny one at the moment (previous engagement ring from current bf....looooong story..), .25ct (which I wear as RHR) but it has amazing fire and sometimes when I''m cooking and it catches the light in the kitchen it amazes me how much it sparkles. My bf looks at me like I''m nuts because I just keep staring at it. I''ve had it for years but it still mesmerises me......

ITA!!! That''s totally me too LOL. I love how the sparkles are so mesmerizing and I can get lost in the stones for a while. The fire the stones throw off just make me feel all happy inside. My bf just laughs at me because I always try to stick my hand into the sun and let the stones put on a show

. He has hobbies too (flashlights of all things

) so he understands the craziness.

 

[baby monster]

Anyway, it''s not that I want a big diamond, really--a one-carat would be perfect, and probably more than we can afford even after a lot of saving. My thing is that I want it to be good quality, I want it to be beautiful and sparkly and big enough to look good on my finger (I''m a size 8.5/9, depending on who measures my finger), which means it would be a fair amount of money. And although my boyfriend and I have talked a few times about getting engaged (and married and kids--all of which he brings up, not me!), he seems to shut down when we talk about a ring. I think because he feels like it''s so much more than he realized (he''s a bit sheltered and thought diamond rings were just in the hundreds, not the thousands), that he''ll never be able to have the money for one. Which of course then makes my mother leaps to mind, with all her reprimands about priorities and how I''d only deserve something that nice if there were no other financial concerns in my life, which of course will *never* be the case because I had to pay my own way through college (both undergrad and now grad in the UK). So, I feel like I''ll lose out either way.

Hmmm... Maybe J and I should start playing the lottery...*strokes chin*

Gwendolyn, you don''t have to get a large stone right away, just start small and buy it for yourself. Get a nice pave band that sparkles like crazy. You deserve to give yourself gifts. When are you graduating? You can start saving now for a nice graduation present

. After all, you''re not getting an education for your parents or for your future husband.

I would never say "don''t listen to your mother" because my mother is always right LOL but get things that make you happy. Just tell your mom how much more joy you get from jewelry than from a couch

 

[Skippy123]

They are so much fun to stare at in the car; I love the rainbow of colors

 

[StarSpun]

Your stories are so sweet, I love them!
(I''m so glad I found you guys!)

Well for me, it began in early childhood. This isn''t as magical as everyone elses story but hey!

I was brought up in a wealthier family, who showed their love by buying things for one another. That''s probably how I became so materialistic!

Terrible I know. But I remember receiving diamond jewellery at Christmas and on my birthday. Just little ones in like, a gold heart locket say. Except for one year when I received a tennis bracelet....oh I was just hooked then! Well anyway diamonds seemed to me to be ''the thing to have'' and just screamed ''rich'' and ''classy'' for some reason. So I guess it started as a status thing at such young age, how awful is that! Well as time went on, it went beyond that, I just loved things that sparkled, ANYTHING! I also collect Swarovski crystal figurines, as did my mom and grandmother, and I remember how at a certain time in the day at our old house the sun would shine in the window and illuminate all the Swarovskis on this one table. Oh it was just spectacular, and I remember laying on the floor amongst all the rainbows! Sometimes I would have them hit my eyes, and then I''d squint and stare right into it, mesmerized by all the beams and feathers of light. A slight move would change the color, and I remember doing this for hours, sometimes arranging all the figurines for maximum room sparkle

Well diamonds do the same thing and well, I love it In the sun, I let the rainbow reflections hit my eyes, and I play around with that just like when I was young. I have an anxiety disorder, but doing this relaxes me like nothing else, and I''m taken back to a state of serenity

So I guess that''s my story!


Oh wait, well it was also my birthstone and I remember telling friends at school that I had the BEST birthstone cause it was a diamond....haha.

 

[gwendolyn]

Date: 9/2/2007 1:26:16 PM
Author: StarSpun
Your stories are so sweet, I love them!

(I'm so glad I found you guys!)


Well for me, it began in early childhood. This isn't as magical as everyone elses story but hey!


I was brought up in a wealthier family, who showed their love by buying things for one another. That's probably how I became so materialistic!

