DeBeers Diamonds

One of the most successful ad campaigns of all time. How rare can something be when you can buy it at Walmart?
Well, there’s diamonds and then there are diamonds. You can get what’s referred to as industrial grade diamonds that are used for phonograph needles and grinding wheels. Then go up a few grades to the grade 4 where they are considered a perfect stone. Depending on the 4 C’s; cut, clarity, color and carat weight is what determines the price and the value of the stone.

At one time, the Jewish people in New York were known to carry a small bag of stones with them. I don’t know the story behind the reason, but after so many of the Jewish people were being robbed, they stopped the tradition.

Diamonds are graded under a 10x microscope. I used to enjoy going into some if the high class jewelry stores in NYC and San Francisco and ask to see their diamonds and look at them under a microscope. They were beautiful. When you look into a diamond and don’t see any flaws or dark spots and the stone is as clear as a pane of glass with no inclusions, you know you are holding a real fine piece of merchandise. I have watched them cut and polish diamonds. I guess De Beers is still the largest diamond mining company in the world.

The first time I looked at a tray if stones was in San Francisco. The took the tray and led me to a locked room. I had to put on a pair of surgical gloves. I used plastic tweezers to pick up the stones and then put them in a small clamp under the microscope. You move the stone around by moving the clamp. The person grading the stone is called a Gemologist. The first thing he does is to check the hardness on a hardness tester. This tells them that they are looking at a real diamond. It takes the Gemologist about a half hour to determine where to cut the stone. One wrong cut and all you have left is a handful of glass, which can still be used for low cost jewelry.

I found it fascinating. BTW, not all diamonds are white. Some are brown, yellow, rose (pinkish) and other colors. The largest stone that I ever saw was a 22ct. That’s actually fairly small.
 
One of the most successful ad campaigns of all time. How rare can something be when you can buy it at Walmart?
Have to agree, and De Beers' semi-monopoly helps...
Dirty money!
Some of that too.

I have only rarely purchased a diamond and don't plan to again. I like other stones and jewelry a lot better.
 

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