Independents

In Memoriam: Remembering Those We Lost in 2023

IndependentsDec 27, 2023

In Memoriam: Remembering Those We Lost in 2023

From notable designers and retailers to beloved salespeople and press, National Jeweler looks back on those we said goodbye to this year.

20231227_In Memoriam Header.jpg
From notable designers and retailers to beloved salespeople and industry press, National Jeweler looks back on those we said goodbye to this year.
New York—The jewelry world mourned the loss of several beloved and respected members from all facets of the industry in 2023, from designers and retailers to salespeople and industry press.

National Jeweler honors their memories below, including those who passed near the end of 2022 and weren’t included in National Jeweler’s “In Memoriam” story last year.

-----

David Hollingsworth Ellis died Dec. 28, 2022, following an illness at age 85. He was remembered as a sharply dressed, quintessential southern gentleman with a talent for sales, dedicating six decades to the watch and jewelry industries.

-----

Daniel Scott Marks, former co-owner of Houston’s I W Marks Jewelers, died Jan. 8 following a respiratory illness at age 52. He was remembered as a devoted family man and his two sons’ biggest fans.

----

William Mark Michaels, the former CEO and owner of the Michaels Jewelers chain, died Jan. 2 at age 71. After selling the business in 2019, he established The Michaels Group, teaming up with his daughters, Lindsay and Brittany.

-----

Longtime industry salesman Robert “Bob” Spragins died Jan. 22 at his home in Plano, Texas, at age 82. Spragins worked in sales for Stuckey Diamonds and Everwed Jewelry, among others, and had his own business for a decade, Lone Star Diamond Inc.

-----

Israel “Izzy” Itkowitz, a well-known figure in the industry who cut his first diamond when he was a teenager, died Feb. 18 at age 68. Itkowitz grew up in a diamond family and was part of the three-member team of cutters who invented the princess cut in 1979.

-----

Jerry Ehrenwald, former president, CEO and partial owner of the International Gemological Institute’s North American division, died March 6 at age 77. Ehrenwald grew up in the diamond business, working summers cutting diamonds alongside his father beginning at age 11. He worked at IGI for nearly 40 years.

-----

Roland Naftule, co-founder of NAFCO Gems, died from cancer on April 1 at age 85. Born in Geneva, Switzerland, he established NAFCO after moving to the U.S. with his father. Remembered for his integrity and leadership, Naftule was among the founding members of both AGTA and ICA.

-----

William "Bill" Underwood
William "Bill" Underwood


William “Bill” Underwood, founder of Underwoods Jewelers, died April 2 from cancer at age 90. The former American Gem Society president is remembered as an industry icon and a beloved mentor.

-----

Cyril Israileff, founder of ASBA USA, died from cancer at age 65, his family announced in April. Born in Switzerland, the pearl dealer and jewelry designer established his U.S. business in the early ‘80s and is remember for his generosity and love of rock music.

-----

Kate Peterson
Kate Peterson


Longtime sales trainer Kate Peterson died April 11 as the result of a fire at her Maryland home. Peterson was 64 and is remembered for her love of learning, generosity, and dedication to her family and to her many dogs.
-----

Fourth-generation jeweler Will Minster, whose family owned Delaware independent Minster’s Jewelers, died, WDEL reported April 14. The Minsters owned and operated multiple jewelry stores for generations, and Will remained a fierce advocate for local, family-owned businesses even after his family closed their stores.

-----

Rick Borchert, a mentor and recruiter with more than four decades’ experience in the industry, died April 18 at age 73. He is remembered for his love of the industry, his upbeat personality and the daily motivational posts he’d share on LinkedIn. 

-----

Effy Hematian
Effy Hematian


Effy Hematian, the founder and driving creative force behind Effy Jewelry, died April 30 at age 79. Hematian emigrated from Iran in the late 1970s and started his company from scratch. He is remembered for his love of jewelry design, his kindness and his generosity.

-----

Antonino “Tony” Marciano, senior vice president of sales for Quality Gold, died unexpectedly April 30. He was 61. Known as “Tony M,” friends and colleagues remember Marciano for his larger-than-life personality whose approach to customer relationships was the “gold standard.”

