Diamonds for April, Diamonds for Love, Diamonds Forever?

As we all know, this April birthstone is a symbol of enteral love, embodied most famously by the engagement ring. But, in this day and age why are we still equating eternal love exclusively with marriage? Does no diamond mean no love? What happens to the diamond after the love is gone? Isn’t it easier to just BYO – buy your own?

More and more women are asking themselves these questions.

There are a number of factors that secure a diamond’s position as the engagement ring favourite.

1. The perfect diamond, one that is beautifully cut and free of inclusions, is very rare. Of course, rare means expensive…and we all like to show off a little bit.
2. The clear diamond ‘colour’ has come to symbolise the purity of love.
3. Diamonds have an exceptional relationship with light. This optical delight represents the fire and passion of love.
4. The diamond is the hardest gemstone, ranking top on the Mohs Scale. Only diamond can cut another diamond, so the stone symbolises the marriage of equals.
5. Diamonds are almost exclusively made of carbon, one of the major elements that make up our bodies. So, gifting a diamond is like giving a little piece of yourself.
6. Diamonds are bright as they are beautiful!

And the alternatives…?

Romance is by no means dead! The engagement ring remains a beautiful symbol for so many couples around the world. However, we are permitted to consider a couple alternative uses for the diamond…

1. The “Ah” ring, as featured in the NY Times is a little diamond band worn on the little finger. For some “Ah” stands for “available and happy”, for others “attached and happy”
2. The divorce ring. With almost half of all marriages ending in divorce, the divorce ring is a quirky initiative launched to preserve the engagement diamond from being sold, left in a drawer or something entirely unspeakable… The divorce ring allows the divorcée to adorn her diamond in a new setting of her choosing, adding as many precious gemstones as she likes! Women who have had long and healthy careers decide to create a statement piece, celebrating the progression of their independence.
3. The “Why Not” ring. For any woman, attached, un-attached, never-been-attached…because why not? Women are becoming bolder as the ages roll by. It is no longer expected that a woman should have to wait to be presented with a diamond. If you’ve earned it, why not treat yourself?