Fiction novel about diamonds

Hi!

Am writing a fiction novel about diamonds and the theme is based on
the Russians successfully and cheaply recreating carbon-based diamonds
such that it is impossible to tell from the real thing. Where to go
to get technical in order to make this believable? ANY
and all HELP is appreciated.

Marcia Gerhardt
@Marcia_c_Gerhardt

Saw a TV documentary on this within last few weeks-- check PBS and
the network newsmags.

Marcia, Gerald Browne, who writes fiction with a gemstone theme
(Harrow House 11, etc.) wrote a novel about mining/smuggling diamonds
in Russia. Perhaps you could check out some of his novels for
acknowledgment sources.
Donna in WY

Marcia,

This struck a familiar note so I did a search on AltaVista and came
up with this link: NOVA Online | The Diamond Deception. I’m not sure
how much info you’ll find but I think at least one Russian has, in
fact (not fiction), figured out how to do it.

Christine

I was under the impression that GE was already using the Russian
technology for creating diamonds? Is this not so? There was a big
brouhaha in JCK about Pegasus method a while back and I had the
impression that the base technology about this was Russian (Soviet
era) in origin.
Ben Silver

Dear Marcia,

Everything you might want to know about Russian diamond synthesis was
beautifully and minutely portrayed in a PBS documentary two or three
months ago…I believe it was a Nova program. I suggest that you go
to your local PBS affiliate and see whether tapes are available. The
program culminated with a segment about the American retired general
in Florida who is actually importing the Russian equipment in order
that he may synthesize diamonds here in the 'States. There have been
lots of excellent novels which have dealt with all the skullduggery
attendant with the mining and theft of diamonds and your plot will
benefit from all the contemporary machinations !
Good luck, Ron at Mills Gem Co. Los Osos, Ca.

Dear Marcia, here’s a few more sources to add to the good advice you’ve
already received:

Robert M. Hazen’s “The Diamond Makers” published by Cambridge
University Press 1999. This could be very useful. Hazen includes
detailed sources at the end of each chapter and writes with a clarity
that is rare in real-science writing. He develops all the elements of
history, science and politics in a manner which I think you would find
most helpful. And it’s all about man made diamonds.

Dennis Bruton’s “Diamonds” is almost the bible on this gem. You
shouldn’t have any trouble finding a copy of this excellent text book.

This next one is a little off field, but Albert Joris’ “A Destiny of
Diamonds” is a fascinating excursion into a little known era of
Australian diamond exploration. For someone like yourself who is
writing fiction, this would be great for a bit of local historical
colour. Joris’ book is self-published by Boolarong Publications in
Queensland, Australia. You could get a copy from the NSW Branch of the
Gemmological Association of Australia, 24 Wentworth Ave., Sydney, NSW
2000. Email them at nsw@gem.org.au if this interests you.

Good luck with the novel, Marcia. I look forward to seeing it in
print. Kind regards, Rex from Oz