-----

Zvi Yehuda, an inventor of various diamond-related instruments and processes, died May 6 at age 86. His career spanned 70 years and during that time, he never stopped learning. His son, Dror Yehuda, said Zvi constantly was reading or doing research on the internet. 

-----

Harry Levy, a respected industry leader, died May 15 at age 83. Levy was involved with a number of prominent industry organizations including the London Diamond Bourse, Gem-A, and CIBJO, the World Jewellery Confederation. He was known for his leadership on issues surrounding diamond nomenclature, always advocating for clear and transparent communication to consumers.

-----

James Lee Peach Sr., founder of the American Shell Company and the United States Pearl Company, died May 26 at age 78. Peach was known for his pearl expertise and dedication to the trade, making him a global authority on the gemstone.

-----

Gabriel “Gabi” Tolkowsky died May 28 at age 84. Born into a family with a long history in the diamond industry, Tolkowsky learned the trade from his father and went on to work for De Beers for 20 years, cutting important stones such as the 273.85-carat “Centenary Diamond” and the 545.67-carat “Golden Jubilee Diamond.”

-----

Vladimir Malakhov, editor-in-chief of industry news site Rough & Polished, died June 17 at 76. Malakhov managed a staff of two dozen reporters across three continents and is remembered for his kind and easy-going nature.

-----

Jewelry designer Peter Brams died July 1 at age 77. A native of New Hampshire, Brams got his start as a jewelry importer in 1973 before moving into design. He is remembered for being humble and shy, as well as for being a loyal brother, uncle and friend.

-----

Charlotte, North Carolina jeweler Ernest Perry died July 22 at age 78. Perry and his wife, Priscilla Perry, opened their first jewelry store in 1978. He was known for being active in his community and loved spending time with his family at the beach. 

-----

Bong Ki Kim
Bong Ki Kim


Bong Ki Kim, founder of Kim International, died July 28 at age 94. Born in North Korea, Kim survived three years in a prison camp before fleeing to South Korea and eventually immigrating to the United States. He started his jewelry business in Dallas in 1975.

-----

Dominick Sorresso, an industry veteran with more than 45 years’ experience, died Aug. 11 at age 72. Sorresso held a variety of jobs in the industry, including 23 years as vice president of merchandising for Rogers Enterprises. He is remembered for being creative, generous, and funny.
-----

Former De Beers and Anglo American Chairman Julian Ogilvie Thompson died Aug. 11 in Johannesburg, South Africa. He was 89. Known as JOT to his friends, Thompson started as Harry Oppenheimer’s personal assistant in 1957 and worked his way up from there.

-----

Richard Lee Weiss, who ran Weiss Jewelers in Greeley, Colorado, died Aug. 28 at age 82. Weiss attended college in California before returning to his native Colorado in the early 1980s to run the store his family had owned for more than 100 years. He was an active member of the Greeley community and an avid Denver Broncos fan.
-----

Michael Kazanjian, chairman of Kazanjian in Beverly Hills, California, died of a heart attack Sept. 6 at age 86. Kazanjian attended the University of Southern California and served in the U.S. Navy before joining the family diamond and gemstone business. He is remembered for his integrity, and being an excellent business partner and a generous man.

-----

Sally Nelson, a pioneer in the world of women-owned businesses, died Sept. 16 at age 86. Nelson spent 14 years as a schoolteacher before cashing in her retirement account and securing at loan—at an interest rate of 21 percent—to open Exclusively Diamonds in Mankato, Minnesota, in 1980.

-----

Hedda Schupak
Hedda Schupak


Hedda Schupak, former editor-in-chief of JCK magazine and the Centurion newsletter, died Oct. 3 of complications from lung cancer. She was 62. Schupak started her career on the production side at JCK but quickly discovered her true passion—covering fashion, jewelry trends. and designers. She is remembered for her loyalty, her honesty, and her love of cats. 

-----

Loyd Charles Stanley, the longtime owner of Stanley Jewelers Gemologist in North Little Rock, Arkansas, died Oct. 4 at age 84. The North Little Rock native is remembered for having lived by the mantra, “never criticize, condemn, or complain.” 

