Synthetic Diamonds
 

Do you know why you like rubies (over apparently other gems)? I am a sapphire person (I only have diamonds and sapphires actually) I think because it is my birthstone so I have been acquiring sapphires since birth. I like the look of sapphires, sure, but I wonder whether I would have gravitated toward something else had it been what someone decided was my birthstone.

Synthetic Diamonds
 

You're right. I'll have to quickly catch up.

Synthetic Diamonds
 

You're still drinking Pisco Sours?!!?

Synthetic Diamonds
 

Both grandmother's are dead. Thanks for asking. :) I didn't get any jewelry from either one. I guess I was too much of a tom-boy when I was younger.

Synthetic Diamonds
 

I like them b/c they are the color of blood. Warm, sweet, delicious blooooood.....


Actually I picked rubies b/c I don't own any already. I collect antique jewelry and I already have some sapphires and emeralds in my collection (small stones, not great quality, but gorgeous settings) as well as a lot of semi-precious stones, so I'd like something different. An engagement big-screen TV would be ok too.

Synthetic Diamonds
 

Our condolences. :sniffle:

Remember, those rings can also come from your fiancee's Gma!

Synthetic Diamonds
 

What do you mean "get"? You didn't try to wait around till after the will was read to grab a souvenier from dear old granny's jewelry box, did you? That was your first mistake.

Next time a dearly beloved one (with good jewelry) dies, just slip the jewelry off at the viewing. If you're crying hard enough, nobody will notice your fast little fingers.

Synthetic Diamonds in the Rough
 

Yeah, but after a while some woman or another in your life winds up calling in five gay guys to make you "better."

Synthetic Diamonds
 

Which, not coincidentally, is the current drink of choice among the fashionable, particularly the blood of blond-haired, blue-eyed children.

http://www.davidicke.com/icke/temp/reptconn.html

I prefer mine served chilled, with a stalk of celery, a dash of tobasco, and a hint of fresh cilantro.

Edit: It's the irony taste that I find so addictive. Like a free ride when you've already paid.

Synthetic Diamonds
 

OKAY, RP, you easily win the most quoted comment of the day award!

So, a question for all the female board members, in an effort to improve all us male members: what gross materialistic overly peer sensitive characteristic in men drives you most batty?

(or, as ABBAKiss will quickly point out, what gross, materialistic, overly peer sensitive characterstic...)

G,3

Synthetic Diamonds
 

Trophy wives.

Synthetic Diamonds
 

It's good that you thought out everything you're going to discuss with him -- it shows you're an up-and-comer -- but I would advise you to write it all down on 3x5 cards for handy reference while you golf. It ensures that you'll get to work everything in, and it shows him that you're a thoughtful and organized suck-up, qualities that are important to many partnerships.

Synthetic Diamonds
 

So I guess I shouldn't split with my wife and start pursuing you, aye?

Damn.

Synthetic Diamonds
 

Painfully ironic, isn't it?

And Shape Shifter, if you respond with a line from Alanis, I will hunt you down and kill you by drowning you in a tub of butterscotch pudding.

Synthetic Diamonds
 

Buying blood-soaked engagement rings of over 1 carat.

Synthetic Diamonds
 

Are you suggesting the purchase of blood-soaked engagement rings of under one carat? Do you want multiples?

I bought my wife a very nice saphire ring. It compliments her appearance much better than a diamond - she looks particularly stunning in blue with that beautiful blue gem on. Aren't diamonds really a gem that just goes with white and black, good for formal occasions but not really the best gem to wear every day? And they really are blood stones...

Synthetic Diamonds
 

Since you clearly did not understand the obvious implications of my post, I will abandon subtlety and trust in the intelligence of FB denizens and say: diamonds on a ring containing a single stone of one carat or less are not blood-soaked.

Synthetic Diamonds
 

How much does it cost to get a talking sapphire ring?

L(timmy)FM

Synthetic Diamonds
 

I fell for it too. Beg Tyme.

Synthetic Diamonds
 

As someone who bought his fiancee a 2.1 carat-er, all I can say now is CHA-CHING! Vegas bachelor party, here I come!!!

Synthetic Diamonds
 

Rubies and sapphires are the same stone - just different colors.

Still blood soaked. Rubies are mined by poor Indoneisians who have to steal in order to make a decent wage. They stand in mud puddles and pick through rocks for the man for a couple of bucks a day.

Synthetic Diamonds
 

Not Shape Shifter, but...

It's like 10,000 spoons when all you need is ....

If that offer isn't limited to one recipient and you'll make it banana pudding, I'll finish the line and take my chances.

Synthetic Diamonds
 

Drop and give me 20.

Apropos of nothing, if you're at a party and you want to know whether a rock is real or not, just ask where she lives. If she says "Shady Acres Mobile Home Park", you know it's zirconium bought off QVC. If she lives in River Oaks, she probably ran her first husband over with the car and it's more real than the tits.

Edited to say that I forgot to say that it's if you want to know if a MULTI-CARAT ring is real or not, blah blah.

Lucy Is A Vampire.
 

Technically, that's not blood-soaked, that's dirty-and-unpleasant-soaked. I think the diamond trade actually inspires people to kill each other with some regularity. Someone who knows more about this can describe it better, if they haven't already.

