By CLAIRE WRATHALL ARE diamonds a girl's best friend because they sparkle or because they're rare? For centuries they have been synonymous with wealth and privilege, and today's glitterati, it seems, have never glittered so radiantly.

By Kevin Maney BOSTON -- In the back room of an unmarked brown building in a run-down strip mall, eight machines, each the size of a bass drum, are making diamonds. That's right -- making diamonds.

For centuries, diamonds have lured women up the aisle. In the future, they may drive them to work, as engineers find a use for the precious stones in electric cars and other applications. From ultra-durable drill bits to semiconductors and optical instruments, industry officials say the uses for diamonds are multiplying.