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Districts in France and syntetic stones

Posted January 14th, 2009 by admin

Up to 1940, a few districts in France cut synthetic stones and marcasites, St. Claude being the main center. Some diamonds were, however, also cut, this industry being introduced by Charles Roulina some 70 years ago. Diamond mining areas have been found and worked in the U.S.S.R. during recent years, and no doubt cutting has been carried on there although no official information has been published abroad of activities in this direction.

The number of lapidaries employed in the war years 1939 to 1945 is a matter of conjecture. It was estimated that about 5,500 cutters were employed in the diamond industry in the year 1941, outside Germany and the countries it controlled in that year. Of the many thousands formerly employed in Belgium and Holland, only a few hundred were working in their old factories during these’ years. The Germans controlled production through a Diamond Control Office, and there was little reward or scope for the individual under Nazi methods.