Diamonds Are So Last Year

There are many slogans for diamonds. The advertising world has been trying to market them to women and men for over a century.

Diamonds are forever.

Better a diamond with a flaw than a pebble without.

Big girls need big diamonds.

Diamonds are a girl’s best friend and a man’s worst enemy.

Diamonds are forever.

I never hated a man enough to give him his diamonds back.

It's hard to be a diamond in a rhinestone world.

No pressure, no diamonds.

She already knows you love her, now everyone else will too.

Shine bright like a diamond.

This diamond has so many carats it’s almost a turnip.

Timeless. Distinctive. Beautiful.

You can find a diamond in the rough a lot of times.

Diamonds have been marketed as the go-to for engagement rings and wedding bands. They have been marketed as a rare and wanton item that everyone should aspire to have. They are the best stone. They are the stone that indicates commitment.

The truth of the matter is that diamonds are so plentiful on earth that every person could have a cup of them and there would still be some left over. They are not a rare stone. They are actually rather commonplace.

Diamonds being considered the most rare and precious stone was a clever marketing scheme by De Beers in 1947. They stated that "Diamonds are forever." This completely transformed the diamond industry and in 2000, Advertising Age magazine stated that it was the slogan of the 20th century.

Every woman wanted a diamond. The same can be said for today. Diamonds are still the traditional stone seen in engagement rings. However, there seems to be a bit of a change in the wind.

As more and more people realize that diamonds are rather common place, many people are seeking different stones to represent their commitment. Emeralds, rubies, sapphires, and opals are becoming more popular than they have been in over a century.

This could be entirely price related. A person can save hundreds of dollars by purchasing a gemstone ring as opposed to a diamond ring. The markup on diamond rings is astronomical and this is simply due to the market demand for them.

The cheaper option is a gemstone ring. It is a unique alternative to a diamond ring. It may suit your partner's personality better than a diamond ring.

Diamonds are traditional and perhaps you are trying to be untraditional. Perhaps there is nothing conventional or traditional about your relationship and you want to symbolize that in your ring choice.

Whatever the reason, there seems to be a rising trend in the purchase of gemstone engagement rings. It is not a high enough trend to throw the diamond market off of its high horse, but it is something that is noticeable.

People are looking for something unique when they purchase a ring. They want to stand out. They want to be different. They want to be modern. And diamonds are none of those things. Diamonds are not meeting the demand of the current generation as well as they did with those previous.

This is not a generation of traditional, conservative-minded individuals. These are liberal youth. These are individuals who have never lived without the Internet. These are individuals who exist for social media.

Why have a traditional, boring diamond when you can be different? Especially when you have to post pictures of the ring and get a thousand likes on Instagram. Or compete with other individuals who are always trying to prove that they are the most unique, the most trendy and different.

Diamonds will always have their place. They will likely always control the gemstone market, but there is a new demand creeping up. Just be wary, demand increases price and when gemstone rings price themselves out of the market, they will no longer be as appealing.

So, if you're looking to buy a gemstone ring, I would do it now. Who knows how expensive they will become if this trend continues? The youth are our future, and the future may be that of gemstone engagement rings.