You buy a diamond ring for the big occasion and if it is not accepted by your intended and return it to the shop you will find it's worth less than half for resale. The consumer will always miss out because once you purchase, you will find that diamonds forever only applies to the jeweller selling.

A lady said that she was horrified to receive a price on her ring at her local jeweller. So next time you think about buying some jewellery, is the value really there? Valuation certificates hold no water when selling. A bit of honesty for most buyers would be good because a mark-up of more than 100 per cent does not give the public a fair go in the market place.

R Chamberlain, Otumoetai.