When little girls and twenty-something women alike sit back and fantasize about their engagement rings, they seldom imagine anything less than a perfectly cut, crystal clear, light-refracting, “a diamond is forever” style ROCK of a ring. Throw in a gleaming band and a group of bitterly jealous girlfriends, and the fairytale is complete! We’ve seen plenty of trends in diamond jewelry come and go over the years, whether it was J-Lo’s famous pink stone, the flock of canary yellow diamonds that followed, or the chocolate diamonds currently satisfying our sweet tooth. One look we haven’t yet coveted is the rough cut, or “dirty,” diamond. Like the punk rock cousin of the De Beers children, the dirty diamond makes it a point to be ragged where classic diamonds are polished, smoky where they are clear, and generally just different. In this week’s Sweet & Sour, we explore whether dirty diamonds really do have an edge over their classic counterparts.

Why they’re sweet: Although some of us might be shocked to hear it, not every woman is actually a fan of the cookie-cutter diamond ring. Many modern brides-to-be and their fiancés are going out of their way to find diamonds with unique characteristics rather than purchasing the same-ol’, same-ol’ princess cut, clear stoned ring—a look which, while classic, is also terribly predictable. The emerging dirty diamond trend provides couples that crave uniqueness with an opportunity to set themselves—and their romance—apart from the pack. Before those of you who don’t have a wedding on the horizon go and lock yourselves in a room with a pint of ice cream (ahem, single), just think of all the fun you can have with this look. While classic diamonds give off a decidedly bridal vibe, the dirty diamond ring is an attention-getting but casual piece you can wear whether you are preparing to walk down the aisle or walk across town for some shopping. A dirty diamond is also a great way to make a political statement while looking fabulous—dirty diamond jewelry often uses recycled gold and conflict-free stones, so you can wear your piece in good conscience as well as in good style.

Why they’re sour: So, this might sound a little shallow given the list of the good, respectable attributes we just gave you, but these dirty diamonds, they’re just not very…shiny. And darn it if we don’t love a nice sparkling rock. We can’t tell you what primal instinct it satisfies, but there is unquestionably some shiny object void in our souls that just can’t be sated with anything less than a blindingly brilliant piece of jewelry. There is, after all, a reason entertainers have made millions singing praises of “bling” and nothing less. There’s also the matter of investment; people are willing to plunk down major money for classic gemstones because they are considered timeless tokens of beauty. Imagine paying $8,400—the exact price of dirty diamond specialists Ruff and Cut’s “Nobel” engagement ring—for a dirty diamond ring. Would you walk away feeling as though you got your money’s worth? Would you dream of eventually passing that ring down to your son to give to his bride, and on after that? Or would you worry that you invested in a passing fad, and that you wished you had bought something a little more universally appealing? We can’t say for certain that we wouldn’t regret going for something from Jacob the Jeweler so long as we were already breaking the bank.

Our conclusion: Call us traditionalists, but we think we’re going to have to stick with the old favorite. If a person has the money to invest in a new trend, we couldn’t have more respect for them. But if it comes down to the simple matter of aesthetics, nothing as far as we’re concerned beats the classic diamond ring. Thankfully, as the issue of diamond warfare has come to prominence over the past few years, more and more options in buying conflict-free polished diamonds have emerged as well. Organizations like The Conflict-Free Diamond Council offer guidance in where to shop for rocks that are both beautiful and free of bloodshed. You hear that, Mr. Right?

Photos:
www.nyinquirer.com
www.crystalworld.co.uk
www.ruby-jade-sapphire-pearl.com
www.tiffany.com