Remember ''Conflict'' and ''Blood'' diamonds, well DeBeers is at it again!

[winyan]

http://www.idexonline.com/start.asp

win

 

[mike04456]

This blow-up has been brewing for quite a while, and seemed to me to be inevitable. But I don't see what this has to do with conflict diamonds.

 

[winyan]

Just another example of how DeBeers attempts to use indigenous peoples...be they miners, or cutters.

win

 

[mike04456]

De Beers has really painted itself into a corner on this one. If they give the locals in Canada what they want, they stir up the Africans. It will be interesting to see what happens. The Canadians may tell them to take a hike, now that they're no longer the only game in town.




It's really amazing how De Beers has fallen on its face so many times in Canada while other groups have had such success.

 

[winyan]

*giggle* Furthermore, more likely they will find new ways to insert diamonds into more interesting 'body' jewels!

win

 

[winyan]

No, sad isn't it, Furthermore? The training of indigenous peoples in the NW Territories is supposed to help them survive the loss of monies from the subsistence trapping that was their former income producer, but since some people feel that animal skins shouldn't be worn as clothing, there's very little else to provide a minimum income for these people.

It's the old story, damned if you do, damned if you don't.

win

 

[innerkitten]

I'd love to know more info on debeers. They sound super sleazy.
Is it true that they have stock piles of diamonds and only release a certain amount to keep the prices high?

 

[valeria101]

----------------
On 9/26/2003 11:26:11 AM Furthermore wrote:


A diamond may be forever, but McBeers won`t be for much longer at this rate.
----------------

Hi!

I may be wrong, but without De Beers (or any other monopoly) do you believe that diamonds will retain their prices and appeal for the next generation especially outside the US? If so, we have different opinions and I would greately appreciate some insight into your argument. Not that I am very affraid that fair trade practices may make the diamond market cruble over night: after all, this is a big players' market even if they would be a couple instead of just one.


PS: As for the DeBeers 'stock-pile'(Q below): well, it is out there, but the diamonds accumulated in consumers' hands are a few times as many (3 to 5 times, I found estimated). This means that De Beers could loose its shaft over night if people would stop loving their diamonds and could sell them for a decent % of what they have paid. Just a work hypothesis here...

 

[valeria101]

Reply to Innerkitten 9/29/2003 :
_____________"I'd love to know more info on debeers. They sound super sleazy. Is it true that they have stock piles of diamonds and only release a certain amount to keep the prices high?"
___________________________________________________________________________


Just curious here: Would you still value diamonds as much if they were as cheap as, say, garnet? Sometimes I really wonder what people pay for...

 

[winyan]

Personally, I probably would, because I love the sparkle.

win

 

[glitterata]

CZs actually sparkle more, though.

If diamonds were cheap, they would soon lose their air of expense and exclusivity. But they'd still be pretty.

 

[innerkitten]

Well I like diamonds because they sparkle but recently I've become a lot more interested in colored stones.

 

[valeria101]

----------------
On 10/6/2003 10:28:41 AM glitterata wrote:

CZs actually sparkle more, though.

If diamonds were cheap, they would soon lose their air of expense and exclusivity. But they'd still be pretty. ----------------

Pretty is the word... There are stones out there with more fire and higher refraction, some more consistently white, and all the colored ones! Diamonds are the only white stone to fetch large sums... I think there is a story to tell in there.