fromwww.aljazeera.com
2 days agoHow the diamond engagement ring was invented and sold around the world
The story of the diamond industry is one of monopolies, marketing and monthly salaries. For decades, men in many countries were expected to spend two or even three months' salary on a diamond engagement ring. This notion and the iconic status of this gem did not come about by accident. The story goes back to 1870, when an Oxford University dropout named Cecil Rhodes set off to try his luck in the Cape Colony modern-day South Africa, then a key British domain.
History