Conference taveng::bagels

    When I got an engagement ring, we had decided we did not want to
    get the generic diamond solitaire, and so got a sapphire.  I've
    seen engagement rings of emerald and ruby, too.  Diamonds as the
    standard for engagement rings are actually a new idea (promoted
    by DeBeers, of course)--it turns out that sapphire was very common
    in the 1800's.
    
    Whatever you get, make sure it is set so that it will last.  Diamond,
    ruby and sapphire are all hard, but emerald is softer and so its
    setting should protect it more.  Opals are even more fragile and
    (so I was told) can lose their shine over time.
    
    Don't be afraid to ask for a particular kind of stone in a particular
    setting--jewelers do that kind of work all the time, and if they
    don't have it on display, they can make it.
    
    I will end by saying that we never had any negative response to
    our choice of a sapphire, and did get lots of admiration!
    
    			-John Bishop

    I like the idea of sapphires.  A friend has an engagement ring with
    a small ruby and small sapphire -- I never thought to ask her why
    she chose those particular stones, though.  Another friend has an
    opal engagement ring, which is gorgeous (I love opals!) but which
    she very seldome wears because they are fragile -- the jeweler even
    told her not to wear it very often.  You could just go into a fancy
    jeweler's and ask for advice - some of those places are VERY nice
    to their customers, even if you don't end up buying from them.

    
    
    The small sapphires in the wedding ring my fiance and I are 
    considering for me are from Siberia.  Or, so the jeweler told 
    us...  "These sapphires are from Siberia, these [some_stone]
    are from Sri Lanka, these..."
    
    D
    

    Sapphires come from Sri Lanka, Burma, Thailand, Australia
    and other places.  I'm sure you could specify an origin
    (at additional cost perhaps).
    
    I believe the traditional meanings of the stones are:
    
    	Diamond----Permanence
    	Sapphire---Fidelity
    	Ruby-------Passion(?)
    	Emerald----No idea (Fertility?)

    Ruby rings are nice engagement rings ... and Linda and I use 
    Native American tourquoise and coral wedding bands.

    Terry

    This is a little off the subject but...when I was in Natanya (Israel)
    I remember seeing a lot of stores selling diamonds.  I also recall
    people mentioning that Israel was a good place to buy diamonds.
    Where do these diamonds come from? Israel? South Africa??
    
    LS

    Would someone please explain why this is
    being discussed here?

    How does this relate to Israel, Judaism or the Middle East even ?

    No, I am not going to delete or protect it [mainly because
    it IS interesting and it seems the author of .0 feels more
    comfortable talking to his/her fellow bretheren about marriage]
    but would like to know if I am missing a well hidden point
    or politic.

    Well, strange for me: WE DO USE ONLY GOLD RINGS IN SPAIN!!
    
    And, anyway, nobody can stand a "human rights" defending position
    not wearing diamonds and the like because of South Africa connection.
    Why? Sidewinder AIM-9L has a sapphire seeker in the head!!!
    
    Star Wars and laser-based weapons use lots of "precious stones"
    components and, finally, Kerem Optronics, Israeli-based defense
    firm, it is welknown in the defense industry for its...sapphire
    seekers.
    
    Wear a diamond on your finger and look at the Sidewinder flying
    over your head.

    Paul bought me a "pinky" ring with a tiny emerald and two even tinier
    diamonds in Netanya (they also had much fancier wares, for people
    with much fancier wallets - all much cheaper than at home, however).
    Israel is a big diamond-cutting center (along with Amsterdam). 
    I would imagine that a lot of the stones do come in from South Africa,
    since there is (or was three years ago, anyhow) a lot of trade between
    them (there is a large Jewish population in South Africa, though
    I don't know how the strange laws there treat the Jewish population;
    a lot of them seem to turn up populating moshavs in the Galilee,
    so I suppose it isn't a GREAT place, anyways).

    Israel is a good place to buy diamonds because most (I think)
    of the world's diamond cutters live there.  Many of them left
    Amsterdam precipitously some fifty years ago.
    
    I suspect that most of their diamonds, like Abba Eban, come
    from South Africa.
    
    Ruben, sapphires are not inevitable found where diamonds are
    found.  Also, I'll bet you dollars to doughnuts [an Americanism]
    that the sapphires in a Sidewinder are 100% synthetic.
    
    							Ann B.

The major diamond mining countries are the USSR, Australia, and
several Black Africa countries (such as Zaire.)  South Africa
produces about 9% of the diamonds.

Up until very recently (like today), all (uncut?) diamonds were
*sold* through DeBeers, in order to keep the prices stable (and
high). Because of opposition to South Africa, a new diamond
marketing cartel, based in London, has replaced DeBeers. 

About 50% of all diamonds are cut in Israel.

Martin.

    But the "new" cartel is run by the same folks, and I believe
    that the South African/Namibian/Botswanan contribution to annual
    production of gem (as opposed to industrial) diamonds is still
    quite high (larger than the 9% cited).
    
    				-John Bishop

    .10 is right: sapphires and the like are sinthetic one in the defense
    industry. I like my doughnuts! But it makes me think of diamonds
    being produced in Silicon Valley in two years time. DeBeers is worrying
    about it, I guess...