Why? As far as I can tell, other than just for the sake of the view being “natural” or having some weird color issues due to time and radiation and oxidization, nobody wants/needs the actual painting anymore.
Reason: because even when it’s identical or even inferior, the touch of nature is just… nice.
So, yeah, having the real painting has additional value.
I wouldn't pay much for a painting anyway. I have several paintings and posters up on the walls, and they're interesting for a time, and then I just don't see them anymore. They're just part of the wall.
For gemstones, nah I really don't want blood diamonds.
Naturally, if you said “you can have the Mona Lisa but only if someone is murdered in the process”, reprints of it would be very popular.
No, not at all. I prefer the artificial ones. Any size you want at a much lower cost. No massive amounts of mining. The fact they don't cost some indigenous kids lives is a well earned bonus.
It is you with a strong attachment to the idea that natural is somehow better.
In this case, I'll have the five million carat please. What will that run? :)