First discovered in 1930, the diamonds of Sierra Leone have funded one of the most savage rebel campaigns in modern history. These "blood diamonds" are smuggled out of West Africa and sold to legitimate diamond merchants in London, Antwerp, and New York, often with the complicity of the international diamond industry. Eventually, these very diamonds find their way into the rings and necklaces of brides and spouses the world over. Blood Diamonds is...

"Sheds new light on the enticing, often surprising, story of our society's enduring obsession with the hardest gemstone, offering a fascinating history of its origins and revealing its greatest champions and most colorful enthusiasts. 25,000 first printing,"--NoveList.

Few objects can catch the fancy and capture the imagination quite as much as diamonds. Since their first discovery, these precious gems have inspired passion, evoked jealousy, and spurred conflict. Readers will study how diamonds are formed, extracted, and processed. Stunning sparkling photographs of the glittering gemstones add dimension to the book's comprehensive content. The book's relevant subject matter makes it a must-have for growing science...

"Yasmin Karam was raised in prosperity. Daughter to one of the richest men in the world, she's been fortunate to never know strife. When her father falls ill, he has one last wish: to see her married to someone of his choosing. Determined to make his last days his happiest, she agrees. But there's one problem: her heart belongs to someone else. A servant. A street rat. A man who would never be considered worthy. Stuck between a rock and a hard place,...

On February 15, 2003, a group of thieves broke into an allegedly airtight vault in the international diamond capital of Antwerp, Belgium, and made off with over $108 million worth of diamonds and other valuables. They did so without tripping an alarm or injuring a single guard in the process. The police zeroed in on a band of professional thieves fronted by Leonardo Notarbartolo. The "who" of the crime had been answered but the "how" remained largely...

A diamond dealer commits suicide, leaving his alcoholic widow to handle his business affairs.

Cassidy is a struggling actress who worries that any chance at stardom may have already passed her by. Desperate to make enough money to move to Hollywood, she takes a job working as a runner for her mother's boyfriend, a diamond importer. When the money doesn’t come in fast enough, Cassidy gets involved in a diamond heist that quickly unravels into a wild web of lies, betrayals, and surprises.