Terrible I know. But I remember receiving diamond jewellery at Christmas and on my birthday. Just little ones in like, a gold heart locket say. Except for one year when I received a tennis bracelet....oh I was just hooked then! Well anyway diamonds seemed to me to be 'the thing to have' and just screamed 'rich' and 'classy' for some reason. So I guess it started as a status thing at such young age, how awful is that! Well as time went on, it went beyond that, I just loved things that sparkled, ANYTHING! I also collect Swarovski crystal figurines, as did my mom and grandmother, and I remember how at a certain time in the day at our old house the sun would shine in the window and illuminate all the Swarovskis on this one table. Oh it was just spectacular, and I remember laying on the floor amongst all the rainbows! Sometimes I would have them hit my eyes, and then I'd squint and stare right into it, mesmerized by all the beams and feathers of light. A slight move would change the color, and I remember doing this for hours, sometimes arranging all the figurines for maximum room sparkle


Well diamonds do the same thing and well, I love it In the sun, I let the rainbow reflections hit my eyes, and I play around with that just like when I was young. I have an anxiety disorder, but doing this relaxes me like nothing else, and I'm taken back to a state of serenity


So I guess that's my story!



Oh wait, well it was also my birthstone and I remember telling friends at school that I had the BEST birthstone cause it was a diamond....haha.

StarSpun, that's a beautiful story! I love it!!

baby monster: You're right, I do need to treat myself a bit more. I'm definitely going to be putting some money aside for a graduation present for myself, for when I graduate in June. I worked way too hard to not indulge myself a little now and then, y'know?

Anyway, I don't want my whining to clutter up this lovely thread. More stories, please!

PS: Oh yeah, StarSpun? I always envied the girls at school that had diamond for their birthstone!! I only missed it by a month!! So, thhhhbpt!

 

[Linda W]

If this counts, I love how they sparkle around my Padparadscha, they really show the fire. The other diamond ring I have, I LOVE LOVE LOVE the Blue Fluorescence!!!

Linda

 

[StarSpun]

Date: 9/2/2007 2:49:31 PM
Author: Linda W
If this counts, I love how they sparkle around my Padparadscha, they really show the fire. The other diamond ring I have, I LOVE LOVE LOVE the Blue Fluorescence!!!

Linda

Ditto on the fluoro! I won''t have a diamond without it, and the stonger the better

Gwendolyn - missed it by a month, that is brutal! What a bummer....hehe! Also, in response to your other posts, always do what makes you happy. Never let anyone tell you what your priorities are. You have one life to live, one time in which you can appreciate a diamond!

 

[Haven]

What a great thread topic--I love reading everyone's stories.

My obsession started as a love of rocks and gems in the rough. I used to collect rocks and slivers of beautiful stones taken from the ground and sliced up to show their gorgeous insides.

THEN, one summer at sleepover camp the director told this beautiful story about a king who had an enormous diamond which he dearly coveted. He loved this stone so much that he wouldn't allow anyone else to see it, and every time he took it out of its hiding place his hands would shake because he was so taken by the diamond's beauty. Well, one day the king's hands shook so hard that he dropped the diamond on his beautiful ceramic floor and the fall made a large, jagged crack along the table of the stone. The king was devastated. He called all the jewelers from all the land to come and fix his diamond and offered a reward of three bags of gold. Sadly, none could do anything to help. Then one day, a young boy came to the king and said he could fix his precious diamond if he was given three days alone with the stone. The king didn't believe the boy, but he made a deal: if the boy fixed the diamond, he would get ten bags of gold. If he didn't fix the diamond, he would be executed. The boy agreed and he spent three days locked up with the diamond in a room in the king's palace. At the end of three days the boy emerged from the room and held out the diamond to the king. The king pulled off the cloth that the boy had draped over the face of the diamond to see that the boy had carved a beautiful rose onto the face of the diamond, and he used the jagged crack as the outline for the rose's long, beautiful stem. The king was overwhelmed with joy at such a beautiful sight, he rewarded the boy, and then created a museum around the diamond to share such beauty with anyone who wanted to behold it.

I'm sure I got details wrong, I heard that story almost twenty years ago, but it obviously made an impression. Since that night, I added a fascination with cut diamonds to my love of rocks and gems.

 

[Maisie]

I love the fact that my diamond is probably thousands and thousands of years old. It just sat there - waiting and waiting to be discovered. And now its on my finger. Amazing

 

[Pandora II]

My grandfather was obsessed with gemstones and had lovely pieces made for my grandmother. He died when I was only a month old, which I really regret. My granny had her 90th birthday party yesterday and I gave her an ultrasonic - she was really pleased!

I suppose I always loved looking at her pieces and my father had loads of gemmology books and I used to read them and look at the pictures.

Then I got hooked on fossicking for minerals and longed to go somewhere with ''real'' gemstones not just interesting bits of rock.

I''ve always been more into the coloured stones than diamonds though.

