Today’s teetering economy has put the brakes on ostentation, but diamonds remain timeless.
Nowadays, industry experts say jewelers are holding their own by touting diamonds as a good investment.
“I wish my 401(k) was in diamonds,” said Sally Morrison, director of the Diamond Information Center.
In advertisements, Tiffany optimistically promises, “Dreams Can Still Come True,” while a DeBeers ad says, “Across the generations, in a thousand years’ time, a diamond will still be here. Just like love.”
They may be on to something. Such traditional items as diamond stud earrings, jeweled bracelets or a solitaire ring in a distinctive setting can be worn now and passed on to children and grandchildren. A single diamond strand worn alone is understated yet beautiful. Several strands can be layered for a more expensive yet still tasteful look.
Morrison cites last month’s Golden Globe Awards, where many actresses wore eye-catching necklaces or earrings that were not overly ornate.
“It wasn’t that people were wearing small or invisible pieces of jewelry. There was a lot of clean jewelry classic necklaces or a huge drop with a very simple profile,” she said. “It’s not dressing down.”
