Pretty much all of mine have originated from India and also set there.

India does have significant diamond deposits, so it may be that yours are Indian. But India (more specifically Gujarat) is responsible for 'cutting' 92% of the world's diamonds - 49% of which will have come from sub-saharan Africa. Although you bought your diamond in India, that may (or may not) be where it was actually mined.

seems a bunch of you are diamond addicts. please something nice but diamonds

For a birthday present, our lab group bought a nice fruit bowl from Woolworths and filled it with tropical fruit from the market. Less than 20 quid altogether, but she really liked it

I agree with sleephead. Diamonds should not be traded or encouraged, and certainly not as tokens of love. It is virtually impossible to guarantee that diamonds have come from a 'clean source'. The bling on sale in nice, clean, attractive shops in Europe has come from an industry where poorly paid diamond miners and assoicated workers suffer to produce goods that prop up corrupt governments. Buying these sorts of products helps corporations and governments exploit resources and people to their own ends. Diamonds are not cool.

If property is theft, then diamond miners and their nations are robbed twice. A stone is dug up by their own labour for which they are paid and pittance and then has value added to it by corporations for sale elsewhere. The miners never recieve any of this extra $£ which has been earnt by the labour.

100% agree with sleepyhead and chrisrolinski on the diamond issue. Love the idea of the fruitbowl, though! I'd be dead happy with that.

Mochemoseo, make her a brew, do the washing up, bit of hoovering, make her a card, give her a peck on the cheek and tell her what a lucky, lucky girl she is If she dares to question otherwise show her this web page to demonstrate just how much thought you've given her. Cheap, cheerful, poignant and very effective. Problem solved!

antique jewelry - no conscience issues. cheaper too.

Take her away for a romantic weekend to a nice B and B by the seaside, have a nice chilled bottle of wine or champagne waiting in the room...etc....! go out for a nice romantic dinner. Then go watch a chick flick film at some point during the weekend. Run a bubble bath in the bathtub for her. Tell her how small her bum looks.

eeek diamonds NO! I had a giant fight over a diamond ring when I was getting married...at the last minute my now ex decided I should have a large diamond and not the lovely small sapphire we had both selected ( and for which I insisted paying half, being deep in my Simone de Beauvoir days). I almost did not get married over this diamond thing---rings being symbolic of many things, including the marriage. I threatened to run from the altar if any sort of diamond showed up during the wedding. Needless to say no diamond appeared.

Friends and family thought I was nuts. "you want to call if your wedding if he buys you a diamond ring?"!!

Me "yes".....

Not that I am the marrying sort, but I would like hypothetically a simple wooden ring, maybe walnut or oak. Something that would veneer with age, look natural, tell people I was hitched, but would biodegrade in my grave

@chrisrolinski I remember reading this thing about engagement rings that were bio-engineered from bone tissue from the couples' thigh bones: sexy!
http://www.biojewellery.com/

Hi Walminskipeasucker and olivia. please share more of those ideas. i am loving them.