| When going to a shop to purchase a diamond the | | | | mined changed governments often due to war |
| first thing you notice is how expensive it is. You | | | | and rebellions. Some are good and some are not. |
| have to wonder why it costs so much for a shiny | | | | They can take their part of the pie legally with |
| rock. There are many reasons and handlers of a | | | | taxes. |
| diamond and each one of them adds their cost to | | | | Then there are smugglers, they can offer |
| the final product. The first to get paid is the | | | | cheaper diamonds because they bypass the legal |
| miners and mining company. In South Africa | | | | routes and don't pay the taxes and tariffs |
| where most diamonds come from, there is one | | | | legitimate companies have to. However they can't |
| associated company that controls all the diamond | | | | offer certificates of authenticity that come with |
| mines. The name of this company is De Beers | | | | diamonds going through the legal channels. |
| and they are like the OPEC of the diamond | | | | There are man made diamonds that are now on |
| industry. The De Beers Group was formed to | | | | the market which are comparably better than the |
| control the mining and sale of diamonds so the | | | | diamonds that are mined. These synthetic |
| market would not become flooded with an | | | | diamonds are cheaper to make and sell for less |
| abundance of inexpensive diamonds. | | | | which can influence the selling price of real |
| After the stone has been taken from the mine is | | | | diamonds. Because of market trends and the |
| has to be cleaned up. During this process it is cut | | | | popularity of diamonds, many people are now |
| and polished to look more like a diamond than a | | | | buying the cheaper man made ones. If there is |
| shiny rock. Then it is shipped to diamond markets | | | | enough loss of income because of another |
| around the world. Jewelers then buy the diamonds | | | | product it might bring down the price of the |
| to sell either as loose diamonds or put them in a | | | | mined stones. |
| setting to be sold to a jewelry store. | | | | Of course the end determination of a stones |
| During the diamonds trip from the ground to your | | | | value is the cut, clarity, color, and weight. There is |
| finger there are many hands they have to pass | | | | also the value the individual is willing to place on a |
| through. Some of these hands never actually | | | | stone. There are many famous stones in the |
| touch the diamonds themselves. There are | | | | world that are worth more because of there |
| different ways to get a piece of the pie. There | | | | history. One of these is the Hope Diamond. Its |
| are corrupt government officials to be paid off. | | | | value is higher because of its fame or infamy. |
| Some of the countries in which diamonds are | | | | |