It's a big deal for working people to buy a diamond," he told his sons, "no matter how small.
The wife can wear it for the beauty and she can wear it for the status. And
when she does, this guy is not just a plumber — he's a man with a wife with
a diamond. His wife owns something that is imperishable. Because beyond
the beauty and the status and the value, the diamond is imperishable.
A piece of the earth that is imperishable, and a mere mortal is wearing it on
her hand!

Autor: Philip Roth