On Jun 22, 5:35 pm, "Peter W.. Rowe,"
<rec.crafts.jewe...@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
> On Sun, 22 Jun 2008 12:27:42 -0700, in rec.crafts.jewelry "William
Black"
>
> <william.bl...@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
>
> >>Oh yes. Look up 'Interstate comerce in the USA' some time
>
> >>I understand that their sucess was challenged until they managed to
get the
> >>output of the Sierra Leonian mines under their control.
>
> Sierra Leone is/was hardly the only diamond source operating outside of
the
> DeBeers line of control. Venezuela, Canada, Australia, and many of the
Russian
> sources sell, or have sold, outside of the DeBeers organization to one
degree or
> another. DeBeers is no longer a total monopoly. But they do still
control the
> majority of the sources, and that seems to be enough.
>
>
>
> >>It is the 'unregistered sellers' that were causing them the problem.
>
> Or any sellers working outside of their organization, as noted above.
But for
> many diamond sellers, it doesn't make too much sense to work outside of
DeBeers,
> since often they'll simply get the best prices through them...
>
> Perhaps the greatest long term threat to DeBeers isn't the "out of
network"
> sales of rough diamonds. It may well be the developing field of
synthetic
> diamonds. If available in enough quantitiy, at high enough quality, to
cause
> serious competition with natural diamonds but at lower cost, the
implications
> for DeBeers could be significant. Part of their response to this has
been the
> aggressive work to promote DeBeers as a brand name for diamonds, rather
than
> just a source, as well as a lot of research in developing methods of
accurately
> detecting the synthetic diamonds. Much of the current crop of yellow
fancy
> colors, and perhaps the other fancies also being made, ARE identifiable,
at
> least by a good gem lab if not by the average gemologist. But the
colorless
> high quality stones that may be coming down the line in the future could
be a
> LOT more difficult to identify with certainty, and if we end up where a
diamond
> can no longer be absolutely identified as natural versus synthetic, the
effect
> on diamond prices could be dramatic, at least in the higher qualities
where this
> is most likely to be an issue.
>
> >>deBeers doesn't operate directly in the USA because their normal
business
> >>practices would be considered illegal there...
>
> Not any longer. The Antitrust / monopoly issues the justice department
had with
> DeBeers for many years were, so far as I know, settled via a rather
large class
> action lawsuit earlier this year. virtually anyone who'd bought
diamonds,
> either wholesale or retail, in the U.S. during the past ten years or
something
> like that, could, if they wished, file a claim to get some of the price
back.
> For large dealers and sellers, it made sense to file claims. For most
> individuals, the payment funds would have been sufficiently diluted as
to make
> the end payout not much worth the paperwork. But whatever, the lawyers
made a
> lot of money on the suit, as they always due, and since that settlement
> agreement, DeBeers is no longer under that cloud of prosecution here in
the
> U.S. Even the top executives, who for many years didn't travel to the
U.S. to
> avoid arrest here, apparently are now again free to do so if they wish.
At
> least, that's what the news stories said. I don't have all the details
handy.
> But as Abrasha has pointed out, they are now opening offices and stores
in the
> U.S.
>
> Peter
Ok... Wow... I wasn't expecting to start a whole debate over my
questions. haha... Peter... Thank you for your advice. I did manage
to read over everything you have written. However, I didn't see a
place where I can do a reply to everyone so I thought I would just
post something somewhere... I will admit, I have not read everyone's
response here yet, but I wanted to clarify a few things...
1. I'm in the US
2. I'm not a retailer
3. I'm a simple consumer looking to get a diamond for an engagement
ring.
4. I have no desire to send my diamond(s) across the boarder.
haha...
Ok so now that is out there. I have been shopping around. I know
what I like when I see it. I will list the diamond specs that I have
chosen below. When I compare prices, same diamond specs, from the net
to a store retailer it really makes a significant difference in price
(as I am sure you are all aware).
Color: DEF (Colorless)
Clarity: VS1 and up
Carrots: 1.5 - 2.0
Certified GIA
Cut: Excellent
I have seen diamonds, with the specs above, on-line retailing at 6-7k
less than what I see them in the stores.
I will definitely look into Blue Nile, and some of the other sites
listed. If anyone has any other reputable on-line store suggestions
this would be very helpful.
Thank you all for taking such an interest in my questions. I
appreciate the feed back.
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