In Salt Lake City, 1926, an entrepreneur by the name of Sidney S. Fox invested the capital to start a company, called Miracle Diamonds Inc. Living near the largest salt water lake in the Western Hemisphere, Fox had made a discovery of miracle salts, a laxative made from the salt of Great Salt Lake. Once dried, the salt appeared diamond like, and was thus named Miracle Diamonds.

The diamonds branding was behind Fox's decision to create and produce a series of 26 dramatic radio shows, chronicling the histories of the most famous diamonds in the world, in order to advertise his own brand of Miracle Diamonds during the commercial breaks. Script writers were hired, and the entire investment cost him a reported $35,000.

Ultimately, the programs were sold to radio stations, who could then sell the advertising time to more appropriate sponsors, such as Royal Jewellers, who sponsored the Diamond Dramas in 1944. It's believed that he more than recouped the money from his original investment!

However, don't let the amusing story behind the creation of these shows put you off listening. The shows themselves are dramatic, surprisingly addictive, and the history surrounding each of the valuable stones is often shrouded with mystery, violence, romance and scandal.

Happy listening,