Editing Diamond (section)

==== Marketing ====
[[File:Diamond Balance Scale 0.01 - 25 Carats Jewelers Measuring Tool.jpg|thumb|Diamond balance scale 0.01–25 carat jeweler's measuring tool]]

Marketing has significantly affected the image of diamond as a valuable commodity.

[[N. W. Ayer & Son]], the advertising firm retained by [[De Beers]] in the mid-20th century, succeeded in reviving the American diamond market and the firm created new markets in countries where no diamond tradition had existed before. N. W. Ayer's marketing included [[product placement]], advertising focused on the diamond product itself rather than the De Beers brand, and associations with celebrities and royalty. Without advertising the De Beers brand, De Beers was advertising its competitors' diamond products as well,<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.diamonds.net/news/NewsItem.aspx?ArticleID=33243 | title = Keep the Diamond Dream Alive | vauthors = Rapaport M | work = Rapaport Magazine | publisher = Diamonds.net | access-date = September 9, 2012 | archive-date = September 13, 2012 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120913214013/http://www.diamonds.net/news/NewsItem.aspx?ArticleID=33243 | url-status = live }}</ref> but this was not a concern as De Beers dominated the diamond market throughout the 20th century. De Beers' market share dipped temporarily to second place in the global market below Alrosa in the aftermath of the global economic crisis of 2008, down to less than 29% in terms of carats mined, rather than sold.<ref name="jckonline.com">{{cite web |author=JCK Staff |url=http://www.jckonline.com/2011/01/26/10-things-rocking-industry |title=10 Things Rocking the Industry |work=JCK |publisher=Jckonline.com |date=January 26, 2011 |access-date=September 9, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130107102249/http://www.jckonline.com/2011/01/26/10-things-rocking-industry |archive-date=January 7, 2013 }}</ref> The campaign lasted for decades but was effectively discontinued by early 2011. De Beers still advertises diamonds, but the advertising now mostly promotes its own brands, or licensed product lines, rather than completely "generic" diamond products.<ref name="jckonline.com"/> The campaign was perhaps best captured by the slogan "[[a diamond is forever]]".<ref name=sell /> This slogan is now being used by De Beers Diamond Jewelers,<ref>{{cite web | vauthors = Bates R |url=http://www.jckonline.com/blogs/cutting-remarks/2011/01/14/interview-forevermark-ceo |title=Interview with Forevermark CEO |work=JCK |publisher=Jckonline.com |date=January 14, 2011 |access-date=September 9, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121128004942/http://www.jckonline.com/blogs/cutting-remarks/2011/01/14/interview-forevermark-ceo |archive-date=November 28, 2012 }}</ref> a jewelry firm which is a 50/50% joint venture between the De Beers mining company and [[LVMH]], the luxury goods conglomerate.

Brown-colored diamonds constituted a significant part of the diamond production, and were predominantly used for industrial purposes. They were seen as worthless for jewelry (not even being assessed on the [[diamond color]] scale). After the development of Argyle diamond mine in Australia in 1986, and marketing, brown diamonds have become acceptable gems.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_WI86J88ydAC&pg=PA34|page=34|title=The nature of diamonds| vauthors = Harlow GE |publisher=Cambridge University Press|year=1998|isbn=978-0-521-62935-5}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zNicdkuulE4C&pg=PA416 |page=416|title=Industrial minerals & rocks| vauthors = Kogel JE |publisher= Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration (U.S.)|year=2006|isbn=978-0-87335-233-8}}</ref> The change was mostly due to the numbers: the Argyle mine, with its {{convert|35000000|carat|kg}} of diamonds per year, makes about one-third of global production of natural diamonds;<ref>{{cite web|access-date=August 4, 2009 |url=http://www.costellos.com.au/diamonds/industry.html |title=The Australian Diamond Industry |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090716170624/http://www.costellos.com.au/diamonds/industry.html |archive-date=July 16, 2009 }}</ref> 80% of Argyle diamonds are brown.<ref>{{cite book | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=068-M3xrDSQC&pg=PT158 | page = 158 | title = Diamond deposits: origin, exploration, and history of discovery | vauthors = Erlich E, Hausel DW | publisher = SME | year = 2002 | isbn = 978-0-87335-213-0 }}</ref>