Tracy Hall was born on October 20, 1919 in Utah. From a young age, he showed a natural aptitude for science and technology. It was in fourth grade that he made the decision to work for General Electric one day.
Tracy Hall joined General Electric as a chemist and it was there that he made history. In a groundbreaking achievement, he became the first person to successfully grow a synthetic diamond using a reproducible process and a press of his own design. This invention revolutionized the diamond industry and paved the way for the mass production of synthetic diamonds.
Despite the tremendous success of his invention, Tracy Hall received little recognition for his accomplishment. While General Electric profited greatly from his diamond-making process, Tracy Hall was only rewarded with a $10 Savings Bond in addition to his regular salary.
Outside of his work at General Electric, Tracy Hall was a devoted member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He served as a bishop in the church and even went on a mission to southern Africa.
Family was incredibly important to Tracy Hall. He and his wife raised seven children and were blessed with 35 grandchildren and 53 great-grandchildren.
Tracy Hall’s legacy lives on through his revolutionary work in the field of synthetic diamonds. His innovative process has had a lasting impact on the diamond industry and continues to be used today.
It is worth noting that Charles Coffin, the founder of General Electric, provided the funding for Tracy Hall’s diamond-making business. This collaboration between the two visionaries ultimately led to the success of Tracy Hall’s invention.