The Diamond Controversy

Diamond: Paying for the marketing

Americans prefer diamonds as jewellery and engagement rings. Diamonds are termed jewels and come at high prices. But is it really valuable? Available facts have shown that the diamond industry manipulated the supply of the stones to increase prices. A little trip back memory lane will help clarify this.

It all started when a man named Cecil Rhodes bought up shares of most diamond mines and controlled the entire South African diamond supply chain. Rhodes and his company took over the diamond industry and turned it into a monopoly. In mid-1990, Rhodes and his company in connivance with an advertiser, Ayer ad agency, launched what is known as the most successful propaganda campaign in American history.

 The aim was, however, to create a glowing impression about diamonds in other to boost sales. Celebrities were given diamonds to use as jewellery. Writers and content producers pushed the idea of diamond been the best symbol of engagement. The whole newspaper columns were filled with talks about diamonds as though it was a new invention. It was in 1948 that the copywriter Frances Gerety coined the famous phrase “A diamond is forever.”

These efforts drove up the demand for diamonds. Those once ordinary diamonds now became Americans favorite Jewellery item. It also became a necessity for a girl to be considered engaged. With the monopoly he enjoyed, Rhodes didn’t stop at driving up sales; he also hoarded diamonds across the world to drive up prices.

​So while you think you are buying value, what you are purchasing are highly inflated stones built on a rip-off strategy.
The issues with diamonds don’t end with its inflated prices; there is also the disturbing controversy of blood diamonds.

Blood diamond

If you haven’t heard about it, most of those sparkling stones are called ‘blood diamond’ because of the bloodshed involved in acquiring them. From Angola to Liberia, Sierra Leone, and several African countries, people are being killed or threatened to pave the way for the continuous supply of diamonds. If you are not careful, you may be shopping these blood diamonds.

According to MSN, 92% of the world’s smaller diamonds are cut by children using primitive methods with their bare hands in India. Children are also used by miners to dig tight spots that can’t fit women or men.
The mining of these blood diamonds threatens not only humans. Animals-right activists say there is a significant decline in the primate population in Africa that may lead to the extinction of apes and chimpanzees. While most of it has been attributed to poaching, hungry gold miners also kill these animals for food. Between consumer manipulation and human right issues, diamonds have been entrenched in it all. It’s time to have a rethink and come to a resolute decision. People have been duped for years and it’s time to put a stop to it.

An alternative

​Instead of buying diamonds, you can opt to purchase Moissanite. It is a sustainable alternative to diamonds. Moissanite has an unparalleled sparkle, and a higher refractive index compared to diamonds. It’s the second hardest gemstone used for jewelry, and there is no noticeable difference between Moissanite and diamond on jewelries and engagement rings.