Question

Chocolate diamonds that are actually brown diamonds are compared to the well-known white diamond, which
aren't of much worth. Diamonds are produced in mines. The best known diamond mines are in Australia, South
Africa and Russia. The largest diamond mine was discovered in 1976 in the desert of Australia near a little
creek named Lake Argyle. Diamonds are created under very extreme conditions of pressure and high
temperature. It is a general misunderstanding that there exist only white colourless diamonds. Actually,
diamonds exist in many different colours.
Of all the diamond mines in the world, almost 80% of the diamonds produced are brownish in colour. Because
these were found in such large quantities compared to the other coloured diamonds, these were considered as
low-valued diamonds, only good for the industrial sector. But, a famous man called Le Vian came with a
marketing campaign to increase the popularity of the chocolate diamond. Instead of calling it a brown diamond,
he gave it popular names like caramel, chocolate, cinnamon and cognac. Since his marketing campaign,
chocolate diamonds are becoming very popular.
The value of a diamond is based on its shape, brightness and colour. Because white diamonds are rare, their
value is based on the fact that there are not many white diamonds found around easily. But if you look at the
shape and brightness, then the brightest diamond in this world known to men is the brown diamond. Before the
development of the Argyle Diamond Mine in Australia in 1986, most brown diamonds were considered
worthless for jewellery; they were not even assessed on the diamond colour scale, and were predominantly
used for industrial purposes.
However, marketing strategies changed in the 1980s and brown diamonds have become popular gems. The
change was mostly due to the supply: the Argyle mine, with its 35 million carats (7,000 kg) of diamonds per
year, makes about one third of global production of natural diamonds; 80% of Argyle diamonds are brown. The
percentage of brown diamonds is lower in other mines, but it is almost always a significant part of the total
production. Consequently, scientific research on causes of brown colour in diamond and ways to alter it has
intensified.
Answer the following questions. (2x5=10)
i) What is wrong notion about the diamonds?
ii) Why were the brown diamonds considered low in value?
iii) Why brown diamonds became popular?
iv) The value of diamonds are based on which factors?
v) Why are the white diamonds rare?
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Answer 1

Answer:

i) The wrong notion of diamonds is that there exists only white colourless diamonds.

ii) The Brown diamonds were considered in low value because

these were found in such large quantities compared to the other coloured diamonds.

iii) Instead of calling it a brown diamond , Le Vian gave it popular names like caramel, chocolate, cinnamon and cognac. This increased the popularity of brown diamonds.

iv) The value of a diamond is based on its shape, brightness and colour.

v) There aren't many white diamonds found easily. So, they are rare.

Hope this helps