LABORATORY DIAMONDS

Hawera Star, Volume LIV, 4 March 1935, Page 6

LABORATORY DIAMONDS

Scientist Makes Stones that Deceive the Experts WORLD RIGHTS PURCHASED INVENTOR IN HIDING (Own Correspondent —Air Mail). LONDON, Feb. 9. After 45 years research, a London scientist claims to have discovered a process for making diamonds which are exactly like real stones. They answer all the tests, and deceive all but the most*- experienced experts. The world rights for the sale of these laboratory-made diamonds have been bought by a London dealer who was himself taken in by the first synthetic stone he saw.

“A few months ago,” he said, “a friend offered me a fine diamond. I; agreed to buy for £4OOO. V hen this man told me that it was a synthetic stone I would not believe him. Then he took me along and showed me theprocess. • 1 “I -was immensely interested and had the stones tested by analysts and all kinds of people. Immediately I re- £ ceived their reports I bought the world rights for the sale of these stones. °“By varying the process not only diamonds but the most beautiful and. convincing synthetic rubies, sapphires, turquoise and topaz stones can be produced. “Representatives of the diamondtrade in London and Amsterdam (the. headquarters of the world market) and big jewellers from the West End, Palis, and New York, have visited me and bought stones to test and keep for comparison. Attempts have been made to analyse the constituents of the stone, but such intense heat, has to be employed to break it down- that it is : unlikely that they will succeed.” But these laboratory diamonds must, still be classed as “semi-precious” stones. They contain one secret ingredient which is very expensive, so that even a small “stone” costs several pounds to manufacture. But a diamond -worth £IOO can be imitated exactly for about £ls, a £SOO. for £35 and £SOOO for £7O. The scientist wno . discovered the new method has been sent into -hiding by his backer, lest rivals should try to get his secret. \