Myth of the 20th Century: The Diamond Trade – Rough Cuts

‘Diamonds are Forever’, as the saying goes, imparts a sense of strength, legacy, and significance. From a geological point of view, diamonds, formed over millions of years, are indeed ancient and enduring. From a cultural standpoint, however, the concept of a mass market for diamonds in the form of wedding rings and like is a relatively new concept. Tonight we explore how this phenomenon came to be, the mining and distribution of diamonds, and the major players behind this multi-billion dollar a year industry.

— References —

– The Market for Lemons: Quality Uncertainty and the Market Mechanism, Akerlof (1970)
– Diamonds are Forever, Hamilton (1971)
– Freakonomics, Levitt (2005)
– Blood Diamond, Zwick (2006)
– Rhodesia – Last Days of Empire, Myth of the 20th Century (2017) – https://myth20c.wordpress.com/2017/02/07/rhodesia-last-days-of-empire/