I kind of like the idea of a ring, but have no real interest in how much it's worth. I'd appreciate something cool and vintage better than a huge diamond. (And I know that my first thought on getting a diamond would be "Do you know where it was mined?" which isn't terribly romantic.)

"Do you know where it was mined?"

The Love Mines of Venus. By, um, cherubs and shit.

I've never understood the distinction myself, and am in the ornery-and-purely-theoretical camp that says "Why do I need a ring to be engaged and he doesn't?"

At least the exchange of high school class rings can be equitable - not on a practical scale, as the parties often cannot actually wear them on their fingers, and resort to wearing them on chains.

There is even more obsurdity in the so-called "Promise Ring" - an inexpensive diamond chip signifying that the happy couple has promised to get engaged. Those who participate in this foolishness are oh, so earnest about it, and do not see how silly it is to promise to make a promise to make a set of socially and legally binding promises.

Hmm... Now I wanna buy a "Promise to Give You a Promise Ring Ring."

My mother got me a diamond necklace for my 25th birthday, and she was starting to get a bit annoyed at how many questions I was asking the jeweler (an old family friend) about where the diamond came from. (She thought it was rude to ask. Honestly, if he hadn't been an old family friend, I probably would have asked to see the papers.)

what if the ring had diamond chips from the man made industrial diamonds. A diamond is forever, right? At least you know someones hand wasn't chopped off for it. So what if it's not huge. it's the thought that counts, ya?

maybe this is but one of the reasons I'm still single

I say when you agree to get married you are engaged. The rock is just a momento of the occasion.

apparently the whole "diamond engagement ring" tradition started in this country (USA) about the same time DeBeers started selling diamonds here. Curious, no?

what if the ring had diamond chips from the man made industrial diamonds. A diamond is forever, right? At least you know someones hand wasn't chopped off for it. So what if it's not huge. it's the thought that counts, ya?

That could be kinda cool, with the right design. (Of course, I'm also the person who thought that a necklace made of a piece of amber containing an ancient insect would be cool, so I'm probably not the person to talk to about normal peoples' jewelry preferences.)

(And I know that my first thought on getting a diamond would be "Do you know where it was mined?" which isn't terribly romantic.)

Daniel is well aware of my geeky preference for the exceptionally cool lab-grown diamonds that have been developed in recent years. I could be wrong, but I think he is just as enthusiastic about the superlative niftyness of synthetic diamonds of that high a quality.