Via Jessica Valenti, I see that recently in Slate Meghan O'Rourke made the case against diamond engagement rings. That seems like as good an excuse as any to help the company out but reminding people that Edward Jay Epstein's classic 1982 article on the diamond trade is available for free on the Atlantic website. It's an absolutely brilliant article, and you just can't look at the diamond engagement ring concept the same after reading it.
Photo by Flickr user beeep used under a Creative Commons license
This article available online at:
http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2007/06/the-truth-about-diamonds/42730/