I'm sure no one will be surprised to hear that all my jewelry is squeaky clean (and cheap). Today I'm wearing the oft-complimented $1.00 necklace. Edited to say, I can only wear it about once a week or it makes my neck itch.

Haven't I seen you someplace before?
 

This banana pudding has a familiar taste ... is it misogynistic elitism with a hint of nut-meg?

Lucy Is A Vampire.
 

So you're saying she's in the sky in her bat form?

This gets Subject Line of the Week Award!

Haven't I seen you someplace before?
 

You forgot the all-natural facial cleanser.

Isn't that ironic.

Socking (Yanking your chain for nearly three whole posts) Up

Synthetic Diamonds
 

Future tense? I must have missed the sly subtext of your "Fuck me" post.

I'll forego the obvious "see above" response because I genuinely like you (chorus: "Awwwwwww!" ). Don't give up - keep trying with the wordplay, the subtlety (and dare I say it, the 'irony'), just for the sheer joy of it. At least one person out there appreciates it.

CDF (let's all give a big shout out to fringey's Mom. Hi, Mom!)

(Edited to say: Nice "Lucy is a Vampire" re: line. This is the kind of quality stuff we need more of.)

Synthetic Diamonds
 

Bangladesh is another popular point of origin for rubies (or so says my friend in the biz...). don't know the working conditions of the Bangladeshis, but don't imagine they're much better.

Synthetic Diamonds
 

As PLF is off his game lately, many of us have dared to say irony, with nary a meow. Something is wrong around here.

Plus, all this talk of diamonds, and no KOO KOO sock.

Synthetic Diamonds
 

Sorry, that's my pathetic schtick today.

Synthetic Diamonds
 

Obviousness didn't pay off so I gave it up. So to speak.

Are you telling me I'm no longer funny? Crap. Maybe it's time for another vacation.

Synthetic Diamonds
 

Again, that is NOT BLOOD, it's dirt and misery. So many products are stained with dirt and misery that I've given up on trying to avoid them. Rugs, clothes, furniture, memos . . . probably also some types of electronics. Other products are ruining the environment.

This is not only not funny, but depressing. I should take a break. Ironic, no?*

*I realize there is no irony here, but I really wanted to say that. In fact, even more so because of the lack of irony.

Synthetic Diamonds
 

As far as I know, only diamonds are subject to hoarding and price fixing. But other subjective factors make gemstone pricing less than efficient. For example, a few years ago one of the few Tanzanite mines got flooded. Prices went nuts as people speculated on how long it would be until they were able to mine again, etc. As it was tanzanites had gone from "huh" to must have by virtue of being promoted on QVC/Home Shopping.

For an engagement ring, stone hardness is important. Diamonds are a 10 on the Mohs scale. Their durability is part of the appeal as an engagement ring stone -- it will hold up to daily wear through a 50+ year marriage. Rubies and sapphires are a 9 in hardness so they're pretty durable. I wouldn't call them "truly rare" but good color and quality, nice sized stones don't fall off the truck every day. Emeralds are softer, only a 7, and have internal flaws that can cause them to shatter. An emerald engagement ring setting would need to be designed to protect the stone.

Ruby or sapphire would be my call for a non-diamond engagement ring or emerald if she adores them but your friend would have to be careful with the setting or it won't hold up. Sapphires come in a wide range of colors (blue, green, yellow, pink, purple, orange) if she doesn't like blue.

Synthetic Diamonds
 

Maybe the prancey kitty is bored. Or maybe he's moved on to new, inaccessible heights of subtle irony beyond the ken* of mere mortals. Who knows, he might even be employed.

CDF

(* but not Barbie - I saw "Legally Blonde," and I've embraced the Zen-like superiority of brainless blondes.)

Lucy Is A Vampire.
 

I think if you look into it even a little bit you'll find that there is plenty of blood shed and human rights violations occuring since the military/smugglers run this business in the area. I believe the Thai government actually granted immunity to one of the largest drug/jewel smugglers to allow for opening of the borders to trade - since the government couldn't get a part of the take if it was all going through smugglers. But plenty of people were killed for stealing from the smugglers and the government.

Synthetic Diamonds
 

I like pearls, probably because they are my birthstone, but also, because they are simple in appearance and not terribly flashy. Strangely, I do not have any. I used to have a pearl ring and I learned quickly they aren't good for every day wear, and wouldn't work well as an engagement ring.

I have a diamond, it's big enough it causes people's eyes to follow it around when I talk with my hands. It was my mom's. Before it was hers it was my grandmother's. It doesn't really matter that it is a diamond, just that my mom loved it and wore it. It reminds me of her, so I wear it.

I have learned a lot about it from E/O who, without ever seeing it was able to tell me a lot about my ring. That's a darn neat trick, E/O has my undying respect when it comes to such things.

I don't see wearing an engagement ring. When I find the right Mrs. Eaze I imagine I'll just wear a band of some kind.

Synthetic Diamonds
 

Not at all. I was just giving you a hard time.

Time to go home - g'night, everybody.

Synthetic Diamonds
 

My apologies. Enjoy the schtick, pathetic though it may be. I'm going home.

Synthetic Diamonds
 

Another sad example of over-engineering in materials selection.