[Slraep]

All the bad stuff pertaining to diamonds that Caitlin has written about is true, AND THEN SOME. Yes, they do sparkle wonderfully when cut but so do substitutes. Yes, the big diamonds are nice to look at but are in (real)reality--worthless. I remember reading somewhere that the founder of De Beers once remarked how he couldn't understand the people's primitive habit of collecting pebbles. He was referring to diamonds.

There's been a lot of worry over our environment of late(too late), and one good way of helping a seriously ailing world is to stop the very destructive practice of high tech diamond mining. Has anyone ever seen what kind of distruction comes from such mining in Africa?

I am all for the synthetics. Lots of big name jewellery designers that would not accept commisions using moissonite or cz are now complying. We should think long and hard about the diamond trade--and PS is just a micrcosmic offshoot of the bigger picture. So you can imagine just how bad the bigger picture is.

Slraep

[Slraep]

Check out the biggest diamond mine in Russia. It's enough to make you weep. Why are we still buying the overhyped pebbles and making these people rich? I dunno. The same reason why people are still buying and driving around in Hummers? I guess that it's not enough that we trash our atmosphere, we gotta do it the the earth's crust too.

http://bldgblog.blogspot.com/2005/08...mond-mine.html

Slraep

PS(haha, another subtle stab at you know who...) sorry if I seem crabby about this topic. But this topic makes me crabby.

[jshepherd]

They do watch this forum and many others, as you can see here on DiamondRing.com.

I think I related their censorship to that of North Korea last year. Any undesirable content is removed, and members just vanish on a regular basis. The IP addresses are blocked so those who "disappear" won't even be able to see their forum. I believe they banned the discussion of pearls due in large part to yours truly. I did not take kindly to their treatment of me, and neither did several other banned members like author Richard Wise.

[Satine De La Courcel]

So what I see here is a bunch of Trouble makers and Dirt disturbers the Lot of ya...

ROFLMAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!

all over education and truth????

Jeremy you are most certaily the ring leader of this circus


and to the rest of the "meddlesome" crew.. Eat, Drink, Be merry Learn and Love Pearls......

Serioulsy though.... Tis a puzzlement why, after all IMO it is bad business practice but I have never known anyone like the professionals here who are more than happy and willing to help anyone who asks!

I do not understand that Kind of behavior! Haven't we talked about other gemstones as well here?? not to a great degree but upon ocasssion???

Ash
Who really needs a vacation, LOL....

[Slraep]

Originally Posted by jshepherd

I think I related their censorship to that of North Korea last year.

Nope, I was the one that wrote that. I bet Leonid even looks like Kim Jong-il, too.

An interesting read on what diamonds really are. Abundant pebbles that the natives would be able to pick can-loads of----untill DeBeers came along.

http://cortez.gnn.tv/blogs/5427/Diamonds_are_Forever

"ALBERT ALLETZHAUSER, Oppenheimer Biographer: Ernest Oppenheimer, in 1914, two months before the outbreak of war, went there to survey the territory and came back with a report that was mind-boggling and subsequently hidden from the public, the fact that this was the richest diamond field in the history of the world. It was an alluvial field, meaning diamonds were on the surface. You could go pick them up. And, in fact, they put what they termed back then “natives,” black natives— each put a tin can around their neck and they lined them up and they get on their hands and knees and they just — “Pick! Pick! Pick!” — put the diamonds into the tin cans as they walked on their hands and knees. This is how rich the fields were."

Slraep

[youngster]

Welcome Ann! I've read many of your posts over at PS as I am mainly a lurker there. I'm sorry about what's happened. But, you may find that more than a few of your old cyber-pals from over there are members of this forum. Ana (aka Valeria101) also posts here! She was always one of my favorite posters over at PS and I was sorry when she stopped, but she turned up here, as has Richard Wise!

[Perle]

Wow, Slraep, that photo is unbelievable.

What do they say in recycling – reduce, reuse, recycle? Makes “antique” (reuse!) an even more attractive option for those who still want diamonds but are uncomfortable with current industry practices (and avoids the use of new metals – another problem mentioned elsewhere on this forum).

Perle

[Bethann]

Originally Posted by youngster

Welcome Ann! I've read many of your posts over at PS as I am mainly a lurker there. I'm sorry about what's happened. But, you may find that more than a few of your old cyber-pals from over there are members of this forum. Ana (aka Valeria101) also posts here! She was always one of my favorite posters over at PS and I was sorry when she stopped, but she turned up here, as has Richard Wise!

