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Polity Resources Series
Diamonds
Diamonds are a multi-billion dollar business involving some of the world’s largest mining companies, a million and a half artisanal diggers, more than a million cutters and polishers and a huge retail jewellery sector. But behind the sparkle of the diamond lies a murkier story, in which rebel armies in Angola, Sierra Leone and the Congo turned to diamonds to finance their wars. Completely unregulated, so-called blood diamonds became the perfect tool for money laundering, tax evasion, drug-running and weapons-trafficking.
Diamonds brings together for the first time all aspects of the diamond industry. In it, Ian Smillie, former UN Security Council investigator and leading figure in the blood diamonds campaign, offers a comprehensive analysis of the history and structure of today’s diamond trade, the struggle for effective regulation and the challenges ahead. There is, he argues, greater diversification and competition than ever before, but thanks to the success of the Kimberley Process, this coveted and prestigious gem now represents a fragile but renewed opportunity for development in some of the world’s poorest nations. This part of the diamond story has rarely been told.
Diamonds brings together for the first time all aspects of the diamond industry. In it, Ian Smillie, former UN Security Council investigator and leading figure in the blood diamonds campaign, offers a comprehensive analysis of the history and structure of today’s diamond trade, the struggle for effective regulation and the challenges ahead. There is, he argues, greater diversification and competition than ever before, but thanks to the success of the Kimberley Process, this coveted and prestigious gem now represents a fragile but renewed opportunity for development in some of the world’s poorest nations. This part of the diamond story has rarely been told.
202 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2014
3 people are currently reading
16 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
December 12, 2016
This book might better be titled, "A Report of the State of the Diamond Mining Industry." While the tone was conversational, it mainly focused on the problems in diamond mining controls. The author talked about the different countries involved in diamond mining, polishing, and sells and the history of how the current system developed. He described the two types of diamond mines and why one type is so hard to control. He gave examples of how these anyone-can-mine diamonds often create situations where the workers (many of whom are mining illegally) are abused and how these unregulated diamonds can be used to fund military conflicts ("blood/conflict diamonds").
He explained in detail how a group was set up to regulate diamonds to prevent conflict diamonds from being sold and told stories of how this group rarely enforced the process they came up with. He ended by explaining how a group he is now involved with is trying to fix some of the human abuses in the system. For example, they created a process were illegal miners can be registered. They also want to create a certification process like the "FairTrade" system to ensure confidence in the background of gem diamonds.
Even with the author's efforts, it seems to me that there is so much abuse in the system, I will never buy or wear a natural diamond gem. Since the selling potential of gem diamonds is based upon advertising that has convinced people diamonds are desirable, I don't quite understand why he's trying to save the "romantic" advertising image of diamonds. He knows all of the likely problems that will prevent real change because he's been involved in the attempts to make changes. Perhaps his report was too effective in convincing me. :)
I received this review copy from the publisher through Amazon Vine.
He explained in detail how a group was set up to regulate diamonds to prevent conflict diamonds from being sold and told stories of how this group rarely enforced the process they came up with. He ended by explaining how a group he is now involved with is trying to fix some of the human abuses in the system. For example, they created a process were illegal miners can be registered. They also want to create a certification process like the "FairTrade" system to ensure confidence in the background of gem diamonds.
Even with the author's efforts, it seems to me that there is so much abuse in the system, I will never buy or wear a natural diamond gem. Since the selling potential of gem diamonds is based upon advertising that has convinced people diamonds are desirable, I don't quite understand why he's trying to save the "romantic" advertising image of diamonds. He knows all of the likely problems that will prevent real change because he's been involved in the attempts to make changes. Perhaps his report was too effective in convincing me. :)
I received this review copy from the publisher through Amazon Vine.
July 2, 2014
If you are among the millions of people who have attempted to select the perfect diamond for m’lady, as perplexing as it probably was, you have only experienced a miniscule amount of frustration compared to that found in the worldwide diamond industry.
In “Diamonds,” author Ian Smillie, renowned expert on all things sparkling, attempts to explain the varied aspects of the diamond industry; large mining companies, millions of diggers, cutters, and polishers, exporting and importing, and the $70 billion retail jewelry business. Diamonds’ great value, the comparative ease of stealing and smuggling them, their exploitation and use in financing territorial wars, and the corruption and violation of human rights they foment in poverty-stricken governments have all contributed to the mystique surrounding this piece of irresistible rock.
Smillie has attempted to put an understandable face on a complex and cloaked industry, and I think he did a credible job. There is significant impact on the economies of many large nations and past efforts to regulate the wild-haired transactions that can both deflate national profit figures and create war and humanitarian abuses have mostly failed because of the scope of the problem. Too many grubby muzzles are nosing around for pieces of the diamond pie and are not about to move over to allow more snouts to either shove them aside or to control their greed. I think the author outlines the “snout in the trough” fairly well.
I knew I’d have trouble reading this book when I spied the list of acronyms in the front of the book; there are 43 abbreviations, some as long as seven letters, used to denote organizations, policies, companies, agreements, processes, technology, and councils. Smillie does his best to explain how they all work, what they represent, and how they are involved in overall processing and regulating of the diamond trade, but his writing is peppered with references to these initials, and I defy anyone to keep them organized. They are the symbols of disarray both in the trade and in the writing.
