The highlight of a single-owner jewelry and watch collection, it’s estimated to fetch up to $7 million at auction this December.
Jeweler Alvin Goldfarb Dies at 84
The Seattle retailer got into the business in the late 1950s and opened his own store, Alvin Goldfarb Jeweler, in 1980.

Seattle--Alvin Goldfarb, a fixture in the jewelry industry since the late 1950s, died Sunday in his hometown of Seattle. He was 84.
Born to Sylvia and Samuel Goldfarb, Alvin Goldfarb grew up in Seattle’s Montlake neighborhood and attended Garfield High School, where he played basketball and performed in a well-known local quartet called the Debonaires.
He went on to attend the University of Washington. There, he enrolled in ROTC and continued to sing with the Debonaires, which eventually became a duo called The Two-Tones.
After graduation, Goldfarb served as an officer in the U.S. Air Force and earned his graduate gemology diploma from the Gemological Institute of America.
He married Jackie Friedlander, the woman who would be by his side for the next 59 years, in 1957 and decided to join Friedlander & Sons Jewelers.
There, his caring and attention to clients laid the foundation for a long career in the jewelry industry and friendships that lasted a lifetime.
Goldfarb opened Alvin Goldfarb Jeweler in the Seattle suburb of Bellevue in 1980, a bold move in the days when the neighborhood was strictly suburbia.
But the shop survived and today it is run by his son Steven, who is store president.
Outside the jewelry industry, Goldfarb taught Hebrew school at Temple de Hirsch Sinai, was president of the Pacific Northwest Jewelers Association and the Mercer Island Country Club, and was vice president of Big Brothers and Big Sisters of King County. He also served on the boards of directors of the Corporate Council for the Arts and Temple de Hirsch Sinai.
He was a member of the downtown Seattle Rotary Club, Tamarisk Country Club and the Central Park Tennis Club.
Goldfarb was a man who loved a good chocolate milkshake, taking in a Seattle Mariners game, the TV show Two and a Half Men and playing poker with the guys.
Above all, though, he loved his wife, his children and his grandchildren.
Goldfarb is survived by his wife, Jacqueline; his three children, Susan Goldfarb Wolfe of Palo Alto, Calif.; Steven (Fredda) Goldfarb of Bellevue; and David Goldfarb of Los Angeles; grandsons Jack and Sam Wolfe; and one brother, Royal (Kris) Goldfarb.
He was preceded in death by his other brother, Michael Goldfarb of Medina.
Services took place Tuesday at Temple de Hirsch Sinai in Seattle and the store was closed that day in his honor.
Memorial contributions may be sent
The Latest

CEO Efraim Grinberg noted a resurgence in the fashion watch market.

The “Bullseye” necklace, with vintage bakelite and peridot, August’s birthstone, is the perfect transitional piece as summer turns to fall.

Jewelers of America is leading the charge to protect the industry amidst rising economic threats.

Sponsored by Clientbook


It will classify lab-grown stones into one of two categories, “premium” or “standard,” in lieu of giving specific color and clarity grades.

President Duma Boko addressed the country’s medical supply chain crisis in a recent televised address.

As a leading global jewelry supplier, Rio Grande is rapidly expanding and developing new solutions to meet the needs of jewelers worldwide.

Former Free People buyer Afton Robertson-Kanne recently joined the retailer.

The singer’s new bling, reportedly a natural old mine-cut diamond, is no paper ring.

Dubbed the “Imboo,” or “buffalo,” emerald, the rough gemstone is part of Gemfields’ latest emerald auction, which is taking place now.

Plans for dining out, booking vacations, and buying big-ticket items were down.

The “Play” collection centers on nostalgic toys that have kinetic elements to carry playfulness and wonder into adulthood.

Designer Christina Puchi, the creative force behind CCWW Designs, has created charms and pendants based on iconic candies and crackers.

The Jonas Brothers star showed off new timepieces against the backdrop of his favorite spots in his home state of New Jersey.

In his latest column, Emmanuel Raheb shares tips for encouraging customers to treat themselves to new jewelry.

The new stand-alone Rolex boutique is housed in the former Odd Fellows Hall, a landmark built in 1897.

The Brilliant Earth ambassador co-designed a diamond medallion featuring meaningful symbols.

Wrap jewelry is more than just a trend; it’s the perfect motif for the coming season of layering, scarves, and pumpkin spice.

The three-day watch collector show, coming this October, will feature 44 exhibiting brands, as well as a new dinner experience.

Sriram “Ram” Natarajan is now GIA’s senior vice president of laboratory operations and is based out of the lab’s headquarters in Carlsbad.

The one-of-a-kind collar represents the beauty of imperfection and the strength to rebuild.

Three C-suite executives, including former CEO Tom Nolan, have resigned as part of what the company describes as a “transition.”

The retailer, which recently filed Chapter 11, inked a deal to sell its North American business and intellectual property.

Target CEO Brian Cornell will step down in February and be replaced by the company’s chief operating officer, Michael Fiddelke.

The group met with the president's senior trade advisor earlier this week to express the industry’s concerns about the effects of tariffs.

The pop-up will display this year's Tiffany & Co. Singles Championship trophies along with a diamond-encrusted tennis racket and ball.