Diamonds – Worthless Deception

We have been taught (brainwashed) to believe that diamonds are a rare, precious jewel. They are used to show the amount of love we have towards our significant other…mainly advertised for a woman’s affection. This document will show the truth and real significance of a girl’s best friend.

Diamonds have been found in India for many centuries, but were first commercially discovered on the two de Beers brother’s property in Kimberly, South Africa. Cecil Rhodes bought the diamonds and all the brother’s land and went on to establish the De Beers Mining Company in the 1880’s. The two brothers ended up being poor because they didn’t get any of the rights. The De Beers Company went on to capture 90% of the WORLD’S supply of diamonds (and still maintains about 75% today).

Diamonds are crystalized carbon that can be found in countries around the world. A diamond is formed when extreme heat (temperatures of 2200 degrees Fahrenheit) and extreme pressure cause carbon atoms to crystallize, typically about 90 miles below the earth’s surface, in what is known as the Earth’s mantle. They are then pushed up through volcanic pipes/tubes from a deep source eruption and deposited in sedimentary areas on the surface. However, diamonds are not rare and they are not only found in Africa. They can mainly be found in at least the following top 10 countries around the world (in order by production, starting from least to greatest):

Brazil / Ghana / Kalahari desert in Namibia / Angola / Canada / South Africa / Australia / Democratic Republic of Congo / Botswana / Russia

Contrary to popular belief, Sierra Leone is not the top diamond producing country…that title goes to Russia. However, Sierra Leone is the country notorious for the story of “blood diamonds”. Do your own research on that gruesome fact of human atrocity in Africa. (YouTube or Google: Blood Diamonds Documentary)

Credit goes to Maximilian, the Archduke of Austria for originally giving a diamond to Mary of Burgundy in 1477. However, the “ancient tradition” of giving a diamond engagement ring wasn’t actually started until the De Beers cartel launched a massive ad campaign in 1938. The first campaigns advertised buying a diamond worth one month’s salary. When profits were low, they raised this to two month’s salary.

De Beers’ Chairman Nicky Oppenheimer once said “Diamonds are intrinsically worthless”. (The Independent, 13 Feb 1999) The only reason they are expensive is because of the global monopoly De Beers has on the supply. Thus, they artificially raise the price and advertise a diamond’s value as a display of love. This means, a diamond has virtually no resale value. Don’t believe me? Take your diamond ring to multiple jewelry stores and ask how much money you can get for just the diamond. The jewelry stores will give you money for the GOLD in the ring…the diamond will be worthless to them. (Don’t feel bad, I had to find out the hard way, too)

And why do we even wear a diamond wedding ring on the left “ring” finger, as opposed to the thumb, or even the right hand? Ancient Egyptians (at least 2,800 B.C.) were buried with a gold ring on what is called the ring finger. They knew of the vena amoris – the vein of love. This vein goes from the (left) ring finger directly to the heart. This was supposed to be used in the afterlife.

Charles Lewis Tiffany didn’t develop the 6-point setting until 1886. The engagement of Humphrey Bogart to Lauren Bacall in 1946 is what started the trend of men wearing diamond engagement rings. These points, along with the artificial inflation of a diamond’s value by the De Beers Corporation through advertising campaigns, have led to the deception we follow today. This diamond deception (money making scheme) was not present before the 1900s.

Adam Ruins Everything - Diamonds (YouTube) Warning: explicit language