I bought my wife a 'fake ' diamond ring for the engagement ring.

She couldn't tell her snooty friends that though, so she went and bought herself a very expensive ring with real diamonds.

She had the ring I bought her melted into my wedding band. I hate jewellery though so had no intention of wearing it. I agreed to wear it for a week after we got married. I've never worn it again. I haven't even seen it since that first week. Over a decade. I wonder if it's just lost, or she has it somewhere still.

I don't care enough to ask.

If anyone wants a really deep dive into the diamond industry, a recent episode of Search Engine (podcast by PJ Vogt, for anyone familiar with Reply All) is all about this: https://pjvogt.substack.com/p/why-are-we-still-buying-diamonds

It’s a fantastic episode.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/195430621450

Do I trust ebay? Not really. Is this a fair sized diamond, cut, for $10? It claims to be.

edit: my bad, synthetic diamonds are also known as moissanite and aren't actually diamonds. Here's a link to two lab grown diamonds, cut, for like $30

https://www.ebay.com/itm/126018751890

the alchemists could've been successful, and all the gold mine barons would've been: so, actually, well, you can't see it, but I assure you, and the experts will agree, that there is actually a very fine, yes, a very fine distinction (if you can notice it, it really means you have a refined sense of taste, yes) in shimmer between ersatz, synthetic gold from the alchemist, and that the rare, natural from the earth. Ah . . . . well yes, you're right, the natural gold is ever so slightly duller, but, you see

Nerevar, you foolish mortal! I have heard your lamentations about the cost of diamonds and how they are too expensive for how common they are. I agree, and I know who to blame. The Bear Company, which holds a monopoly on the diamond industry, is rigging the supply to keep prices high. They use propaganda to create a demand that is disproportionate to the real value of diamonds. What fools they are to think that they can hide such deception from me. I, Lord Dagoth, master of these lands, see through their shallow deceit and call for justice. Now please leave. I have to write upset words on this piece of parchment to show the world how angry i am. Nerevar, do you have a stick with you? Maybe also a stapler? Nerevar please go to the next trader and aquire a new Edding for me. I have let the cap open for too long and now my Edding has dried out.

DeBeers have massive investments in the synthetic diamond industry. They are actually world leaders and have known that it's possible to produce higher quality diamonds at a much lower cost. They make a killing selling synthetic diamonds to industry.