-----

Isaac Siton, the manager of Grandview Klein’s factory in Namibia, was among the victims of the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks in Israel. Siton worked for Grandview Klein for nearly 20 years and served as a father figure to many of the company’s employees in Namibia. Grandview Klein President Moshe Klein described him as “the fabric of the factory.”

-----

Jörg Bucherer, the third-generation leader of watch retailer Bucherer, died in early November at age 87. Carl F. Bucherer started the family company in 1888, and Jörg took over the business from his father in 1977, guiding it through the “quartz crisis” and building an empire along the way. His death came less than three months after news broke that he was selling Bucherer to Rolex.

-----

Henry Dunay
Henry Dunay


Celebrated jewelry designer Henry Dunay, a Jersey City native who started as a jeweler’s apprentice on Canal Street when he was just 14, died Nov. 10 at age 88. Dunay started his eponymous jewelry company in 1956 at age 21. Initially, he was making jewelry for other companies, like Harry Winston, but it wasn’t long before his original designs started getting attention and winning awards.

-----

Peter Damian Arguello, owner of Peter Damian Fine Jewelry & Antiques, died Nov. 29 in an apparent armed robbery at his Wheat Ridge, Colorado, jewelry store. He was 64. A native of Denver and fourth-generation Coloradan, Arguello opened his store in 2007 and was a beloved member of the Wheat Ridge business community. 

The Latest

Jemma Wynne Forme Toggle Necklace
CollectionsJul 25, 2025
Piece of the Week: Jemma Wynne’s ‘Forme’ Necklace

Anne Hathaway was seen wearing the toggle necklace three times while filming scenes for “The Devil Wears Prada 2.”

September Hong Kong jewelry show
Events & AwardsJul 25, 2025
Pre-Registration Open for September Hong Kong Show

Jewellery & Gem World Hong Kong is scheduled for Sept. 15 to 21, and buyer pre-registration will be available until Sept. 7.

Bulgari Celestial Mosaic spinel necklace
FinancialsJul 25, 2025
LVMH Sales Slip in H1 Amid ‘Prevailing Uncertainties’

Renovations at Tiffany & Co. stores ate into profits in the company’s watch and jewelry division.

rio-article photo-diamond.jpg
Brought to you by
Taking the Moment Head On: How Rio Grande Champions the Present & Future of Fine Jewelry

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

Mark and Candy Udell
Events & AwardsJul 24, 2025
2 Retailers to Receive 2026 Gem Award for Lifetime Achievement

Mark and Candy Udell of London Jewelers will receive the honor at the 24th annual Gem Awards next March.

Weekly QuizJul 25, 2025
This Week’s Quiz
Test your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
Take the Quiz
De Beers marine mining vessel the SS Nujoma
SourcingJul 24, 2025
De Beers Sees Diamond Production Sink 36% in Q2

While struggles continue at the mining and trading end of the pipeline, consumer demand for diamond jewelry is holding steady.

Francesca Villa Fantasia Collection The Crab Pendant, The Mermaid Pendant, Keep Dancing Seahorse Pendant, Keep Dancing Ladybug Pendant, Secret Dreams Pendant, The Puffer Fish Takes Flight Pendant
CollectionsJul 24, 2025
Francesca Villa Adds Dimension to Her Intaglio Characters

The “Fantasia” jewelry collection turns the intaglio animals from her “Close Encounters” collection into 3D characters.

an instructor and a student in a bench jewelry classroom
Brought to you by
Investing in the Next Generation of Bench Jewelers

The Seymour & Evelyn Holtzman Bench Scholarship from Jewelers of America returns for a second year.

Breitling’s special Eagles Super Bowl watch on gold bracelet
WatchesJul 24, 2025
Breitling Drops Super Bowl Watch Honoring the Philadelphia Eagles

The special Classic Avi Chronograph 42 with an Eagles-green dial is limited to 59 pieces, a nod to the Super Bowl Philadelphia just won.

Stock image of crime scene tape
CrimeJul 23, 2025
JSA Warns of Violent String of Smash-and-Grabs in California

JSA has received reports of mobs swarming jewelry stores, driving cars into the storefront or smashing through the windows.

