The $7,500 windfall that put this couple at loggerheads
When Kristen and Jason Sarata won an incredible 1 carat diamond in a charity raffle - valued at $7,500 - they thought it would bring them nothing but joy. However, by the time they went to bed that evening, it was clear that this diamond would become a major bone of contention, which has led them both to wish they had never won it in the first place.
The couple, both aged 39 and the parents of two children, spoke to the Freakonomics radio podcast. They explained that the root of the problem was that they had very different approaches to money. Jason sees the world very clearly in terms of the things he needs in order to survive, and the things he merely wants - whereas Kristen has a great deal more crossover.
Jason's approach means he automatically assumed the couple would sell the diamond and use the money to pay down debt, whereas Kristen automatically assumed they would set it in a piece of jewellery for her to wear. By the time they appeared on the podcast they had done neither, and it sat in the laundry room, making them both unhappy.
Manipulated
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What the programme revealed was that this argument wasn't purely to do with their attitude to money, it also owes much to our attitude to diamonds themselves. This is a very complex result of one of the most long-running and effective advertising campaigns in history.
In the 20th century diamonds have not been rare. In fact they have been stockpiled in order to keep prices high, and marketed as vital to an engagement in order to keep demand high. Everything from adverts themselves to funding for films and hit songs such as 'Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend' have been used to ensure men see giving a diamond as the route to their happiness and satisfaction, and women see a diamond as embodying their partner's love.
The couple were caught up not just in what this diamond meant about their attitudes to money, but what it meant about their attitudes to each other.
The discussion and the bigger picture helped this couple to come to an agreement. Knowing that Jason would be willing to let her keep the diamond if it really made her happy, meant that Kristen was willing to sell it.
The auction
The diamond is up for sale at the moment on ebay.com - and the sale ends on Wednesday. So far it has attracted bids of $5,530, which is far more than the programme estimated it would fetch. The couple have agreed that half the selling price will go to the charity.
The listing reads: "You are bidding on the Loose Diamond that was discussed in the recent podcast of Freakonomics Radio." "The winning bidder will also receive a copy of Stephen Dubner's and Steven Levitt's new book: "When to Rob a Bank...and 131 More Warped Suggestions and Well-Intended Rants," signed by Stephen Dubner."
The couple has yet to agree on what the proceeds will be spent on. They're waiting to see what they get first.
This couple's experiences show that a windfall does not always bring immediate satisfaction. They were strong enough to work through the issue, but there are plenty of examples of couples who have won large sums of money - including National Lottery winners - whose marriages have not lasted.
But what do you think? Could you cope with a windfall? Could you and your other half do as good a job of compromising as the Saratas? Let us know in the comments.
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