Have you seen the "Only Natural Diamonds" commercials?
The Natural Diamond Council enlisted celebrities like Ana de Armas and Lily James to model gorgeous diamond jewelry while pressing their views on the importance of only buying natural diamonds.
It's no surprise who's behind this campaign. The Natural Diamond Council (NDC) has six members: De Beers Group, Dominion Diamonds, Lucara Diamond, Petra Diamonds, RZM Murowa, and Rio Tinto. They represent over a third of the world's rough diamond production.
Collectively, their revenue in 2O21 totaled over $5 billion
One can only assume this renewed push for mined diamonds is partly due to the growing demand for lab-grown diamonds and moissanite. Desirable pricing and lower environmental impact (i.e., no mining operation required) make these human-made options popular alternatives. The FTC even changed its definition of a diamond to acknowledge that lab-grown diamonds are diamonds, that is, "a mineral consisting essentially of pure carbon crystallized in the isometric system".
Once upon a time there was a 7th member...Alrosa Mining Company
Alrosa is a Russian state-owned enterprise with ties to Russia's military and nuclear industries. Their revenue in 2021 was $4.2 billion and market share of production was 38%. Following US sanctions for its financial connection to the war in Ukraine, Alrosa voluntarily suspended its membership and ceased financial contributions to the Natural Diamond Council.
"We understand and respect Alrosa decision given the current geopolitical situation," said David Kellie, CEO of the NDC. "We are confident that Alrosa will continue to follow its outlined commitments to being a socially responsible business conducted according to the industry's best practices and high standards." diamonds.net
Disappointing.
Anyway, the whole "Only Natural Diamonds" campaign is reminiscent of the celebrity "Got Milk?" ads of the 1990s brought to us by a dairy lobbying group to increase sales.
It turns out broccoli, kale, and black beans are excellent sources of calcium, potassium, and protein.
