Have you ever heard the phrase that a diamond has no value except that which is placed upon it? Well, it's true. A diamond is only as valuable as the jeweler says it is. It is simply a pretty rock that is formed over lots of time and with lots of pressure. Many things in life that have a high value, in actuality, only have a high perceived value. One of the things that makes a diamond supposedly so valuable is its scarcity, which again, is only a perceived scarcity. Diamonds are actually quite plentiful around the world, especially in Africa. Certain diamonds are worth more than others because of their color, or shape, or pureness, etc. but all diamonds are simply rocks, but pretty rocks.

Man made diamonds look 100% authentic most of the time. There are actually machines that take pieces of coal and impose extreme amounts of pressure and heat over a shorter period of time in order to turn that piece of coal into a diamond. That would be considered man made, though it basically has the same material in it. Other forms of man made diamonds are actually made from other substances that look similar to diamonds but aren't actually the same substance. The most popular example would be a cubic zirconium. They are often sold as diamond counterfeits, or substitutes. But the point is, they are generally considered less valuable because it took less time to form it.

Save yourself some money. That is basically the one point I am wanting to communicate to you in this article. Buy yourself a good looking piece of stone that is not cloudy and has good clarity, but it doesn't necessarily have to be a diamond! Do not let the value that society places upon a diamond put you in debt, it is not worth it, and there are better gifts you can buy someone that cost a lot less money.

Give the same quality gift. You can buy something like a gold necklace, or maybe just some chocolates and a teddy bear. The truth of the matter is, the thought really is what counts, and that is all they will remember. Don't believe the lie that says a diamond last forever, because nothing does. You can't take anything with you with you go, so be wise with what you have so you can do the most good.

Don't be ridiculous. If you absolutely have to have a diamond for a gift, then my advice is that you go for a man made diamond. Again, they look almost identical, and nobody is going to know unless you take it to a pawn shop and try to find out. Hopefully the person receiving it would never do that. If so, they might just be a bit materialistic. If you don't feel right about that, then simply tell them beforehand that you are not buying them a real diamond, but you want to get them a nice piece of jewelry. If they then have an issue with it, then simply buy them something else, but definitely don't spend all your money on a "real diamond" if you don't have it.