We have always been told, “Diamonds are a woman’s best friend.” Although this statement sounds like a popular saying or marketing slogan, it actually originated from a Broadway musical and entered the mainstream via Marilyn Monroe.
Carol Channing sang a song entitled “Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend” in the 1949 theatrical production of “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.” Monroe sang the song in the film of the same name four years later. The Monroe version of course reached a much broader audience, and its impact was legendary: the American Film Institute (AFI) listed the song as the 12th greatest movie track of all time in 2007.
In the current economic climate, it’s reasonable to question whether diamonds are still so critical to express romance, love, or femininity. Conversations with our clients have convinced us that Marilyn Monroe’s song no longer rings (pun intended) true.
Diamonds no longer necessary
When we started selling our jewelry online, we did not expect our rings to be purchased as engagement rings or wedding bands. We thought that women had to have diamonds both at the proposal and at the ceremony. To our surprise, we have been selling many of our rings for engagements and weddings.
We receive phone calls regularly from women who say they are getting married and want to avoid the high costs of diamond rings. They would rather have beautiful, high-quality rings that are affordable, preferring to invest the excess money into building new lives with their husbands.
We have even been asked at times by the bride-to-be to speak with the fiancé and convince him that he doesn’t need to buy a diamond ring. It seems that men are under the impression that women expect a diamond ring – that diamonds are in fact “a woman’s best friend.” However, in our tough economy, the trend has changed. A woman often would rather have a beautiful ring with a reasonably sized stone (see below) that is affordable.
Diamonds and the issue of size
A specific issue related to diamonds involves size: many women don’t like a ring with a very small center stone. When men feel they have to get a diamond but don’t want to overextend themselves financially, they can’t get the size they want: any small increase in the size of a diamond can cost thousands of dollars more.
The advantage with our cubic zirconia jewelry is that there are no limitations. When customers select engagement rings or wedding bands from our catalog, they can select stones of whatever shape and size they like – set in a ring designed in any style – at very affordable prices. This degree of freedom that cubic zirconia allows has made it the new “best friend” to women worldwide.
By Kent Roberts