Creating a psychological need for diamonds was just part of a much bigger marketing strategy that made De Beers so successful. The diamond conglomerate got into consumers' heads with the idea that diamonds were a rare and precious stone, which wasn't entirely true.
Diamonds may be the hardest material found on Earth, but they're certainly not the rarest. In fact, of all gemstones, diamonds are actually the most common, according to the International Gem Society. But, because DeBeers set up the first large-scale diamond mines in South Africa and managed to gain control of the supply as diamonds appeared in other parts of Africa and South America, it wasn't easy to buy diamonds from another company. This allowed DeBeers to regulate diamond prices, and play them up as a "rarity." Sneaky, sneaky.
