"We" or "she?" Do you buy into her same mentality that, although you know it's a scam, you're okay with it?

By "we" I meant humans in general. It's not hard (though a bit uncomfortable) for most people to look at their lives and see areas where they continue to operate as if something were true, even if they know (or at least have good reason to believe) that it isn't. I think that DeBeers is a good example of that.

I would argue that one marriage isn't stronger than another just because Groom A gives his wife a 1.5 carat monster diamond and Groom B gives his wife a Diamonique ring from QVC.

In fact I paid 0$ for my wife's ring; it belonged to my mother. I think (contrary to the second article) that most women would rather have a tiny "real thing" than a large "fake". Of course "real" and "fake" are totally arbitrary, but that's the way it is. It's not really about the money; it is about the comitment. A "fake" ring says, "I think I can get by with this," where a "real" diamond says "you are worth it."

As for me, I don't really care either way. I'd have been happy to invest a great deal of money on a perception, because I wasn't spending money on a diamond; it was a token of affection. If one token is worth more than another for whatever reason, then that's what I'm going for (if I can afford it). Personally I think flowers, diamonds, and the like are dumb. They serve no real purpose in my life, and I'd rather get something with a practicle benefit. But for my wife, if those things are what she likes then I have no problem getting them for her because it shows her that I love her.

I think Bitt is right though: one day dimonds will become pretty much worthless. However, even then I think wedding rings are going to have value, simply because of the spirit in which they were purchased.