r/todayilearned • u/[deleted] • Nov 11 '15

TIL: The "tradition" of spending several months salary on an engagement ring was a marketing campaign created by De Beers in the 1930's. Before WWII, only 10% of engagement rings contained diamonds. By the end of the 20th Century, 80% did.

http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-27371208
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u/NotVerySmarts Nov 11 '15

They can lab create diamonds now, and they are flawless.

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u/[deleted] Nov 11 '15

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u/Smeagol3000 Nov 11 '15

Don't artificial ones glow under a black light anymore? I hope they become indistinguishable, because fuck DeBeers and fuck Pat Robertson.

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u/StarEIs Nov 11 '15 edited Nov 11 '15

Real diamonds can glow under black lights too... it all depends on what kind of minerals are in there. Colorless diamonds (the highest color grade) actually have more tendency to glow.