Diamonds : An Artifact Of Love And Commitment Between Two Lovers

The process of producing the diamonds so they could be sold on the market involved many steps which were illustrated in the movie, Blood Diamond. Smugglers like Archer would supply the RUF with guns. The guns would be used by the RUF to intimidate the people of Sierra Leone into working as laborers for them, we see this with Solomon and his son. These men would be forced to dig in the water mines for hours a day searching for diamonds of all sizes. Then the diamonds are mixed with other diamonds all around the world, mixing the illegal ones with the legal ones; this was explained in the movie by Archer to Maggie. When the diamonds are mixed in with the others, no one can determine for certainty where each originated from. It is then distributed to nations where they are made into necklaces and bracelets, and no questions are asked.

The New York Post noted that Mary's Diamond could be the very reason diamonds hold such a high place in human regard. Princess Mary of Burgundy is the first person to ever receive an engagement ring and it is by her example that diamond company De Beers, 3 centuries after Mary's time, spun the spectacle into a global phenomenon.

The story of these infamous diamonds all started with a fifteen year old who found a diamond in his father 's arm. The diamond business started in 1935 when “De Beers” took all control over dining prospects in Sierra Leone. De Beers are a group of companies has a main role in the exploration of diamonds, as well as diamond mining, diamond retail, diamond trading, and industrial diamond manufacturing sectors.This group was founded in 1888, and they are responsible for the problems Sierra Leone is facing today. These diamonds can be found in volcanic pipes. Diamonds are a pure form of carbon in a transparent state. Diamonds have always been a sign of wealth. Historically kings and queens were known for wearing these. Over time many people began lusting over them.

Have you ever glanced at your ring finger and admired the beautiful diamond on it? Now have you ever wondered where that diamond came from or how many lives were affected just to get it? Those are the questions you should ask yourself the next time you visit your local jewelry store for a visit. People worldwide should make an effort to stop buying conflict diamonds. They are funding wars in Africa everyday. Workers working in the mining business are in a danger zone. Innocent men, women, and children are getting caught in between the conflict and are being forced to work. If people would stop buying conflict diamonds from conflict areas, Africa would be a better and more productive place.

Diamonds are often associated with strength and permanence. However, the permanent beauty is not all there is as the damage done to the environment is severe and sometimes just as permanent. According to The Greener Diamond, the average size of the diamonds on engagement rings has increased from 0.30ct in 1920 to 1.25ct in today’s standards showing that the Canadian demand for larger diamonds has gone up. It was stated that for every carat of diamond mined, 1 750 tonnes of earth is removed through the use of machinery. Along with that, another 20 tonnes of mined waste are then leftover to great a gold ring for the diamond. Mined ores are injected with Cyanide, a poison, in order to dissolve the gold and silver from the rest of the ore and the

African blood diamonds have been the focal point of many African country’s civil wars. This is due to the high demand for diamonds that Susan Falls says has been since the “N.W. Ayer agency was hired to market engagement rings…[that] laid the foundation for a market dominance” for diamonds (443). From this high demand for diamonds since the marketing campaign in 1938, and many citizens’ need for jobs after Shumirai Nyota and Fortune Sibanda report that the African countries’ unemployment rates reached an all time high in 2009 at an alarming “94 percent”, has subsequently lead to conflicts over the race between “Zimbabweans flocking to Chiadzwa in their thousands” for these precious gems (131). Due to these gems

The former Soviet Union was the 3rd largest diamond producer in the world and had traditionally sold most diamonds to DeBeers since the 1950s. Following the discovery of over 500 kimberlite pipes in the region, De Beers’ Central Selling Organization (CSO) struck a deal with Larose, the Russian central government’s joint-venture with the Sakha Republic. At the time, the region produced approximately 98% of the then-USSR’s diamonds (PR Bain Report: The Global Diamond Industry, 2011).

The name "diamond" comes from the Greek word, "adamas" meaning unconquerable. Fittingly diamonds are made of pure carbon, and diamonds are the hardest natural substance known to man.[1] Diamonds have long been a sign of wealth and fortune. Kings and queens have worn these forms of concentrated carbon and even more countless millions people over time have lusted after them. These gems can be transparent, truculent white, yellow, green, blue, or brown. To understand the value of these stones, and ultimately their role in war, it helps to first understand their origins and where they come form.

Diamonds have long been considered some of the most prized and sought after possessions. They have been perceived as indicators of wealth and romance. The diamond market however; has been one of the most controversial and controlled markets in history run by a cartel “…an association of suppliers with the purpose of maintaining prices at a high level and restricting competition” (Oxford English dictionary) formed to prevent the market from becoming flooded with diamonds from too many suppliers, resulting in a price drop.

Diamonds have been a symbol of love and commitment for centuries, as well as a symbol for power and wealth. They were thought to be tears of the gods by the Greeks and splinters of stars by the Romans (“History Of Diamonds”). Their rarity, strength, and unparallel beauty have resulted in a high price of up to $28,400 per carat for a high quality cut diamond (“Diamond Price per Carat”). However, though most don’t know it, the pure perfect diamonds being sold in stores are part of a very bloody process. Of 246 diamond retailers in the U.S., only 27% were able to assure they had a policy on conflict diamonds (“Conflict Diamond Statistics”). However, even more disappointing were the customers, with 83% of these retailers saying that customers

Until mid-1800s, diamonds were a rarity and could only be seen on the hand of a monarch. But diamond rush in the latter part of 19th century in South Africa flooded the market with diamonds, which was not ideal for De Beer’s business.

Through good times and bad, diamonds have held a special place in the minds of most Western consumers. Diamonds appeal to both their emotional and pragmatic sides,

The diamond industry currently produces US$13 billion worth of rough diamonds each year, leading to the employment of 10 million people globally from mining to retailing. 70% of rough diamonds are sold for industrial purposes with the remaining 30% “gem quality” being distributed to

Color. Clarity. Cut. Carat Weight: These four words are what jewelers in the industry use to determine the monetary value of a diamond. However in 1947 De Beers found a way to not only boost their sales but also make a psychological necessity out of this sparkly stone, and it all began with four vastly different words, “A Diamond Is Forever” (Frances Garety), and accompanied by phrases such as “Isn’t two months’ salary a small price to pay for something that lasts forever (N.W. Ayers)?

Diamonds have no smell, and can’t be detected by metal detectors. The only way these diamonds can be found is if every bag is taken completely apart, and this takes an incredible amount of work. (“Diamonds of War”)