On: Have You Ever Tried to Sell a Diamond? (1982)

[philwelch]

Little harm done, except to children in Sierra Leone forced to mine the diamonds at gunpoint to enrich warlords.

[wastedhours → philwelch]

That's why I've just bought a lab grown one - don't feel too happy thinking of something she'll (hopefully) be wearing for nigh-on 60 years being the result of some of the horror stories out there.

(Ignoring the fact that the demand even for lab grown ones is caused by such accounts...)

[toomanybeersies → philwelch]

80% of mined diamonds are used for industrial purposes, rather than cosmetic.

[fortran77 → philwelch]

Agreed, but we're discussing the cartel/price-fixing aspect here, not the other end of this dirty business.