People Should Not Buy the Diamond

It is true that life is a precious commodity much like a diamond. But unlike a diamond, life has no set monetary value. But today’s

Diamonds bought very frequently. Diamonds are the ultimate luxury. A cut in price wouldn't increase demand very

Elite population segment in Beijing, Shanghal and Guangzhou- the top %5, with monthly household income of 20,000 RMB indicating %88 ownership among women. (higher than US) Acquisition rate per year in the target group %12, many were multiple owners. (avg: 1,56) Attitudes to diamonds were very positive

Human blood is shed on almost every diamond mined in Africa, bought from Africa, or traded out of Africa. In the beginning of Aryn Baker’s article “Dirty Diamonds” in TIME magazine, Baker presents a man conflicted with his decision to buy an engagement ring, because he does not want “. . . a symbol of our union to also be associated with chaos and controversy and pain.” (Baker 64). This man in the example, Max Rodriguez, undoubtedly knew of the backbreaking work that children are subjected to, to provide for their families or to raise money to receive an education. Baker argues that the diamond industry in Africa hinders the development of children, nations, and that this problem may be too large to control as she appeals to logic, evoking

The diamond cartel shifts the market equilibrium to the shareholders’ preference – as shown in figure 3. This way a higher profit is made from the sales of diamonds because of the perceived scarcity. Rhodes was insightful to use the number of wedding engagements as a ballpark figure for the supply of diamonds (Bergenstock and Maskulka: 2001)

Every Tom, Dick, and Harry wants to be on top and most don’t care whom they hurt to reach their peak. Few natural resources catch the eye like diamonds, that’s why they are so expensive. Some say a woman’s best friend is a diamond. Diamonds are moved very easily.

“In Sierra Leone, more than 10,000 people have suffered amputation because of the diamond trade, which has become a trademark atrocity for the rebels”. Unfortunately, Ibrahim Fofana, a diamond miner, shared a similar fate to the thousands that suffered brutal amputations from the Rebels. Ibrahim Fofana is like many of the miners who are forced to work long brutal hours in diamond mines. And according to UK Channel 5 "The True Story" Documentary Series, “In April 1998 the RUF attacked his village. Rebels confronted his neighbor demanding diamonds, when he said he had none he was shot and killed. A different fate awaited Ibrahim, they chopped his hands

A diamond, it is a precious stone more value than gold and silver not only in society today but has been since its discovery. Diamonds became very much famous by the development in the supply as well as the advanced technology. Technology helped enabled the Diamond cutting, shaping, polishing as well as finishing. The name diamond comes from the Greek word, adamas meaning unconquerable. This is the perfect name because diamonds are made of pure carbon, and are the hardest natural substance known to man according to De Beers. Diamonds have long been a sign of wealth and fortune. Kings and queens have worn these forms of concentrated carbon and even more people have wished they could own and wear them. These gems come in a variety of shades and can be transparent, truculent white, yellow, green, blue, or brown. De Beers is a company that dominates the history of the diamond industry. Diamonds had become the precious luxury goods and De Beers was the company which could market these luxury goods. To understand the value of these stones, and ultimately their role in wars and other aspects in life, it helps to first understand their origins, how they are made and their impact on society. All these factors combined make diamonds particularly vulnerable to exploitation by armed rebel movements mining and trading diamonds in Africa and many other countries around the world.

Due to these Blood Diamonds, Sierra Leone has faced many social and economic costs. One diamond is capable of causing a civil war. That’s all, a fight over diamond control took many lives. During this civil war, rebels came and committed disgusting crimes including murder,

The conflict diamonds started to be present and problematic in Sierra Leone as soon as DeBeers mining company took control of all diamond prospects throughout this region. Although DeBeers was keeping a moderate watch on the trading and actions being taken through it, traders from Lebanon (bordered by Syria and Israel to the south) were able to easily smuggle and mine diamonds out through the company. Later towards the 1950s, countries, such as Sierra Leone, had to give up the chance of regulating the illicit diamond industry, thus having to warn owners of the mines to provide their own security measures for the mines and land they owned. The issue wasn’t justly political or economic until Sierra Leone gained its independence in 1961, letting Siaka Stevens enroll as Prime minister, therefore having a one-party ruler. Stevens took control, and monopolized the diamond mines, as well as encouraging them to gain power and fame nationwide. Things were looking austere for diamond control rights and regulations, not only to watch a civil war emerge, surging through the country as fire fought fire and brother fought against brother. As the war extended from 1991 to 1999, it brought forth other problems as a result of citizen on citizen warfare for the diamonds such as rape, murder, and sex slaves. Once 75,000 lives were claimed, the people of Sierra Leone finally realized that victims and executors of these terrible crimes has emerged from the cash crop known as diamonds.

Africa is commonly referred to as "The Heart of the World"; if this were interpreted literally our heart has a serious condition that’s not receiving the attention it so desperately deserves. The purpose of blood diamonds is simple; they’re used as currency to buy warring factions and warlords armaments and fuel civil wars in unstable countries as well as continued guerrilla tyranny throughout countries like Angola and more famously Sierra Leone. When addressing the issue of blood diamonds mined from Sierra Leone, understanding the country’s geography, civil and political aspects are crucial. Blood diamonds often have a misconstrued meaning, and the definition of what they are requires a clear explanation. The brutal process of acquiring

While some cuts are low cost, the brilliant diamond is on the higher end of diamond costs. You won't be able to buy a 2 carat round brilliant for the same cost as an emerald or princess cut diamond engagement ring.

People say diamonds are a girl’s best friend. A friend that makes you happy and proud to have- but can you really trust them? What if you little “friend” on your dainty little finger not only cost a ridiculous amount of money but also cost the lives of innocent people? That would really make you reconsider buying a diamond and make you reconsider whom you trust. See, you really have to be careful where your sparkly, little gem comes from. Do you have any idea what it took just to make it to North America? Well, chances are 1000’s of children were killed or captured, people were torn away from their families and over 2.2 billion dollars were used just to smuggle those diamonds into developed countries.

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)?

It is both interesting and horrifying to be learning about a culture being depleted and wiped-out just because they are situated on top of a large diamond deposit that greedy people want to exploit. The diamond mining is the leading cause of all the bloodshed, murder and mayhem in the region. Since the Certificate of the Kimberley Process was passed, it has made it illegal to ship diamonds out of the country that have been extracted from areas of conflict or those that aren’t approved by the National Department of Mineral