Are diamonds a girl's best friend?

It's always thought that diamonds are simply what ever girl hopes and dreams for when it comes to engagement rings. For years now diamonds have had great appeal, and are highly coveted for their sparkling nature and large size when cut and set in the right fashion. Generally, the rule goes: 'The bigger the rock, the more expensive the ring'. And we've all at one point found ourselves flicking through those celebrity gossip magazines marvelling at the sheer exuberance and extravagances of the latest celeb couple to tie the knot and what he presented her with.

But, there has been a growing movement in recent years away from diamonds, perhaps due to the controversy of 'blood diamonds' and people scrutinizing in closer details where the diamonds they are about to buy actually came from. This has given rise to the growing popularity of other gemstones such as topaz, emerald, tanzanite and birthstones. Who says the ring you present to your loved one has to be a diamond anyway? My mom for example, wears a birthstone ring. I think, sometimes a birthstone ring has a deeper sentiment resonating and really show a couple's true love for each other. Okay, I'm starting to get a bit sickened myself and what I'm writing. So back to diamonds. Aren't they just lovely?