na i like Austrian-Cristal better any ways n opal more sparkly n groovy ;) "n yes from what i know most of its true about diamonds .."

yeah, I can't say I know any of these ascertains are true, but I've seen reports saying similar things, so I'm at least suspicious at least some are true, and that's enough to turn me off on the African mining diamond industry.

I guess "Not a Lemming" somehow missed the nine sourced references following the article.

an 11th reason:

Did any of you watch Blood Diamond

About conflict diamonds... I think DeBeers has reduced the number of conflict diamonds sold a year to well under 0.5%. About diamonds being just rocks that DeBeers has marketed to represent love... that's clearly true. And DeBeers strangle hold on the diamond Industy, controlling prices... That's very true.

unfortunately, i agree with this article. but there arent many other options availible. my fiance and i are considering other stones but many are too soft to wear consistently and apollo doesnt sell loose diamonds or even diamonds over 3/4 of a carat. so far true, minded diamonds are the most resilient and easily available stones we have found. (but we also like moissanite.)

roflrolforlf... i meant "available" and "mined"

stfu, im tired.

My future wife will not be getting a diamond. Thanks for the posting.

I am a jewelry artist. I make one of a kind hand fabricated work which means a lot of bridal/wedding jewelry. I refuse to use diamonds of any kind in my work because of the vulgarity of the diamond trade. Diamonds aren't that rare...in short aren't that special. Plus so many people are exploited in the process, including, in my opinion, the consumer.
It is the responsibility of all consumers to be informed about the purchases they make. It is also the responsibility of artists, craftspeople and retailers to bring products of integrity to market. Stop using diamonds in your work and people will stop buying them. Anyone who has doubts about the gratuitous and vulgar nature of the diamond industry should make a trip to Africa and see for themselves. If you are fighting in favor of diamonds you should be asking yourself why. Why are you so attached to a small chunk of stone when children are starving not just across the world, but in your own neighborhood?

i think the appeal of diamonds for engagement rings is their resilience to damage and the symbolic value of having something that "lasts forever." also, it seems like diamond trading has been going on for thousands of years, not just the past 63. on that note, i've seen enough documentaries and read enough articles on the diamond trade to to never wish to own one, nor purchase one for a loved one.

Do the African mines supply other gems as well?

chill out- I like em! each to their own- everyone has something they don't like- perhaps the sweat shops where YOUR clothing is made- Think about it!

and what is your point MC?

Point being that there are so many products that we all use day to day and that a good many of them have unpleasantries associated with their production. I personally would not wear Ivory- due to the slaughter of such a magnificent species and the crime associated with the trade, and injury or death of ivory smugglers who don't get to their destination. Thats MY personal choice. Do you see what I mean? There are countless products that unfortunately add to the toll of human and other casualties along the line of their production. Diamonds are not the only one. I watched Blood Diamond and was very moved by it- a very chilling tale.

Check out www.greenkarat.com. They recycle material.

Diamonds are have many uses: my dentist had a diamond toothed saw... industries use diamonds for machining thanks to the fact that it is the hardest material we know of. Not just a useless hunk of rock.

yeeesh...I was born in april. I hope this isn't detrimental to my moral refinement or character or something.

I love my diamond ring. I intend to keep it forever. And that's that. I don't care about whether or not I'm going to get enough for it... because I am never going to sell it. Second, although diamonds may not be rare, they are all unique. Last, what proof is there that any of this information is true? I think this is a bunch of garbage that someone (for example, a jeweler that specialized in pearls) came up with to get their major competition out of the game. I'll tell you what, it's not going to work.

It's funny how people can get the historical and social lessons from the great god "hollywood" or believe all the sensationalist tripe that someone generates to sell a book.......in order to make a reasonable decision on a large monetary investment or one more importantly to symbolize the bond of love.....one should do their own research.....The idea of a diamond being a useless hunk of rock is ignorant.....It is the hardest natural material known to man...each diamond is between 100 million and 2.5 billion years old....almost as old as the earth itself....it's atoms are bonded covelently....it is truly unique and powerful stone......if it is the conflict you are concerned about buy a diamond from a responsible mine in Canada.....but don't bash a brilliant stone from a self righteous position of ignorance......If you don't want a diamond there are a few other stones such as ruby or sapphire that are hard enough to endure daily wear......or buy a synthetic.....

I personally don't like diamonds, I hate their yellowish white tinge UGHHHH!!!
With just lovely multi tinged plastic stones available, diamonds are a girl's useless friends.
However, it is tru they have many other applications.

I love the guy who says his future wife isn't getting one! How does he know the women he falls in love with won't want one? Maybe he'll ask first the fall in love second. That would be an odd way to start but who knows in this day and age. He might just meet her on this blog!

I think a better way to <a href="http://www.loosediamondsreviews.com/">buy diamonds</a> is by doing a proper reseach online.Some major onine retailers are offering high quality diamonds at discount price.

Diamonds often plays an integral role whenever a man proposes a girl. This is because diamonds are often referred to as "Girls best friend". There must be some technical reason as well for this. Diamonds being the hardest of carbon form discovered is meant to last long...Unbreakable. So that implies, a relationship started with diamond as a mediating element, can last longer than much perishable gold. Let the relationships last long. So does our love for diamonds

I live in africa and i can tell you the diamond industry does more good then bad. The economy of Botswana virtually depends on it. Diamonds are special, natural and beautiful

So how bout a nice man made diamond. 1/100th the price without the blood or the laser inscription?

My wife and I have been married for 14 years, and neither of us owns a diamond. She didn't even want one when I proposed, so I didn't buy one. What symbolizes "Forever"? A circle. It's never ending. That's what the ring is for. A ring is a circle as a symbol of a love that lasts forever. She didn't need a diamond to know that when I said Forever, I meant it. Ladies, if you can't find a guy like that, a diamond isn't going to help you. By the way, her engagement ring held a Sapphire, symbolizing the month we were to be, and did, get married. Her Sapphire seems to be holding up extremely well for daily wear...

Wow there are a lot of greedy hags in the world, and a few that popped up here.

"What proof is there that any of this information is true?" Maybe look at the children who have been mutilated for not cooperating with the armies they are forced to join.

I'll never own a diamond, they're a waste of money and just a status symbol. Pretty, yes, but the thousands and thousands of lives taken every year tarnishes their beauty. I told my boyfriend to never, ever even think about buying me a diamond.

Has anybody noticed the DeBeers diamond advertisement on the side?...

Yeah, they have. Someone even went to the trouble of creating a WTF page. I've been told I should take the ad down (I think I can via filtering of Google ads). But I concluded that De Beers isn't helped by the ad--they certainly wouldn't intentionally place an ad alongside such an article. So I left it alone.