When thinking of De Beers, we automatically think of the Oppenheimer family. That is the name most people know and associate with the diamond mining giant. Those that know a little more are usually familiar with Cecil Rhodes, and they are very familiar with the history of the company, they may have even heard of Barney Barnato. Yet few have ever heard of Alfred Beit, the financial wizard behind the unification of diamond claims into a single company that formed De Beers.
In the diamond industry, Harry F. Oppenheimer is known as the former head of De Beers and the man who controlled the global diamond industry for decades. However that description does not do him justice. Taking controll of great gold and platinum assets, and was a South African parliamentarian who fought the country's apartheid rule.
Two men were behind the establishment of the De Beers, Cecil Rhodes and Barney Barnato. Barnato was born to a Jewish family in the East End of London in 1851 or 1852 as Barnett Isaacs. The future diamond magnet was born to a poor family and had a very unpromising beginning. His mother Leah died a year after he was born, and his older sister raised him and his two other siblings. His father, Isaac, was a shopkeeper who sold secondhand clothes. The family's poor financial situation forced the child to leave school early and help support the family by working at his father's shop as well as other odd jobs. Another way to support his family was to perform as an entertainer.
One of the most revered and popular jewelry brands was born out of unusual circumstances. Most of today's leading diamond brands were formed either in Europe or the US. Even then, they were established in one of a very few cities – Paris, London or New York City. H.Stern, however, was formed in Brazil by a Jewish immigrant, who escaped Nazi Germany as teen right before World War II.
Abraham 'Bram' Fischler was honored numerous times throughout his life for his many achievements, but more than anything, he should be credited for his pivotal role in establishing the Kimberly Process, a United Nations backed effort to limit trade in rough diamonds to countries that adhere to strict controls and by doing so to prevent diamonds from being used to help finance civil wars.