Ha ha ha - man, you guys (and girls!) are funny!

Loren - Believe me I've thought about exactly what you described. But also - I know this girl better than anyone else on earth and I KNOW she'll like this stone. Afterall - no matter what other people say - it's just as real a diamond as any other! If she doesn't want to tell someone it's a cultured diamond and not a natural diamond, she doesn't have to - and they can go on thinking she's wearing a $30,000 ring. Afterall, only a handfull of machines that DeBeers makes can tell it's not a natural diamond - a human could never tell.

Actually, I aslo had the same thoughts - like "crap, I have to explain to my whole family why I didn't buy a real ring. They're going to think I'm some sort of greenpeace quack. They'll think I'm cheap." But in fact, they all thought it was VERY cool. And I didn't even have to explain the DeBeers thing as detailed as I thought I'd have to. Most of the people I've told, actually, already had some disconcerting feelings towards DeBeers. Plus, the fact that I had to put so much research time into getting this ring and tracked it down over hundreds of miles adds quite a bit of personal meaning behind it that I think she'll find valuable.

I appreciate everyone's comments! They've been very interesting and entertaining, so thanks!

- trs