Silvia Furmanovich Kasmir Collection Carnelian Bracelet and Sketch
CollectionsJul 23, 2025
Silvia Furmanovich’s ‘Kashmir’ Collection Is a Tribute to Northern India

The “Kashmir” collection features centuries-old craft techniques made in collaboration with the region’s master papier-mâché artisans.

A Vanitas by Hannah Martin and Guy Berryman Sothebys
CollectionsJul 22, 2025
Jewelry With a Rock ‘n’ Roll Aesthetic Heads to Sotheby’s London

Next week, the auction house will kick off a selling exhibition of jewelry by British artist Hannah Martin and Coldplay’s Guy Berryman.

Cover of the book “Flawless: Inside the Largest Diamond Heist in History”
SourcingJul 22, 2025
Antwerp Diamond Heist Documentary Coming to Netflix

“Stolen: Heist of the Century” is based on “Flawless,” the book about the middle-of-the-night theft, and will debut on Netflix in August.

Emmanuel Raheb
ColumnistsJul 22, 2025
The Gifting Gap: How to Market Jewelry Beyond the Holidays

Emmanuel Raheb shares the top five gifting moments outside of major holidays that jewelers should build marketing campaigns around.

NY Now
Events & AwardsJul 22, 2025
NY Now’s Summer Market Returns in August

The wholesale trade show’s Luxury Lifestyle section will showcase established and emerging jewelry designers.

Jeweler setting a diamond into a ring
MajorsJul 21, 2025
Rio Grande Expands Personalization Offerings

As demand for custom jewelry grows, the company is expanding its services to support retailers.

National Associate of Jewelry Appraisers Logo
Events & AwardsJul 21, 2025
NAJA’s 2025 ‘Ace It’ Conference To Go Virtual

The mid-year conference for jewelry and watch appraisers is slated for Aug. 9 to 10 on Zoom.

Jacquie Aiche graduated turquoise beaded necklace
TrendsJul 21, 2025
Amanda’s Style File: Graduated With Honors

Graduated stones make for elevated tennis-style pieces and dramatic statement necklaces.

24th Gem Awards Show Logo
Events & AwardsJul 21, 2025
Gem Awards Now Accepting Nominations for 2026

Nominations in the categories of Jewelry Design, Media Excellence, and Retail Innovation will be accepted through July 30.

Lewis Heyman
MajorsJul 18, 2025
Lewis Heyman on Sourcing Gemstones, Post-Retirement Plans

He retired last month after 28 years traveling the world to source the very best gemstones for his family’s jewelry business, Oscar Heyman.

CCWW Designs Multiple Shell Charm Necklace
TrendsJul 18, 2025
Piece of the Week: CCWW Designs’ Shell Charm Necklace

The charm necklace features six nautical charms of shells and coral that founder Christina Puchi collected on Florida’s beaches.

The Plumb Club board members
MajorsJul 18, 2025
Plumb Club Elects New Board Members

The organization elected its youngest vice president as it looks to draw in fresh talent.

Jewelry industry veterans Brad Campbell and John Liebler
TechnologyJul 18, 2025
Brad Campbell, John Liebler Join Clientbook’s Executive Team

Campbell joins the company as vice president of business development while Liebler is the new vice president of operations.

Silver, Gold, and Bronze Medals for Italy Olympic Winter Games
CollectionsJul 17, 2025
2026 Winter Olympic Medal Design Symbolizes Unity

The medals feature a split-texture design highlighting the Games’ first time being hosted by two cities and the athletes’ journeys.

vimeo screenshot.png
Supplier BulletinJul 17, 2025
The INSTORE Jewelry Show 2025: Your Holiday Preparations, All Wrapped Up!

Sponsored by The INSTORE Jewelry Show 2025

Guinness
SurveysJul 17, 2025
The Most Recommended Brands in the World, According to YouGov

Globally, travel and transportation brands reigned, while in the U.S., alcoholic beverage companies and a lingerie brand took the top spots.

Gina Ferranti
IndependentsJul 17, 2025
Gina Ferranti of GiGi Ferranti Jewelry Dies at 59

The Brooklyn-based jewelry designer is remembered as a true artist and a rare talent.

×

This site uses cookies to give you the best online experience. By continuing to use & browse this site, we assume you agree to our Privacy Policy