When does it stop? Ever satisfied?

[asscherisme]

I was thinking today about how I want XYZ etc in the future.

then I thought, does it ever stop? Does the want to aquire ever stop?

I am Thrilled with my new 1.63ct AGS "OOO" ring in a vatche baguette setting. Just thrilled. It looks HUGE on my 5 1/4 finger. And I got a 2.37ct facets channel set round eternity band to go with it. But I find that I often wear just my plain comfort fit 3mm platinum band because the facets eterntiy band almost takes away from the center stone. I wear the eternity band for those times I don''t want to wear a big diamond (like if I traveled I would wear it)

OK, now I''m shopping for a matching diamond for my .81ct original engagment diamond (that I got 12 years ago) to make earrings out of.

This is all with the approval of my husband.

In fact, the bigger 1.63 he has made clear was a GIFT not an upgrade. HE hates the word upgrade. He actually bought am an asscher which I was dying for for years and once I had it on my finger realized I missed a round so with his blessing I traded it in for full credit towards my round.

So, I am telling myself that I will be happy with my 1.63 for the rest of my life. It really is a big gorgeous white stone.

Its an F/VS2.

I was thrilled with my original .81 for about 5 years, then I wanted a bigger stone, then I wanted an asscher. I got the asscher, then I wanted a round.

Hmmm, now I''m happy but how to stop wanting more??

Just enjoy what I have??

Oh, and I forgot to mention, I recently got an amazing diamond solitaire pendant from my grandma.

My husband says to me, once I get my earrings all set I should be done for life.

HaHa!!!!!!!!!!

 

[diamondseeker2006]

That is a real coincidence, because I just got a 1.63 stone, too! I don''t see a picture of yours posted! Now where are the pictures???!

If I can ever decide on a setting, I''ll be satisfied, I hope! I''ve worn the same rings for a loooong time, so I imagine these will carry me the rest of the way. I have a 4 ct. tennis bracelet and that''s the right size for me, and I have 1.5 tcw studs that I''d like to replace with finer cut stones. Other than that, I don''t have any desires for any big items.

 

[kenny]

Wanting something only stops when our heart stops pumping.

 

[asscherisme]

diamondseeker, I saw your posts and it made me smile. How funny! My 9 year old broke my digital camera but I promise to post a photo when I get it fixed.

The vatche setting I have has a single baguette on each side, .25 ct each and is platinum. It looks like a replica of a Tiffany ring or Harry Winston ring. Very classic looking.

I love, love, love the new ring.

What types of settings are you thinking of? Enjoy that diamond!!

 

[Beacon]

That is such an interesting question. I have thought about that myself. What I wonder about is what is the "thing" with the diamond ring. What is it trying to say about us, our desires, our egos and our marriages?

In my case I was perfectly happy with my first ring. Then, my husband wanted me to get a bigger one. It took me about a year to take action on this. I really didn''t mind my old one. (Old one = E, VS1 1.29 princess)

Once I set about looking I sort of "ate the apple", meaning I began to really think about it, focus on diamonds, study them and as a result, I wanted a bigger one. I got a bigger one, round, 2.27, F, SI1, ex/ex/ex GIA. It is lovely. Then I start to think, hey, maybe I should get a bigger one, maybe 3cts... I can go on and on. My husband doesn''t mind, so I am self governing here. I wondered why I was now going so deep into this pond.

I learned a lot buying this diamond and not just about diamonds. Here is what I learned:

Seek professional advice
Don''t compromise past your comfort zone
Appreciate balance and harmony
Don''t go crazy over every detail - don''t pick things apart

 

[Madam Bijoux]

Speaking as a life-long collector, it never ends.

I suspect that it''s human nature to never be satisfied. After all, if humans had been satisfied with the status quo, nobody would have invented the wheel!

I say keep on collecting and enjoy it!!

