The New Diamond Age

During a break in the conference, a man approached Linares and told him to be careful. "He said that my father's research was a good way to get a bullet in the head"...

Danger and intrigue, circuitous tips to secret labs, international hustlers and secret deals... A new Ludlum novel? No, it's the damn diamond industry when threatened with the emergence of **real** diamonds that are man made.
This is a great little article. Well worth the read:

Wired 11.09: The New Diamond Age