When my wife and I became engaged, she wanted to choose her own ring. Since I was leaving on a business trip, we agreed on a ballpark price range and she went looking.

While she likes diamonds, they are not her favorite gem stone. She ended up buying a very nice emerald ring with much smaller diamonds channel set on either side.

So when an anniversary approached, and I want to give her a bracelet, earrings, or some such item, diamonds don't even come into consideration.

While I don't preach my view to others, I have been asked a few times about gift ideas by other guys. I try to steer them away from diamonds, endeavoring to explain the scam for what it is.