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Date: 7/18/2006 2:32:29 PM
Author: asscherisme
diamondseeker, I saw your posts and it made me smile. How funny! My 9 year old broke my digital camera but I promise to post a photo when I get it fixed.

The vatche setting I have has a single baguette on each side, .25 ct each and is platinum. It looks like a replica of a Tiffany ring or Harry Winston ring. Very classic looking.

I love, love, love the new ring.

What types of settings are you thinking of? Enjoy that diamond!!

I like several things. I like the classic Tiffany repro from Superb Cert. I do like some milgrain and engraving like that on the SP eternity band I bought. I LOVE side baguettes and that is one reason I NEED to see your ring! My only quandry was not being able to see what kind of diamond band would look good with it. My vendor does carry Vatche, so I''d really like to see your ring when you get your camera fixed...or before if you can borrow one!!!

Gosh, I just noticed that you wear 5 1/4, too! I''ll be able to see EXACTLY how that setting would look on me!!!

 

[Rod]

Congratulations and you my friend are likely destined to be a DOCD sufferer. In case you haven''t seen DOCD before, here it is:

You have Diamond Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (DOCD), an illness many of us suffer from on this forum. DOCD, discovered by Dr. Brillianteering in the early 1900''s, is a manifestation of mental anomolies when perfectly sane individuals become the owners of high quality diamonds and the settings those diamond sit in. What typically occurs for an accurate DOCD diagnosis is euphoria upon the purchase of a nice gem or setting, followed by self doubt, and ultimately downright concern that the purchased stone or setting has somehow magically changed in appearance or shrunk while the owner slept.
While there are no known medications available to combat DOCD, many people have reported the symptoms are reduced or completely eliminated by buying larger more perfectly cut diamonds or by visiting chain jewelry stores, such as Zales or Kay, or having lunch with a friend who has jewelry of poorer quality than the DOCD sufferer.

Cheers!

 

[Kaleigh]

For me it never ends. Darn it all.

 

[Ellen]

Now that I have my new ideal upgrade, I really want nice studs to match. Maybe 1.4ish ctw. That's really ALL I want. Of course, hubby doesn't understand, so, it will be awhile...

 

[Mara]

haha it really never ENDS....i think us diamond crazies are always in some state of wanting...i am always thinking about a future project or something that is up and coming...for fun mentally that is. why not?! ehhe. but buying, oh that''s another story. i don''t wear a lot of jewelry so in reality my e-ring and w-ring and my pendant are what i wear daily, and my toe rings. so i''d like another pendant, but i also covet a bracelet too. hehee.

 

[mrssalvo]

Ignorance is bliss. Once you''ve found PS and you start learning about the different diamond shapes, different settings and the importance of cut you can never go back. I just purchased a round stone for my upgrade, still trying to decide on a setting and in the back of my mind i''m thinking how I can manage to convince hubby to buy me the Daniel K ring that I adore sometime down the road

 

[KristyDarling]

If you''re a true diamond-lover, you will ALWAYS have a thing or two on your wish list. People love to collect beautiful things, and for many of us, it''s diamond jewelry. (although I only have a teeny tiny collection right now, I hope to build it over a lifetime. And I''m looking forward to every minute of it!!!)

And I''ve always loved the idea of passing on a beloved jewelry collection to my children. They will know how much I LOVED every single piece and will hopefully remember me for a moment or two every time they put something on.

 

[esp102]

Just kidding...

So, we are even and we can all dream.

 

[Beacon]

I guess this is how that expression: "Diamonds are a girl''s best friend" came to be!

Hmmm, maybe the diamond obession is wise.

 

[Lorelei]

There is also this thread you might be interested in!

Ladies, where does it end?

