Barbara H. Chatham

Barbara H. Chatham, 89 I was in Tucson when I heard that Tom Chatham had left the shows early to return to California. For Tom and the rest of the family, their mother’s death came as quite a shock. “She went from healthy to sick in just a few days,” said Tom. From the time Barbara and Carroll Chatham met, she was involved with Carroll’s career. She was an excellent typist and word-smith, as well as Carroll’s sounding board and confidant. They supported each other through four very unhappy and bitter years from 1958-1962 when the JVC and FTC hauled Carroll Chatham into Washington D.C. Federal Court over their use of the word “cultured,” and demanding they call the gems “synthetic.” During this time, Carroll had only his wife Barbara to turn to since few believed in what he was trying to accomplish. [For those looking for history in the gem industry regarding the use of the word “cultured,” you must examine the Chatham case.] Tom told JCK that it was sometime after that when his mother helped protect the company from buy-out attempts by huge conglomerates who wanted Chatham’s expertise in growing crystals. Barbara always voted against these bids, since Carroll wanted the business to go to his children, John and Tom.

Barbara H. Chatham, 89

I was in Tucson when I heard that Tom Chatham had left the shows early to return to California. For Tom and the rest of the family, their mother’s death came as quite a shock. “She went from healthy to sick in just a few days,” said Tom.

From the time Barbara and Carroll Chatham met, she was involved with Carroll’s career. She was an excellent typist and word-smith, as well as Carroll’s sounding board and confidant. They supported each other through four very unhappy and bitter years from 1958-1962 when the JVC and FTC hauled Carroll Chatham into Washington D.C. Federal Court over their use of the word “cultured,” and demanding they call the gems “synthetic.” During this time, Carroll had only his wife Barbara to turn to since few believed in what he was trying to accomplish. [For those looking for history in the gem industry regarding the use of the word “cultured,” you must examine the Chatham case.]

Tom told JCK that it was sometime after that when his mother helped protect the company from buy-out attempts by huge conglomerates who wanted Chatham’s expertise in growing crystals. Barbara always voted against these bids, since Carroll wanted the business to go to his children, John and Tom.