________________
from one to another, say in a couple, or between father and daughter, etc. That is what is invested in diamond jewelry, all the ads are like that in the world. You are right, there is greed in this business too, but much less than the other part. We see that in our clientele, there are many newcomers. There are second-timers as well, but that is in a very small segment of society, usually the very rich one. For the rest they are newcomers, buying a wedding ring, or engagement ring, etc. So it is not like putting food in a refrigerator or storage, to take it out only when the price is right to make benefit. Diamonds are nowhere like that.
"OK”T replied “they would probably use gold for that, not diamonds".
"Indeed, no diamonds. You do not see diamonds on the stock marked like you see for other commodities. That is not where the price of diamonds comes from”.
“But coming from a society in which women are supposed to bring a dowry with them when they marry, one might say that in some societies it is a kind of safety for the future, something that in fact one can hoard, or that at least one possesses and can put in a bank safe so that, if you divorce, or if your husband dies, you have as a security for the future. And if not used in this lifetime, it can eventually be passed on to daughters. So, from a traditional viewpoint it would make sense that a girl, or woman, when she engages or marries, or gets a baby, is given diamonds. In such traditional societies, it could indeed be a material safeguard for a woman”.
"And that's why traditional societies do in fact have more eye for buying jewelry than non-traditional ones. Europe is the least traditional market compared to India, China, and Far East, they all are higher in this regard. If you look at the history of kings and queens in the world, they all sit on gold and wealth like rubies, sapphires and diamonds. So, in their society, it is not all about showing off, but indeed also about preserving wealth for rainy days, sure”
“And especially for women!”
"Absolutely, because in the place where I am from, Palanpur, the Mahadjan, 150 years ago, had introduced a law that any girl, when she marries, should receive 32 grams of gold from the boy's side. That was a lot of money at that time. Only the girl herself had right on those 32 grams, nobody else, so that when she divorced or became a widow, she could have the 32 grams and live her life"
Then I continued: “I also would like to ask a question, if I may, about temple building. In former times there was an organic relation between the workers and the temple, the ascetics and believers who came to the temple, the school that was preaching, etc. Now, critics say, this organic relationship is disappearing very quickly, as well in India as in other places where Jain communities are forming, like in Antwerp, Hong Kong, New York. Because of this loss of organic relation - I am playing the role of the devil's advocate - a kind of showmanship is taking over, show how rich one is, how good one is as citizen, by building a prestigious temple, by making it bigger than your temple, etc.”
371
