What the diamond industry is really selling
The diamond industry has a long history of marketing its goods that continues even today.  20 years ago, an engagement ring was 1 solitaire diamond.  Now, it&#x27;s much more common to buy a ring with 1 big diamond, 2 smaller ones on the side, and small diamonds around the ring.  That&#x27;s from marketing (and the lower cutting costs).  7 years ago, black diamonds were ground up and used on drill bits and saws, now they&#x27;re sold in the US as &quot;chocolate diamonds&quot; for a nice premium. The diamond industry laughs at consumers in the US for that one.  You can see it in the last 2 months as well - there&#x27;s a big marketing blitz in the US right now that you need to buy a 2 diamond ring for your woman, one to symbolize love, the other to symbolize being a best friend.  So I guess 1 is no longer enough.  Each culture, naturally, responds to marketing in different ways.  In the US, the marketing push has been to measure love by the size of the diamond.  In Japan, it&#x27;s measured by the color&#x2F;clarity of the diamond.  In the US, 2 months salary is the &quot;rule&quot;.  In Japan, it&#x27;s 3 months salary.