I know that usually using real-world customs in fantasy settings is kind of a lazy shortcut most of the time, but I’m currently thinking about the implications of diamond wedding / engagement rings in a D&D-based setting.
I mean, think about it. You vow to be together “‘til death does us part” and then you give them a way to escape death. You’re literally saying “even death could not keep me from you” or “I will never let you go”.
And of course the more expensive the ring, the more secure the promise. Splurging on a ring isn’t just vanity. It’s literally life insurance. (Or should I say life assurance.)
And even if you can’t afford a 300gp ring, diamonds are still the best choice for a stone. That “cheap” 100gp stone? Crush that up and you have a free casting of Greater Restoration. (If a larger diamond is life insurance/assurance, this is health insurance/assurance.)
Assuming that (as per my typical worldbuilding) a simple Lesser Restoration isn’t enough to cure more serious diseases, and given the common practice of making the client pay for the materials, a set-aside diamond could be the difference between life and death for someone who doesn’t have access to that kind of money.
Idk, I just think it’s a neat side-effect of gems as spell components that would be fun to play around with. The wealthy using veritable bouquets of mid-tier diamonds to ensure their partners will never die. Or a scandalous murder reveals that the victim’s wedding diamond was a fake. Did their spouse do that intentionally, and if so, does that mean they’re the murderer?
i know this is about D&D but it reminds me of the thought I had about what if Tron programs learned about the diamond engagement ring
“it’s given when proposing marriage, and if they say ‘yes’ then there’s a marriage and a simple gold ring. The engagement one has a diamond”
“what’s a diamond”
“carbon crystal. grows naturally in octahedron shape, though it’s usually cut before being set in a ring. usually clear and colorless but the ones with a little color are extra valuable, like champagne or yellow”
“so you give them… a yellow octahedron… to make sure they say Yes.”
“um.”