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What will happen to jewelry prices? Does this mean we can make perfect aluminum jewelry that looks like gold (except for weight and such)? Would people care if

What will happen to jewelry prices? Does this mean we can make perfect aluminum jewelry that looks like gold (except for weight and such)? Would people care if they could get real gold or fake aluminum that looks identical and is muuuuch cheaper?

prat 17y ago
I guess that already happens.. they have fakes for everything from gold to diamonds. Electroplating was invented long back - however, the fact that this technique prevents peeling off etc., means that fakes would be more durable. In any case, I think there is probably something more cutting edge they can do with this technology.
patio11 17y ago
Part of the magic of the Magic Shiny Rocks is that if it is not as expensive as real, genuine Magic Shiny Rocks it isn't as esteemed and makes you an evil, evil person. Except for using alloys or "flawed" Magic Shiny Rocks, those methods of generating Magic Shiny Rocks for cheapskates are traditional.
djcapelis 17y ago
> Would people care if they could get real gold or fake aluminum that looks identical and is muuuuch cheaper? Yes. Neither diamonds or gold are really that desirable for jewelry. Gold is a metal that doesn't hold its shape very easily and good diamonds come in one color: colorless. The desirable part comes from the fact that they're rare. Rare things are fashionable. There's been ways to produce artificial diamonds for some time now. Some of them actually have some really awesome properties when it comes to ultraviolet light. They actually glow and it's downright beautiful. A "genuine" diamond doesn't, since the ones actually created in the earth have to work out impurities the hard way and aren't as pure as at least one of the artificial processes. Yet the popularity of natural diamonds continues. Frankly some of the other precious gemstones look nicer for many pieces, it's the rarity and implication of wealth that causes people to care about diamonds.

prat 17y ago

I guess that already happens.. they have fakes for everything from gold to diamonds. Electroplating was invented long back - however, the fact that this technique prevents peeling off etc., means that fakes would be more durable. In any case, I think there is probably something more cutting edge they can do with this technology.

patio11 17y ago

Part of the magic of the Magic Shiny Rocks is that if it is not as expensive as real, genuine Magic Shiny Rocks it isn't as esteemed and makes you an evil, evil person. Except for using alloys or "flawed" Magic Shiny Rocks, those methods of generating Magic Shiny Rocks for cheapskates are traditional.

djcapelis 17y ago

> Would people care if they could get real gold or fake aluminum that looks identical and is muuuuch cheaper? Yes. Neither diamonds or gold are really that desirable for jewelry. Gold is a metal that doesn't hold its shape very easily and good diamonds come in one color: colorless. The desirable part comes from the fact that they're rare. Rare things are fashionable. There's been ways to produce artificial diamonds for some time now. Some of them actually have some really awesome properties when it comes to ultraviolet light. They actually glow and it's downright beautiful. A "genuine" diamond doesn't, since the ones actually created in the earth have to work out impurities the hard way and aren't as pure as at least one of the artificial processes. Yet the popularity of natural diamonds continues. Frankly some of the other precious gemstones look nicer for many pieces, it's the rarity and implication of wealth that causes people to care about diamonds.