In the SO THE FUCK WHAT FILES

[MentalGiant]

I don't disagree about diamonds. DeBeers is a horrible monopoly that is hoarding diamonds to control market prices. Precious metals mining (especially platinum group metals), however, is prohibitively expensive and the cost gets passed onto the consumer, which only multiplies the farther down the supply chain it gets. The uses for precious metals is also far more widespread than the average person realizes. Jewelry makes up a relatively small portion of the precious metals market. Many areas of the world are also now putting strict environmental regulations on the industry so those costs are being passed on too. You also have to consider the fact things like jewelry have other factors beyond straight metals market pricing attached. Refining, alloying, labor in designing/assembling the piece, markup to the wholesaler, markup by the retailer and finally you, the end consumer is paying a whole lot of money for something that is small and serves no other purpose than adornment. What you don't realize is just how much the metals that don't end up in jewelry are making an impact (justifying their prices) in terms of scientific, technology and industrial applications.