Almost all of the diamonds that exist today began their journey more than one billion years ago in superheated molten rock and under intense pressure, hundreds of kilometres below the Earth's surface.

By the time they come to the retail market, they have to go through another journey across continents. An estimated 65 per cent of the diamonds originate in Africa and a good percentage of this is illegally acquired and sold.

The rough diamonds then travel to India or China for cutting and polishing. Finally, they end up in major diamond importing countries such as US and Israel.

Let's look at journey of diamonds in pictures.

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An illegal diamond dealer from Zimbabwe displays diamonds for sale in Manica, near the border with Zimbabwe.

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An aerial view shows an illegal mine in the jungle, south of Venezuela. Like African countries, Venezuela is also a major diamond producer.

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Miners form a human chain while digging an open pit at the Chudja mine in the Kilomoto concession near the village of Kobu, 100 km (62 miles) from Bunia in north-eastern Congo.

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Workers wash dirt and rocks in a river running through an open pit in Sierra Leone's diamond-rich eastern province.

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Diamond and gold buyers wait for miners and customers outside a shop in Santa Elena de Uairen, south of Venezuela.

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A miner pauses to smoke while working near the town of Ikabaru in the south of Venezuela.

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A miner works underground in a Petra Diamonds diamond mine in Cullinan, outside Pretoria.

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A truck unloads ore in a Petra Diamonds underground diamond mine in Cullinan, outside Pretoria.

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Israeli diamantaire Avraham Eshed uses a pair of tweezers to hold a diamond at the Israel Diamond Exchange in Ramat Gan near Tel Aviv.

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An employee of Shefa Yamim diamond exploration company sifts through rocks in search of precious stones at the firm's laboratory in Acre, northern Israel.

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A view of a diamond cutting factory in Botswana's capital Gaborone.

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Employees work at a diamond cutting and polishing factory in the Surat in the western Indian state of Gujarat.

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Israeli diamantaires inspect diamonds at the Israel Diamond Exchange in Ramat Gan near Tel Aviv.

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A visitor holds a 17 carat diamond at a Petra Diamonds mine in Cullinan, outside Pretoria.

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A worker inspects a 5.46 carat diamond before certification at the HRD Antwerp Institute of Gemmology.

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A couple window shop at the DeBeers diamond boutique on Christmas eve on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills, California.

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A saleswoman is reflected in a mirror as she tries on jewellery at the Israeli Diamond Centre store in Ramat Gan, near Tel Aviv.

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A Christie's employee places a necklace featuring the Evening Star, a 39 carat, D colour Golconda diamond, into a display case in New York.

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An employee at a diamond merchant's workshop inspects diamonds while grading them in Mumbai.

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A man puts an engagement ring on a woman's finger during a photo opportunity at a jewellery store in Tokyo.

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A Christie's employee wears a sapphire (33.23 carats) and diamond ring by Repossi (centre), a 30.52 carat diamond ring (D color, Flawless) (left) and a Fancy Intense Yellow diamond ring (57.02 carats) during an auction preview in Geneva.

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A model wears a diamond necklace by Cartier, estimated at 200,000 - 250,000 pounds (about $412,777 - $515,923), which formed part of the collection owned by Anne Moen Bullitt and will be sold in December's Fine Jewellery & Iconic Jewels from the 20th Century sale, at Bonhams auctioneers in London.

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Singer Alison Krauss wears $2 million dollar shoes, made out of Kwait diamonds and designed by Stuart Weitzman, as she arrives for the 76th Academy Awards in Hollywood.

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A staff member lifts the largest D color internally flawless diamond ever to appear at auction from its display box at Sotheby's auction house in London.

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