Call it a right-hand ring. Call it a cocktail ring. Call it a fashion statement extraordinaire. She can wear it on her left-hand ring finger, her right-hand middle finger or, heck, even her thumb. The Diamond Information Center’s right-hand-ring campaign does not simply encourage female consumers to buy diamonds for themselves; it wants them to think differently about diamonds.

Diamond jewelry—starting with rings—can be as fashionable as a pair of Manolos, as statement-making as a Birkin bag, and as gratifying as a Chanel tweed. It is impossible to ignore the growing prevalence of Web outlets offering diamonds at discount and wooing, largely, men making gift purchases. The DIC recognizes that the diamond industry needs to shatter its straitened reputation and help women understand diamonds as a self-purchase. And that can’t happen until retailers understand it, too. DIC’s groundbreaking campaign is an important first step.