Diamonds are no impulse buy. So if you’re thinking of splurging on sparkle, here are five brilliant (and bank-busting) ways to do it
14k gold chain with pear-shaped diamond
Anne Sportun Experimental Jewellery,
$5,100
Gold studs with black rosecut diamond
Anne Sportun Experimental Jewellery,
$1,640
14k white gold ring
Erin Tracy Designs,
$6,500
Tiffany Bezet yellow diamond rings
Tiffany & Co.,
$12,600–$15,700
Tiffany Garden pendant in platinum with diamonds
Tiffany and Co.,
$2,250
The law
According to an Ontario Supreme Court case, McArthur v. Zaduk, 2001, the ring isn’t officially a lady’s property until she’s hitched — or gets left at the altar. Mr. Zaduk claimed his fiancée’s alleged unfaithfulness forced him to call it quits. But the judge still awarded her the ring, adding that Zaduk should have asked for it back when he broke off the engagement. After exchanging vows though, it’s a different story. “Once you marry, what’s yours is yours, and what’s mine is mine,” says Heather Hansen, an associate at family law practice Martha McCarthy & Company, “so be careful what you give.”
The Style
The Hope Diamond first graced the neck of a man — that of King Louis XIV. But can gents still rock diamonds? Maybe. Diamond watches or cufflinks can add a subtle flair. Still, according to Melissa Austria, founder of GotStyle Menswear, “A man should only wear diamonds if he is old enough to be respected or rich enough not to care.”
The Numbers
- $13.8 million: The number of Canuck carats mined from the beginning of the Northwest Territories’ diamond rush in 1998 to 2002. That’s the equivalent of a 1.5 kilogram bag of ice each day for five years — only each bag is worth $1.5 million.
- 3rd: Canada’s diamond production industry’s value in the world, behind Botswana and Russia.
- $1,100: The typical monthly rent for a onebedroom apartment in Yellowknife, thanks to the boom.