Donald Regan’s Remarks About Women’s Jewelry

White House Chief of Staff Donald T. Regan’s comments about American women’s jewelry, South African diamonds and sanctions was uninformed and insensitive.

His rhetorical quip: “Are the women of America prepared to give up all their jewelry?” ignores the fact that only about 17.6% of all gem-quality diamonds come from South Africa, and production at alternate sources such as Australia can be increased to compensate for any lack from South Africa.

Additionally, more than two years supply of diamonds are stockpiled outside South Africa and available for distribution.

Obviously, divestiture sanctions against the South African apartheid government will not significantly affect the supply of jewelry-quality diamonds available to the American public.

Furthermore, I am ashamed that a high official of our government has implied that the American jewelry industry is insensitive to the just rights of black people in South Africa.

Internationally, the DeBeers Corp., which mines South African diamonds, has long been in the vanguard of equal rights there. In defiance of South African law it maintains equal pay and promotion policies at its mines among its black and white workers.

It participated last year in the clandestine meeting between leaders of the African National Congress and the South African business community.

Nationally, many American jewelers have long voluntarily boycotted the brokering of Krugerrands.

As a professional jeweler dedicated to gemological knowledge and the highest ethical standards and consumer protection, I regret Regan’s uninformed and insensitive rhetoric.

DAVID M. POWELL

Hemet