The heartless stone
Subtitle: a journey through the world of diamonds, deceit, and desire
By: Tom Zoellner
Edition: 1st ed.
Publisher: St. Martins Press
Published: 2006
Place of publication: New York
Language: eng
Number of pages: 293
ISBN-13: 9780312339692; 9780312339708
Subjects: Conflict diamonds; Diamant; Diamonds
Description: When he proposed to his girlfriend, Tom Zoellner gave what every American man is supposed to give at such a time, a diamond engagement ring. But when the relationship broke apart a few months before the wedding, he was left with a used diamond ring that began to haunt him. Zoellner looked harder at the stone, and the consequent fascination sent him around the world. Across fourteen nations and six continents, the empty mythology of the diamond drew him into a world in which a piece of carbon is made to breathe with the profound intimacies of our own histories.

Includes information on advertising, Angola, Argyle Diamond Mine, Australia, blood diamonds, Brazil, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, De Beers Consolidated Mines, synthetic diamonds, engagement rings, India, Japan, Jews, mining methods, Murfreesboro (Arkansas), Northwest Territories (Canada), retail pricing, smuggling, South Africa, United States, etc.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references and index.
Table of contents: title: Dying stars: Central African Republic; title: Midnight sun: Canada; title: Desired results: Japan; title: The strong man: Brazil; title: The cartel: South Africa; title: The new era: Australia; title: Blood diamonds: Angola; title: The stone mills: India; title: Alchemy: Russia; title: The big nothing: USA.