The only special thing about diamonds in particular is that - as opposed to other fashion items - the market for diamonds has been[0] literally created out of thin air by a single company, thanks to many decades of marketing efforts.

[0] - according to sources like http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/1982/02/have-you...

Maybe you just surround yourself with superficial people? I have a hard time believing people passionate about fashion don't have a nuanced appreciation for the aesthetic aspect of it.

Edit: Also wouldn't calling a fashion item ostentatious or low quality be a critique of bad fashion?

Yeah, the arguments about resale value seem ridiculous. Who's buying a wedding ring as an investment?

The argument about resale value is used to justify the purchase. The person buying the ring doesn't seriously consider it an investment, but it makes it less painful to think of it as one.

In Europe there are banks selling diamonds for "investment purposes".

I laughed very hard for minutes when I found that!

True of any human vanity.

Veblen goods.

oh the humanities