… and in Diamond News …

… and in Diamond News …

Gary Roskin
Roskin Gem News Report

World Federation of Diamond Bourses, French Ministry of Economy and Finance, & the Definition of “Synthetic”

Yes, we have discussed this already, but ….

The term “synthetic diamond” is well-understood in the sciences of gem(m)ology and mineralogy to mean that the material is diamond, with the same physical, optical, and chemical properties as the natural (just not made by mother nature). But the rest of the world (for the most part) believes – incorrectly – that the term “synthetic diamond” means fake diamond. (Read here to catch up.)

The World Federation of Diamond Bourses (WFDB) just praised the French Ministry of Economy and Finance for its decision to ban the use of all terminology other than “synthetic” for non-natural diamonds. “The decision means that the use of the term ‘lab-grown diamonds’ or ‘cultivated diamonds’ will not be legal in France.”

So either the entire population of France has been taking gemology lessons from Dr. Emmanuel Fritsch, a professor of physics and gemology at the university of Nantes, or much of the population of France is going to believe that created diamonds are not diamond… that they are fake. (For a little more historical reference, read here.)

World Federation of Diamond Bourses
Yoram Dvash, President of the WFDB, said: We praise the decision of the French government to insist that all stones other than natural diamonds be called “synthetic.” (Tap here.) This is an important step in confirming the inherent value of natural diamonds and in enhancing consumer confidence.”

This is, in part, why the Roskin Gem News Report uses the phrase “synthetic/created” when discussing what most people are calling “Lab Grown Diamond.” We want to make sure that it is understood we are talking about diamonds that are created by human beings. They are, in the gem world, a synthetic, and in the retail world, created.

Chatham Should Know – He Wrote the Book (Literally)
Because we know the history of how the term “created” came to pass in the jewelry industry, (read here if you are not aware) we reached out to Tom Chatham,  chairman of the board at Chatham Created Gems & Diamonds, Inc., son of the late Carroll Chatham, and a vocal champion of the created gemstone industry.

Tom has a lot to say about France.

“The French seem to think they own all adjectives and if it wasn’t created in France, it’s meaningless,” says Chatham. “The true definition of ‘synthetic’ is ‘artificial,’ ‘fake’ or ‘man made.’ ” Chatham should know, as it was his father who went before the US government for years to remove the mandate to use the term “synthetic” for his created emerald. (Please refer once more to the Chatham’s autobiography, The Chatham Legacy: An American Storybook.)

The Synthetic Portion of the Periodic Table
Chatham talks about natural carbon, part of the natural portion of the periodic table of elements. (The last 24 elements are artificial, created by using or combining non natural materials.)

“What the WFDB likes to forget is that lab grown diamonds use NATURAL CARBON to form diamonds.” This comment harkens back to Chatham’s famous advertisement of a fictitious 100% Natural cereal box, sporting Chatham created emeralds on the front of the box, with a list of all natural ingredients used in the creation of Chatham Created Emeralds.

“We don’t jam carbon atoms together into something that resembles a natural diamond,” explains Chatham. “We create an environment that allows the natural process of atomic bonding of carbon atoms to occur.”

“In spite of this, the opposition refuse to accept the preordained natural formation of all gemstones that is easily identified in the finished crystal. It’s like talking to flat earth proponents.”

Champagne and Diamonds
“The French have been notorious for the attitude of ‘do it our way or the highway’,” says Chatham. “Look at the wine business. In 1891, the French decided that ‘Champagne’ could only be made in the Champagne region of France, even though it’s just Chardonnay fermented twice. And to make it even more contemptuous, the French root stock is all from American soil! To me, this would be like Cecil Rhodes declaring only colorless carbon from the De Beers farm in Africa could be called a diamond. Everything else from other areas must be called colorless carbon but not ‘Diamond.’ ” 

This May Work in France, But Not in the U.S.
“If one looks up the FTC rules on anti competitive actions, this ruling fits it to a tee,” says Chatham. “Anything and everything must be done to slow down or stop the sale of lab grown diamonds and what better way to do it than require the word ‘synthetic’ only when describing a lab grown diamond.”

“Before you know it, the next thing to go will be ‘French bread.'”