Thanks Youngster, I'm looking forward to time well spent here. And it is good to see some names I recognize.

[xeresana]

This is an interesting thread. I stumbled onto that site last year when I received my engagement ring. I didn't want a diamond for my center stone, I wanted a sapphire or ruby. My husband (not yet at the time, though) had a really lovely ring made for me with a pink sapphire stone in the center surrounded by really lovely diamonds with tons of fire, set in 18k white gold. All I wanted was some info on how to best keep the ring clean and sparkly without damaging the sapphire, diamonds, or gold. I never did get a straight answer. Just a bunch of wackos saying things like, "Woohoo! Scrub it 'til it shines!" Ugh. So, I still don't really know how best to clean that ring. I'm open to suggestions.

[Caitlin]

I have a diamond eternity band from my grandmother.
I have worn this ring for close to 40 years and it does get clogged with guck. It would get so gucky even with jewelry cleaner, I wanted to throw up when I looked inside it.

All the following ideas were after trying regular jewelry cleaners and not being able to clean the tiny holes out properly, for years.

I wash it in the dishwasher! Down at the bottom of the silverware box and I put the tip of a steak knife through the middle to peg it there. I also put it in an organza bag once for safety, but in my dw anyway, It won't get lost with either method. This idea is pretty good.

Then I tried this:

I put it a couple of cups of water with a teaspoon of dishwasher detergent in a pyrex bowl and set it in the microwave for 4 minutes. Wow! Does it Sparkle! Metal is ok in a microwave, if it is covered completly with water.

I've also soaked it in Biz. That is ok. I haven't tried biz in the microwave, yet, but I have tried a tiny amount of laundry detergent!

[jshepherd]

With a piece like that warm water, a little soap and a tooth brush could work fine. The soap is for the grease from your fingers.

You can always use an ultrasonic cleaner as well. With those stones and the gold you should be fine...

[xeresana]

Yeah! I love pearl-guide!

[Bogus]

Originally Posted by Caitlin Williams

I have a diamond eternity band from my grandmother.
I have worn this ring for close to 40 years and it does get clogged with guck. It would get so gucky even with jewelry cleaner, I wanted to throw up when I looked inside it.

All the following ideas were after trying regular jewelry cleaners and not being able to clean the tiny holes out properly, for years.

I wash it in the dishwasher! Down at the bottom of the silverware box and I put the tip of a steak knife through the middle to peg it there. I also put it in an organza bag once for safety, but in my dw anyway, It won't get lost with either method. This idea is pretty good.

Then I tried this:

I put it a couple of cups of water with a teaspoon of dishwasher detergent in a pyrex bowl and set it in the microwave for 4 minutes. Wow! Does it Sparkle! Metal is ok in a microwave, if it is covered completly with water.

I've also soaked it in Biz. That is ok. I haven't tried biz in the microwave, yet, but I have tried a tiny amount of laundry detergent!

LOL....well that's one good thing you can say about diamonds over pearls: You can beat the daylights out of 'em with any damage..LOL

Xeresana: I keep a spray bottle of a solution of water, windex, and Dawn (dish soap) in the bathroom. I spray my rings and let them sit while I shower, then scrub with a soft toothbrush. The most important thing is to rinse THOROUGHLY after...

Bogus

[perlas]

Originally Posted by Slraep

Check out the biggest diamond mine in Russia. It's enough to make you weep. Why are we still buying the overhyped pebbles and making these people rich? I dunno. The same reason why people are still buying and driving around in Hummers? I guess that it's not enough that we trash our atmosphere, we gotta do it the the earth's crust too.

http://bldgblog.blogspot.com/2005/08...mond-mine.html

Slraep

PS(haha, another subtle stab at you know who...) sorry if I seem crabby about this topic. But this topic makes me crabby.

Nice link.

That is what you call HUGE . Can't believe people will destroy the earth for diamonds. Pretty scary.

[jerin]

Originally Posted by jshepherd

With a piece like that warm water, a little soap and a tooth brush could work fine. The soap is for the grease from your fingers.

You can always use an ultrasonic cleaner as well. With those stones and the gold you should be fine...

I have an electrical tootbrush and once I change the tootbrush-part, I can use it for cleaning my rings. The speed and vibrations of the toothbrush works very well between the small holes in the setting.....