Jewellery to die for?

In the 1990s, the small West African countries of Angola and Sierra Leone disintegrated into bloodbaths of torture, murder and civil war. The carnage was fueled by the illicit trade of gems that adorn the fingers of millions of people around the world. The vast sums of money and weapons exchanged in return for diamonds have helped fund some of the bloodiest civil wars in Africa, and led to human rights atrocities committed against civilians. For this reason, the stones have become known as "blood diamonds," or "conflict diamonds".

This hard-hitting DVD looks at the story behind the glamorous image of diamonds. Follow one of the few production teams to have ventured to the dangerous locales where this dramatic story is still unfolding.

• This is the true story behind the blockbuster film Blood Diamond, bringing to life the startling reality behind the search for precious diamonds.

• Discover how countries, communities, families and people’s lives have been torn apart by the illicit trade of gems in this hard-hitting documentary from HISTORY™.