This is quite an interesting article.


While I agree with some of the principles of this article, and I do agree that much of this is marketing hype, and spending x amount on a diamond is b.s. created by DeBeers marketing, I would like to note a few things about the industry.


I've spent some time dealing with the blood diamond trade and the trial of those involved etc.

The diamond industry is making a great effort to eliminate the blood diamond trade and has eliminated all but a very minute amount.


At the height figures project anywhere from 4 to 15 percent of all diamonds were mined and traded on the black market "blood diamonds."

Currently between the UN monitoring of the African nations exporting diamonds (UNOMSIL and UNOMIL and various others since the late 1990's) and the Kimberly Process the amount of "blood diamonds" is very low, between .2 to 1 percent of all diamonds traded around the world.


Numerous efforts have been made to legitimize the mining in countries previously exploited...return of mining from the RUF to the Koidu Holdings etc.


Yes there is still smuggling, but we are definitely headed in the right direction, so I thought it should be noted that its not a particularly large number of diamonds being traded on the underground market.

While I would love to say that no black market should ever exist, and I'd love to see that number go down even more to 0%, I dont think the illegal diamond trade should be blown out of proportion.

That is my only fear for this topic. Trying to save money is great, being morally opposed to blood diamonds, to being ripped off by over inflated prices etc. is certainly agreeable, I just don't want people that don't know much about the diamond trade to come into this post and get any misconceptions.



No I've not been in the military like SFA or others here, never been to Sierra Leon Angola Cote d'Ivoire etc, just done as much research as possible to write about the trade and the trial of those responsible for it (Taylor and others).


So take my musing for what you want, ignore me, don't, disagree, w.e. just thought I'd put what I know out there for anyone who's interested.



P.s. if anyone is interested in reading any interesting books on this:


Diamonds: A journey to the heart of the matter - M. Hart
Blood Diamonds: Tracing The Deadly Path of the Worlds Most Precious Stone
Sierra Leone Diamonds and the Struggle for Democracy: John L. Hirsch
Transparency in the International Diamond Trade: Nicholas Saxon