Smillie does a credible job of explaining how things work, given the complexity of the system. I found his clear depiction of the geological, technological, and production processes that bring bling to the neighborhood jewelry store to be enlightening. I finished the book with much more information than I had when I started. A flow chart of important events would have been of immense help in deciphering time lines of important events and the interdiction of the alphabet processes and groups. I’m not sure that Smillie, even with his immense knowledge, could have created such a visual aid, although I wish that he had tried.
In “Diamonds,” author Ian Smillie, renowned expert on all things sparkling, attempts to explain the varied aspects of the diamond industry; large mining companies, millions of diggers, cutters, and polishers, exporting and importing, and the $70 billion retail jewelry business. Diamonds’ great value, the comparative ease of stealing and smuggling them, their exploitation and use in financing territorial wars, and the corruption and violation of human rights they foment in poverty-stricken governments have all contributed to the mystique surrounding this piece of irresistible rock.
Smillie has attempted to put an understandable face on a complex and cloaked industry, and I think he did a credible job. There is significant impact on the economies of many large nations and past efforts to regulate the wild-haired transactions that can both deflate national profit figures and create war and humanitarian abuses have mostly failed because of the scope of the problem. Too many grubby muzzles are nosing around for pieces of the diamond pie and are not about to move over to allow more snouts to either shove them aside or to control their greed. I think the author outlines the “snout in the trough” fairly well.
I knew I’d have trouble reading this book when I spied the list of acronyms in the front of the book; there are 43 abbreviations, some as long as seven letters, used to denote organizations, policies, companies, agreements, processes, technology, and councils. Smillie does his best to explain how they all work, what they represent, and how they are involved in overall processing and regulating of the diamond trade, but his writing is peppered with references to these initials, and I defy anyone to keep them organized. They are the symbols of disarray both in the trade and in the writing.
Smillie does a credible job of explaining how things work, given the complexity of the system. I found his clear depiction of the geological, technological, and production processes that bring bling to the neighborhood jewelry store to be enlightening. I finished the book with much more information than I had when I started. A flow chart of important events would have been of immense help in deciphering time lines of important events and the interdiction of the alphabet processes and groups. I’m not sure that Smillie, even with his immense knowledge, could have created such a visual aid, although I wish that he had tried.
April 8, 2015
Several quotes from this book are amusing:
"As the saying goes, the road to hell is paved with good intentions." -Martin Rapaport, November 1999, writing about Angola
"India is where the Kimberly Process goes to die." -anonymous writer
"Don't worry about diamonds. The industry will be ok as long as there are three things: Christmas, sex, and guilt." - Mike Roman, senior industry executive
This author does a decent job of explaining the Kimberly Process with many details of what is going on in the diamond industry - he actually lived in Africa for a year in Koidu, Sierra Leone where the diamond industry has taken over that part of the country. There are descriptions for both sides of the story - the people that are basically forced to dig up the diamonds and how awful their treatment and lives are, and also explains why some people end up on the managing side of this equation - there are no other good opportunities to earn a living in many of these locations. It's quite sad.
The book covers the history of the discovery of diamonds, how they got advertised early on in Hollywood etc. to create a larger demand, and of course, how the de Beers created more demand by limiting supply. I enjoyed the economic aspect of the story.
In order to fix the Kimberly Process, the author identifies three areas of improvement: their own research capacity, rigorous independent monitoring, and a willingness to act swiftly when problems are identified. For example, Venezuela is a complicated mess when it pertains to diamonds due to holes in regulation. The author left his position as Research Director at Partnership Africa Canada during this event, and pointed out to the Kimberly Process members that "...in the case of Venezuela, we have effectively condoned diamond smuggling - the very thing we were established to prevent."
The chapters are:
Introduction
1 The Geology and History of Diamonds
2 Supply and Demand - The Business of Diamonds
3 Blood Diamonds
4 Activism
5 Regulation
6 Power and Politics
7 Development
8 Loose Ends
Notes, Selected Readings
"As the saying goes, the road to hell is paved with good intentions." -Martin Rapaport, November 1999, writing about Angola
"India is where the Kimberly Process goes to die." -anonymous writer
"Don't worry about diamonds. The industry will be ok as long as there are three things: Christmas, sex, and guilt." - Mike Roman, senior industry executive
This author does a decent job of explaining the Kimberly Process with many details of what is going on in the diamond industry - he actually lived in Africa for a year in Koidu, Sierra Leone where the diamond industry has taken over that part of the country. There are descriptions for both sides of the story - the people that are basically forced to dig up the diamonds and how awful their treatment and lives are, and also explains why some people end up on the managing side of this equation - there are no other good opportunities to earn a living in many of these locations. It's quite sad.
The book covers the history of the discovery of diamonds, how they got advertised early on in Hollywood etc. to create a larger demand, and of course, how the de Beers created more demand by limiting supply. I enjoyed the economic aspect of the story.
In order to fix the Kimberly Process, the author identifies three areas of improvement: their own research capacity, rigorous independent monitoring, and a willingness to act swiftly when problems are identified. For example, Venezuela is a complicated mess when it pertains to diamonds due to holes in regulation. The author left his position as Research Director at Partnership Africa Canada during this event, and pointed out to the Kimberly Process members that "...in the case of Venezuela, we have effectively condoned diamond smuggling - the very thing we were established to prevent."
The chapters are:
Introduction
1 The Geology and History of Diamonds
2 Supply and Demand - The Business of Diamonds
3 Blood Diamonds
4 Activism
5 Regulation
6 Power and Politics
7 Development
8 Loose Ends
Notes, Selected Readings
March 17, 2015
Good book for some background into the Diamond industry, not too verbose and keeps it interesting.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews