With vivid photographs, this book is as much a testimony to the astonishing wonders of nature as to the ingenuity and determination of the men and women in the diamond industry. Disclosing the latest advances in diamond geology in the context of an intensely competitive corporate environment, it demonstrates how no other stone has aroused such passion and how no other business has attracted such controversy. With a kaleidoscope of characters, this account not only reveals how diamonds have given scientists a window into the workings of our remarkable planet, but also argues that this precious stone is valuable in many ways other than being used for jewelry.