 

[diamondfan]

Asscher, I think, once bitten...it can be endless. I remember when I wanted something and thought, if I get it I will be satisfied. Then, I got it. And not that I did not love it or it wasn''t great or all I thought it would be, it was just I could see having more. This is not just a jewelry thing. This started years and years ago with designer bags etc. Getting my first Chanel jacket or Hermes bag seemed to be a huge deal, then it was, Love this, now what about THIS color or THAT style. My dh, though generous, just doesn''t seem to get the whole thing. We have discussions about when will I be satisfied etc...and like someone else said, never seems about right. I say, if dh is willing and you can afford it, just enjoy it and be spoiled and don''t think too much about it. We give a lot to charity both of our time and financially, so I feel okay about it in the long and short run!

 

[dbgaap]

Good topic - ALWAYS a good topic!

When did I become insatiable? Ack!

I will be getting my new diamond on Thursday and on Saturday, I pick up my new RHR (sapphire in a legacy setting) and my original e-ring with its new aquamarine.

Honestly, right at this moment, I feel 100% satisfied.

And I admit, I tried on a diamond tennis bracelet yesterday ....
But without any money for a tennis bracelet, that''s nothappening for a while.
A long while!

 

[ephemery1]

I''ve thought about this a lot lately too... a few years ago, I had NO interest in diamonds whatsoever... just a vague sense of looking forward to being engaged someday. When the engagement thing became real, a friend showed me the Blue Nile website... from there, I was ADDICTED. In retrospect, I should have known: I am a researcher at heart... I love finding new things to learn about and obsessing over them (ie. cats, food, psychology, computers, etc.). It just made sense that diamonds would''ve been next on my list!

My fiance commented recently "but you wouldn''t want bigger...?" and with surprise, I answered "of course I would!" I love my ring and wouldn''t have felt comfortable spending more than we did at this stage in our lives, but I''m not gonna lie... I think 2-3 carats would be just lovely on my finger someday!

I sense that a lot of us here on PS are savvy, intellectual, artistic people who enjoy the challenge of seeking something as close to perfect as possible... and the reward of finding something beautiful. And we get excited about other people sharing that passion! To me, beyond the sentimental value of an engagement ring, there is also a combination of the thrill of the hunt and the fun of having something rare and significant to wear and enjoy. And the bigger and more well-cut a stone is, the more rare it is. Hence an ongoing appreciation for bigger and better!

 

[asscherisme]

I just hate the feeling of "wanting" something and yet I do! What we buy is within our means. WE own our cars, almost have our 4 kids college educations 100% saved for and the oldest is in 4th grade, own our house, have retirement set aside. But yet it still makes me feel materialistic! I''m a t-shirt and jeans kinda gal. Very little make up but still very groomed and neat. Not into designer labels (except on jewlery LOL). So this jewlery obsession does not seem like me, yet I love jewelery and diamonds. Aggg, why could I not have a cheaper hobby!

 

[sammyjoey]

here''s my two cents regarding prosperity and being content/satisfied with what one already has. (for the record, i don''t believe this yearning and longing after more and more has anything to do with diamonds. for some, its a bigger, better plasma tv. for others, its a career with more status and more money. for others, its that new set of golf clubs with irons that can drive that much further. that feeling of wanting more and more can be related to any number of material possessions) anyway, my take:

what people desire is prospoerity - the experience of having plenty of what we truly need and want in life, material and otherwise. notice that prosperity is an internal experience, not an external state of wealth. unfortunately, in the pursuit of material possessions, we lose sight of the ends that we truly desire. so instead of desiring plenty of what we truly need and want, we feel a great yearning for external things - a bigger house, a better job, shinier diamonds, etc. - hoping that they will bring us satisfaction. but, we will not find lasting satisfaction until we consciously acknowledge our true needs and desires.

to create true prosperity, we must simplify our lives by clarifying our priorities and letting go of things that we dont really need or that dont bring us real satisfaction. for example, if the 1.63 ct., H, VS1 diamond can''t make me happy, will a 1.75, G, VVS2 diamond make me happy? can ANY diamond really make me happy, or are there other things in life that i should look to for happiness?

