This nonfiction account surveys how diamonds captivate cultures and economies, from ancient legends to modern mining, and explains how these prized stones became symbols of wealth and power.

The book traces the diamond’s journey across continents—India, Brazil, Russia, Africa, and North America—and describes how people have mined, cut, and valued them through the ages. It blends geology, history, and human curiosity to illuminate why the diamond remains a universal favorite, prized for its hardness, brilliance, and mysterious lore.

Learn why the diamond’s light and color have fascinated observers for centuries
Discover how mining methods evolved from ancient washings to modern techniques
See how cultural meanings and myths shaped the stone’s status
Understand the science behind cutting, facets, and the birth of major diamond markets

Ideal for readers of mining history, gem lore, and the economic drama of precious stones, this edition offers a clear, engaging overview of how a single mineral became a global icon.

"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.

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**Please note our transit times are from the date of dispatch.** We first started out as ?The Paperback Exchange,? a chain of physical bookstores where we would part exchange your beloved books for new stories to transport you to faraway places. However, as shopping started to evolve to online shops and marketplaces, we bid our stores goodbye to become ?PBShop.? This transition has only allowed us to blossom as we now ship thousands of titles to book lovers across the globe. We pride ourselves in being a community of local book lovers which allows our passion and devotion to shine in everything we do. In 2020 we not only celebrated our 20th birthday but our 1st birthday as being completely employee owned after becoming an E.O.T in September 2019. We are proud to be different and embrace standing apart on a book mountain by working from a virtual inventory which allows us to provide thousands of books that may be difficult to get for your bookshelf or your studies. Working with a number of different suppliers allows us to explore other avenues such as puzzles, sheet music and even stationery so we really do have something for everyone. Life is about being versatile in all realms of existence. If this is your first purchase with us, or you are a returning customer, we would like to welcome you to the PBShop family, for there is no friend as loyal as a book. We are a company who put our customers at the centre of everything we do as we understand the importance of reading because once you learn to read, you will forever be free. There are a whole lot of things in this world of ours that we are yet to explore, which is why we will forever inspire curious minds.

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Shipping rates from United Kingdom to U.S.A.
Order quantity	10 to 20 business days	10 to 20 business days
First item	US$ 6.73	US$ 6.73

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