Diamond Rings: Are Modern Trends Cheapening their Luster?

The purchasing of the diamond ring used to be synonymous with a little blue box, a girlish squeal, and a stern-faced salesman going on and on about “brilliance” and “antiquity.” But thanks to modern trends, the diamond ring is slowly being demystified.
For one thing, there is the wild popularity of sites like Blue Nile, where you can buy your ring online, and potentially avoid steep in-store upgrades. To counteract this trend, diamond retailer E.E. Robbins launched an ad campaign with the tagline “You won’t find me online. I’m not that kind of diamond.” Clearly the intent is to imply that buying a diamond online isn’t trendy, but tawdry.
Still yet another trend is renting a replica of your ring so you can try it before you buy it. With all the practical benefits of test-driving a car, you can see how it looks on your hand, goes with your clothes, impresses your coffee mates, etc.
While on their face, all these trends that increase the accessibility of diamonds seem great, Bridezilla wonders if commodifying diamonds to this extent is causing them to lose their luster? Is getting a better deal on a diamond worth forsaking the physical experience of ring shopping? Is wearing your fake ring around for a week a downer compared to seeing your rock for the first time when groomzilla gets down on one knee and pops open the box?
Ring shopping-the gleaming glass counters, the plush carpet, the hushed voices and rows of glittering jewels-used to be a rite of passage. Now, diamonds can be rented like Blockbuster videos and purchased online like the common Ipod case.
Are these amazing and convenient advances? Or the end of the courtship culture as we know it? Will you be buying your ring in a store or online? Weigh in at the comments.
Are the new diamond ring trends….
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