I developed a dislike of DeBeers, the diamond company, a few years back when I saw a Frontline program that described the great myth about the scarcity of diamonds. The New York Times has done a series on “Africa’s Diamond Wars” which reveals how diamonds are fueling African wars and “are agents of terror”. It also describes the power De Beers holds over this sparkly industry. “De Beers created its cartel 110 years ago when the company’s founder, Cecil Rhodes, realized that the sheer abundance of diamonds in southern Africa would make them virtually worthless. By carefully manipulating scarcity, De Beers prospered as perhaps the most powerful cartel in the annals of modern commerce.” To their credit, DeBeers is now guaranteeing that none of its diamonds came from African rebels. Regardless of their manufactured rarity, diamonds are beautiful objects, inspiringly indestructible, and I’ll ooo and ahh over anyone’s carats. But the same consumers who demand truth in advertising and avoid sweatshop goods should take a close look at this industry and make their own decision about how romantic these gems really are.