Posted on 07/14/2010 5:45:31 AM PDT by C19fan
Robert Mugabe has threatened to flood the world's diamond markets - despite being slapped down by the world's diamond control body. The Zimbabwean president said his nation's massive reserves of diamonds have 'huge potential' to revive the shattered economy. He said Zimbabwe can account for one-fourth of the world's diamond supply
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I recall sometime, long ago, when a lab made artificial diamonds so real that no one could tell the difference. The artificials were closely monitored - each having to be signed and numbered by the lab.
During that conversation (With Jose Grant) he mentioned several major markets that also traded Diamonds - not just the vanity markets. Releasing these Faux stones would have a greater impact than imagined.
Of course, at this point - it’s already collapsed. Have fun. Nothing short of a global revolution with a complete build-up based on our own original Constitution, backed by intelligent and far-sighted men will make things better.
I have a 10 year anniversary coming up. I'd be more than happy to purchase some discounted diamonds.
LOL! DO IT!!!!
Agreed, and well said.
Anyone remember a 60 Minutes segment with Ed Bradley in the Russian diamond vaults? They have tons of diamonds them. I remember him opening a drawer, holding a handful of 10 carat rocks. I don’t think Mugabe wants to pick this fight...however, he is deranged, so anything is possible.
I remember that. Probably DeBeers will cut some back room deal with Mugabe to keep him quiet.
Or the Russians will force-feed him 8000 carats of low-value industrial diamonds.
Which would be a hell of a statement.
Impractical - The wholesalers will boycott him & anyone else who tried to do this just like they have for a century.
I would be happy to see him killed.
A lot of people are distracted by bright and shiney objects. Reminds me of the beads for land trade the pilgrims pulled on native americans way back.
I am amazed Mugabe hasn’t been long ago “dealt with” and buried deep in various parts of Zimbabwe.
Many people think that Manhattan was bought for beads worth about $24. The Dutch did buy Manhattan in 1636 for trade goods worth (at the time) about 24 gold dollars. That is a lot now, but still almost nothing for this important piece of land.
Were trade beads part of the trade goods? Most history books say so, but it is not true. There is no proof that beads were used to buy Manhattan. The story was started by Martha Lamb in her book on New York history in 1877 (250 years after the purchase) and almost everyone has copied her since then. But it is just a story. There is no evidence that beads bought Manhattan.
You also have to remember that the vast majority of diamonds are purchased by the idustrial community as cutting surfaces and other utilitarian purposes, not as jewlery.
uh oh....you can thumb your nose at the UN, Euros, USA, maybe even the ChiComs...but get the DeBeers cartel angry at you and your days are numbered, pal!
But if Mugabe is smart enough to sell them off in increments at a moderate discount, he can continue to live large (while “his people” continue to starve).
Not saying you are wrong, but when I teach this lesson, I have my students consider the humble bead. Imagine making a bead by hand using stone age tools. Under those circumstances, the smaller the bead, the more valuable—since a small bead would be so difficult to make. A handful of small beads would represent a small fortune to Indians—and the East Coast Indians did use beads as a form of currency.
Hey, Mugs, just do it! Screw your South African ‘brothers’.
He does.
He wants a bribe NOT to do this.
“Hmmm...wonder if history really does repeat itself.”
It will if he jacks with the diamond cartel. That’s not like threatening the pussy politicians, UN etc. His best bet is to make enough noise to be paid off but not enough to be taken out.
Also, how many people even understand the quality descriptors for diamonds?
It has been about 15 years since I needed to purchase diamonds at wholesale. Our supplier, who is a very honest man, told us to try to convince the client to switch to something else, as the quality was uniformly low-end. At that time, a full carat commercial gem quality was selling for around $3k.
Investment quality is another market, entirely. Except for celebrities and the very, very wealthy, they are not usually readily available.
Most other stones are heat-treated at the mine or the created varieties are available, better looking and way cheaper. I think Tanzanite may still be only available in natural form, but I have been out of the market for so long, that I am not sure of that. We also used to look for estate sources of large, old Brazilian emeralds, which we could then have re-cut (they are soft and become scratched).
The color is vastly superior to the prevalent Columbian stones.
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