A diamond is ... well, whoever came up with that had never met my wonderful guy. This diamond could never be my best friend, but he sure is! Santa came early to our house this year, in the form of a 1.06 Carat Canadian Diamond. We designed the setting (I didn't want a "girlie" engagement ring setting) after we picked out this fabulous Princess-cut stone. My sweetie and I had decided that if we were going to buy a diamond, it would have to be Canadian, no blood diamonds for us (i.e., mined in Russia or South Africa). At the end of the day, we still have to live with our conscience; De Beers and the Russian diamond mines have absolutely repugnant labour relations, and force labourers to work in sub-human conditions. Canadian Diamond miners have legislated protection, many are unionized, earn excellent salaries as well as benefits. So far, the oppressive Canada/US so-called "free trade" agreement, (all part of the "manifest destiny" philosophy of the US), hasn't put Canadian diamond miners out of work, the way the US-imposed (and FTA-illegal) Softwood Tariffs have condemned Canadian softwood workers to unemployment and poverty. So with clear consciences, we chose this beautiful Canadian Diamond, and it's on my finger as I type! The setting is 14k gold, and the diamond is held in place by a "tension" setting, eliminating claws which wear out much more quickly, and as many of us know, snag our knitting! (ulterior motive for getting a tension setting !!). This is the diamond ring of my dreams, given to me by the man of my dreams!