if prosperity is the experience of having plenty of what we truly need and want, then in order to experience it, we must do three things:
1. discover what it is in life that we TRULY need and want
2. develop the ability to bring those things into our lives
3. recognize, appreciate, and enjoy what we already have

sorry to sound preachy, but i hope this puts into perspective the constant yearning and pursuit of bigger, shinier diamonds.

sam

 

[TravelingGal]

Like ephemery, I found this site because I''m a researcher at heart...NOT a diamond lover. I don''t think I''ll every want an upgrade because I love the stone I have. Would I like another (bigger) diamond? Sure, but not at the expense of trading this one in...it''s exactly what I wanted and I love it more and more every day. I don''t think I''ll ever have so much disposable income that I would spend thousands on another diamond...there are just too many other things I would rather spend the money on (like travel) now that I have one nice diamond ring.

I wonder if a lot of people here really enjoy the "project" aspect as much or almost as much as the diamond itself. Since I''m a researcher and project oriented, I find that I can get excited about whatever new thing I have going next. You should have seen me a couple of weeks ago when we were buying a new fridge! However, there are no real great "fridge forums" out there that I''d wanna stick around in, so for my forum fix, I still stick around here. Interesting people and since my next "project" is my wedding, the BIW forum is very helpful.

 

[Lorelei]

I am pretty much content with what I have. I wouldn't turn down any more diamonds if they were offered mind you

, but I no longer have any serious diamond dreams! Of course I have 'diamond dreams', but not ones that I ever expect to become a reality, if the large EC doesn't ever materialize, thats ok. I have more than I ever thought I would get diamondwise and I am very thankful for that, so I guess for me I am satisfied!

But it is ALWAYS fun to dream and hanker after more diamonds

 

[ephemery1]

Date: 7/18/2006 4:53:42 PM
Author: TravelingGal
Like ephemery, I found this site because I'm a researcher at heart...NOT a diamond lover. I don't think I'll every want an upgrade because I love the stone I have. Would I like another (bigger) diamond? Sure, but not at the expense of trading this one in...it's exactly what I wanted and I love it more and more every day. I don't think I'll ever have so much disposable income that I would spend thousands on another diamond...there are just too many other things I would rather spend the money on (like travel) now that I have one nice diamond ring.

I wonder if a lot of people here really enjoy the 'project' aspect as much or almost as much as the diamond itself. Since I'm a researcher and project oriented, I find that I can get excited about whatever new thing I have going next. You should have seen me a couple of weeks ago when we were buying a new fridge! However, there are no real great 'fridge forums' out there that I'd wanna stick around in, so for my forum fix, I still stick around here. Interesting people and since my next 'project' is my wedding, the BIW forum is very helpful.

I think TravelingGal's mindset is closer to most of the people here on PS than the mentality SammyJoey describes. For the most part, PSers don't seem to be spending significantly beyond their means or upgrading just to fulfill an urge. Maybe more than anything, we all just share an appreciation for jewelry... and since we're not unreasonable people, rather than continually buy new rocks... we live vicariously through everyone else and keep a few project ideas in the back of our mind for someday when/if it IS reasonable.

As I said before, I think 2-3 carats would be great! But I have no desire to spend $$ on that until we've got about a zillion other important life purchases squared away: a house, cars, retirement, kid stuff. So in the meantime, I admire other people's diamonds while feeling entirely grateful and thrilled about my own. Believe it or not, they're not mutually exclusive!

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Nice post, Sam! You sound like a psychologist or counselor or some similar profession.

I do think it could be dangerous for someone who had material desires and was spending beyond their means. Hopefully that is not the case here. Surely those of us getting upgrades are only getting what we can afford. I''m very happy with the 1.63 H VS1 I finally found, but I surely was tempted when I saw a 2ct yellow oval Beaudry ring turn up in Peralman''s great deals today! However, it is not my desire to spend as much as a new car to buy two diamond rings at the moment, so I will resist that desire to have the ring from Pearlman''s!!!