I just love sparkly things I guess - I have boxes of sparkly paper, fabric etc.

Nothing excites me as much as looking at gemstones.


Were they nice in Graff''s in New Bond St? I''ve been to scared to go in as I couldn''t afford anything in there - do they mind obsessed window shoppers?

 

[Phoenix]

What incredible stories, everyone! I''m enjoying reading them so much!

.

Keep them coming!

Pandora, they were awesome at Graff and Harry Winston and all the other places! I can''t afford anything in Graff or HW and some other places, but that didn''t stop me from going in and trying on tons of rings. It was so much fun! You must try it!

 

[wolftress]

So sorry to hear about your mum, lien.

I love diamonds because they make me feel special every time I put them on. I usually just wear my wedding band around the house, so when I slip my e-ring or diamond studs on, it gives me a little burst of happiness. I love the way they sparkle in different lights and they keep me entertained when I''m waiting to be served, waiting for the train, etc.

 

[Phoenix]

Pls keep the stories coming, PS''ers. There are soooo many diamond lovers on this forum, would love for you to share with us.

 

[diamondfan]

I love that you can have some nice reminiscings about your mom and trace back your love of jewelry!

I was very young when I was bitten by the bling bug. We moved into the home my mom current lives in when I was about 2 years old. (She just told me she moved in in 1967 and I was born in 1965). Apparently a new neighbor or friend came by to say hi and my mother was not home. She recalls, to this day, that I told her "My mommy is not home. But would you like to come in and see her jewelry?"!!! Well, I still feel that way today. I love bling, all kinds, though there are things I do not like at all. There is not ever a shortage of things I want for my wishlist. Any gift, hubby knows he can get me bling, be it a small thing like my beloved Hello Kitty necklace, or something big. I am happy with it all, and even love semi precious things too. I just cannot say what intrigued me or caught my eye at two, who can say? But it ain''t ending anytime soon!

 

[strmrdr]

The science of diamond cut.
Ruby, amethyst, sapphire, spinel, garnet, and even a well cut $10 topaz are much better too look at.
Asschers are the only ones that come close.

 

[Madam Bijoux]

As Skippy said, I love the rainbow of colors. I love looking into them and getting lost in them.

 

[lyra]

When life throws you the lemons, the cherry pits, the dregs, you can talk to your diamond, admire it, see it sparkle happily in return. Diamonds never judge, they''re faithful, constant and durable.

 

[Independent Gal]

I only discovered diamonds a few years ago, since my mom never had one. I always liked my grammy''s though.

I think what I love most about diamonds is how you never know what flash of colour or spray of light will jump out next. It''s as though they are alive.

And I love that each one is unique.

And I love thinking about how they were made (geology buff here).

And thinking about how each one has a story and traveled a long distance to my finger, and that it will get filled with more stories through my life, and then I''ll be able to pass those down to a daughter or granddaughter someday and she''ll be able to say ''This diamond trekked with grandma to the north pole! [well, maybe not] It was with her when her book was launched! It was on her hand when she cradled her babies!''

Diamonds are plain beautiful. I love mine so much and I know I''ll never tire of it.

 

[Ellen]

Date: 9/2/2007 11:15:28 AM
Author: KimberlyH
I love diamonds because they are, quite simply, beautiful.

Yes.

And in turn, make me feel beautiful.

 

[Harriet]

lien,
My deepest sympathies for what you''re going through. I didn''t page you when I was in town because I didn''t want to intrude.

 

[Phoenix]

Date: 9/4/2007 10:44:03 PM
Author: Harriet
lien,
My deepest sympathies for what you're going through. I didn't page you when I was in town because I didn't want to intrude.

Thank you, Harriet. I was thinking about you too, but was really cut up. You wouldn't have intruded but I am sure I'd have been absolutely crappy company. When will you be back in s'pore next? Really love to meet you IRL.

Glad to hear about your wonderful holiday and Tetsuya's! Well done, you!

Can't wait to see your Leon Mege!

.

Are you feeling better? I really hope so.

 

[Harriet]

Date: 9/6/2007 5:35:28 AM
Author: lienTN
Thank you, Harriet. I was thinking about you too, but was really cut up. You wouldn''t have intruded but I am sure I''d have been absolutely crappy company. When will you be back in s''pore next? Really love to meet you IRL.

Glad to hear about your wonderful holiday and Tetsuya''s! Well done, you!

Can''t wait to see your Leon Mege!

.

Are you feeling better? I really hope so.

Not till next summer.
Thanks. I''m feeling better, but even if Leon called, I wouldn''t make the trip!