A Gem's Final Glory


It has been hacked out of the earth, cut, polished and bought and sold along the way — to finally be shown in all its glory. These bits of mineral formation from the mines of South Africa, Burma, Brazil, Colombia, Russia or Canada have now arrived — on the red carpet, at gem exhibits and at the premier shops around the world. They are admired, and ultimately bought and shown off, although the mammoth diamond mining concern DeBeers says the current diamond market will depend on the U.S. economy — now struggling. The U.S. is the largest diamond jewelry market in the world. Nevertheless, throughout history precious stones have meant something and still do. VOA's Sonja Pace has this final segment of our series.

Blood Diamonds: The Gem's Curse


Precious stones and metals have long held an attraction, sometimes a fatal one. The gem trade is a multi-billion dollar business, and precious stones are a highly prized commodity. This has has helped some countries develop into success stories and has provided sustenance for families in some of the world's poorest countries. But it has also dragged others into despair. The gem trade has been used to finance wars, terrorize civilians and keep despots in power. In this segment of our series, VOA's Sonja Pace looks at the human cost.