I think that is the real key, to enjoy the material things, within one''s means. However, the material will never fill a void in relationships, spiritual needs, etc.

 

[Allisonfaye]

It''s a good question. I think about it sometimes. I think when you purchase something that brings you satisifaction, you seek to create that feeling of satisfaction again. Someone commented about collecting other things. It just so happens that the thing that we enjoy collecting here is pricier than most material goods. No one would say a word if this stuff wasn''t expensive. Would we still spend the time researching it so thoroughly? Probably not.

For me, it started with my honeymoon. We were in St. Thomas and my husband found a Patek watch that he really liked and I found a pave diamond ring. He let me get the ring and I thought the watch was very nice. At the time, we were both working and could afford these things.

If he had told me no way or vice versa in the beginning, I probably wouldn''t be here.
I see myself only getting a couple more things but not for a while. One can only wear so much jewelry. (unless you live in Texas).

 

[Dancing Fire]

Date: 7/18/2006 5:56:53 PM
Author: diamondseeker2006
Nice post, Sam! You sound like a psychologist or counselor or some similar profession.

I do think it could be dangerous for someone who had material desires and was spending beyond their means. Hopefully that is not the case here. Surely those of us getting upgrades are only getting what we can afford. I''m very happy with the 1.63 H VS1 I finally found, but I surely was tempted when I saw a 2ct yellow oval Beaudry ring turn up in Peralman''s great deals today! However, it is not my desire to spend as much as a new car to buy two diamond rings at the moment, so I will resist that desire to have the ring from Pearlman''s!!!

I think that is the real key, to enjoy the material things, within one''s means. However, the material will never fill a void in relationships, spiritual needs, etc.

DS

look at it this way....the two diamond rings will keep on sparkling 20 yrs from now

the new car will turn into a pile of rust metal.

 

[Ellen]

Date: 7/18/2006 7:22:30 PM
Author: Dancing Fire

Date: 7/18/2006 5:56:53 PM

Author: diamondseeker2006

Nice post, Sam! You sound like a psychologist or counselor or some similar profession.


I do think it could be dangerous for someone who had material desires and was spending beyond their means. Hopefully that is not the case here. Surely those of us getting upgrades are only getting what we can afford. I''m very happy with the 1.63 H VS1 I finally found, but I surely was tempted when I saw a 2ct yellow oval Beaudry ring turn up in Peralman''s great deals today! However, it is not my desire to spend as much as a new car to buy two diamond rings at the moment, so I will resist that desire to have the ring from Pearlman''s!!!


I think that is the real key, to enjoy the material things, within one''s means. However, the material will never fill a void in relationships, spiritual needs, etc.

DS

look at it this way....the two diamond rings will keep on sparkling 20 yrs from now

the new car will turn into a pile of rust metal.

That is exactly the argument I gave to my husband when he balked at the price of the diamond I wanted.

 

[moremoremore]

The less time you spend here, the less you want it. LOL. This place is a vendor's paradise J/K... I don't know...I've kind of moved on to other things...I mean, if my fifth anniv comes (next year) and there is a great stone I like, I might do it...But do I really want to spend that kind of money? I have a nice stone...no need to always want bigger... I'm not lusting after a bigger one all the time which is a huge step for me LOL.... It just becomes less important to me the more time I spend thinking about my other goals...I think about why I want it so bad...to show off? I dunno. People always want to show off to a certain extent...maybe I'm just becoming less showy. Dunno. Don't get me wrong. I still want a nice bag, a nice car, etc....but money on a diamond is less important to me thinking long term.. BUT, if I win lotto, a 5 ct cushion is MINE!

I can't quite articulate it...maybe I have diamond sniffles instead of diamond fever!

 

[canuk-gal]

HI:

I dunno, but I wonder if it has something to do with what people value--and how "value" is defined, quantified and eventually (if possible) articulated. I expect there is a lot of psychology/sociology embedded in this notion; and then again, perhaps a cigar is just a good smoke.

cheers--Sharon