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I will be the first to admit, I have never had a fascination with diamonds. To me they are just a shiny rock, cut into funny patterns, they look nice, but I was never into shiny things.

To my wife, they represent something else, they make her fingers look nice, but only the smaller ones, her small hands have never looked nice with large rocks, but getting back to me.

I have never understood why one of the most common minerals has become the most sought after, surely Emeralds and Rubies, which are far rarer and occur far less naturally than diamonds, and look far more interesting, with their different colours.

Still in order to understand the place that diamonds hold, one has to look at how they have come to have their place in the world.

Diamonds are pure carbon, they are found mainly in a rock type called Kimberlite, this is a coal seem that has undergone volcanic heat and pressure, but enough of the Geology lesson, this is merely background filler to increase my word count.

Diamonds are found all around the world, but thanks to Cecil Rhodes, (a wonderful man, whose foresight and temperance have firmly earned him a place in history, just behind Adolf Hitler) established a Cartel to control the purchase and sales of diamonds.

This cartel in turn has assisted in the marketing of diamonds, as every womans dream. The linking of diamonds to love has been the most exceptional advertising gimmick the world has ever seen. Does he love you ladies? How much?, ohh, its only a .25 carat, he doesn't love you that much, go out and find someone with a bigger ummm, wallet.

Since the 1700's diamonds have been de riguer for the rich and famous, Queen Victoria started the trend when she accepted the Kooinoor Diamond from Clive of India, this promptly started a lust for diamonds among the women of the English Aristocracy, must have a diamond, not a big as good Queen Vicky, because it may offend her (and I'm fond of my head, enormously insecure the head that hold the crown), but it must be bigger than the ones the other Aristocracy have.

So, for men at least, Diamonds became the sports car of their day, lacking a bit in the genitalia department, by your woman a big diamond, show her how big you are. This eventually translated for women into, is your man a cheating rat, make him by you diamonds, more for you and the less he has to spend on his girlfriends, but the added advantage of when you have had enough, you can keep the diamonds and add to the divorce settlement (This was in the days before community property).

De Beers, or course while not condoning this type of manly behavior, were happy it was going on. Yes, this company, which not only controls who purchases diamonds, from what source and for how much (nothing equals success like a cartel). I will admit that the have had a spectacular advertising campaign which has really managed to replace De Beers as cupid.

They have done a wonderful job, of keeping a flood of diamonds from places such as Russia, Africa and Australia from reaching the markets, but actually in this time of diamond glut have managed to reach new heights in quality, price and shape.

Despite all the negative things I have said about diamonds and De Beers, you still have to admit they have done a marvellous job.

Learn more about this author, Robert Mcmartin.
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