De Beers wants you to know that diamond demand is high and supply is increasingly scarce, so be prepared for the price of ice to increase. Ignore them, because companies like De Beers are quite literally in the business of convincing you that diamonds are worth more than they really should be.
British officials have opted to keep the Koh-i-Noor, a 186-karat diamond that supposedly carries a curse so that "only god or a woman can wear it with impunity." The famous gem currently resides in the late Queen Mother's crown.
Four years ago, Vaneisha Robinson bought a pendant for $5 at a yard sale. She recently got the necklace appraised, only to discover it is actually worth nearly $10,000 - and a whole lot of trouble.
Ian Smilie, the driving force behind the regulation of the diamond trade in Africa, recently "retired" (some say "stomped out") from his role on the Kimberly Process committee over the continuing presence of dirty rocks on the international market. [Independent]
