Saturday, November 20, 2004
A cartel's best friend
There's a site called howstuffworks, and it totally kicks ass. It has illustrated, informative and accessible articles on any number of subjects. Some favorites:
That last entry has a number of helpful hints for those dreaming of going over the falls in a barrel.
But that's not what I'm here to talk about. I want to talk about price-fixing, price-gouging, disinformed consumers and dirty politics. I want to talk about the De Beers diamond cartel.
Christ, but I hate the whole notion of a jewelry store. I shudder at the thought of either giving or receiving expensive jewelry as a gift. I wear a bracelet made out of a ball chain similar to that you'd find in a toilet tank or attached to military dog tags. I bought it at a hardware store. And I'm always on the lookout for stud earrings in funny shapes, like a bomb or a cockroach. That's about it. Spend hundreds or (gasp!) thousands of dollars on a necklace or a pair of earrings? Not a chance.
When I graduated high school, my father wanted to buy me a really nice watch and have it engraved and all that crap. I spent a considerable amount of time talking him out of it. I wanted a sunroof for my truck instead, and it's a choice I don't regret. The manufactured and over-marketed sentimentality of "heirlooms" is pure crap.
Oh, I won't blather on any further. Just take a look at the entry about De Beers and see for yourself how the jewelry business is so much bullshit.
How Diamonds Work
That last entry has a number of helpful hints for those dreaming of going over the falls in a barrel.
But that's not what I'm here to talk about. I want to talk about price-fixing, price-gouging, disinformed consumers and dirty politics. I want to talk about the De Beers diamond cartel.
Christ, but I hate the whole notion of a jewelry store. I shudder at the thought of either giving or receiving expensive jewelry as a gift. I wear a bracelet made out of a ball chain similar to that you'd find in a toilet tank or attached to military dog tags. I bought it at a hardware store. And I'm always on the lookout for stud earrings in funny shapes, like a bomb or a cockroach. That's about it. Spend hundreds or (gasp!) thousands of dollars on a necklace or a pair of earrings? Not a chance.
When I graduated high school, my father wanted to buy me a really nice watch and have it engraved and all that crap. I spent a considerable amount of time talking him out of it. I wanted a sunroof for my truck instead, and it's a choice I don't regret. The manufactured and over-marketed sentimentality of "heirlooms" is pure crap.
Oh, I won't blather on any further. Just take a look at the entry about De Beers and see for yourself how the jewelry business is so much bullshit.
How Diamonds Work
