Jewelry Appraiser Craig Lynch Dies at 70

Phoenix—Craig Lynch, a Phoenix-based jewelry appraiser and industry veteran known for being generous with this time and knowledge, died unexpectedly on Nov. 23.

He was 70 years old.

Lynch’s family announced his passing via his Facebook page on Nov. 26.

For the past 35 years, Lynch owned and operated Ouellet and Lynch, an independent gem and jewelry appraisal firm in Phoenix. 

Since 2008, he had served as the gemological consultant and appraiser for the “Somewhere in the Rainbow” collection.

“Our rainbow just became less colorful,” Shelly Sergent, curator of the Somewhere in the Rainbow collection, said in a post to Lynch’s Facebook page. 

According to his online obituary, Lynch was born on Feb. 28, 1954, in Duluth, Minnesota.

He was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and was committed to his faith, a cornerstone of his life. 

He was eager to share the gospel, his family said. He was baptized on March 3, 1962, and he served as a full-time missionary in England from 1974 to 1975.

Lynch also was passionate about his work as a gem and jewelry appraiser. 

He earned his graduate gemologist accreditation from the Gemological Institute of America in 1983, followed by his accredited senior gemologist title from the Accredited Gemologists Association in 1985. 

Lynch later became a senior member of the American Society of Appraisers and a certified insurance appraiser through the Jewelry Insurance Appraisal Institute.

Over the course of his nearly 50-year career in the jewelry industry, Lynch handled and appraised a variety of rare and historic jewels, including the 76-carat D-flawless “Archduke Joseph” diamond that sold for $21 million at Christie’s Geneva in 2012.

He did numerous appraisals for the Smithsonian’s mineral and gem collection at the National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C., The Museum of Natural History of Los Angeles County, and The Alfie Norville Gem and Mineral Museum in Tucson, Arizona.

In 2002, he was chosen as the appraiser for all jewelry and watches recovered from the RMS Titanic wreckage, according to a profile on Lynch on the American Gem Trade Association’s website.

Lynch authored several published articles as well as the 2010 book, “Is That Really A Ruby?”

He also shared his knowledge on television several times locally and nationally, with AGTA noting he had appeared in more than 45 episodes of the PBS television series “Arizona Collectibles” as the show’s on-air expert for gems and jewelry.

Gail Brett Levine, executive director of the National Association of Jewelry Appraisers (NAJA), told National Jeweler via email that Lynch’s presence was felt in Tucson on multiple levels, and he always had time to greet you with a smile and something to share.

“His contributions to the appraisal community were unstinting,” said Levine. “Rarely would Craig decline an invitation to present as he loved sharing his knowledge, as well as learning from others. He believed in education.”

Industry journalist Jennifer Heebner, who currently serves as editor-in-chief of AGTA’s Prism magazine and newsletter, said via email that whenever she was writing about an obscure topic, like appraising pearls, Lynch was top of her list of people to call. 

“He had both the real-world and classroom experience to offer insights that others wouldn’t know, such why cultured pearls could be found in some 100-year-old natural pearl necklaces,” she said.

“I remember him telling me that if pearls needed to be replaced over the years, people would most likely just add cultured ones because they were much easier to obtain than a matching natural. Craig was a wealth of information for those stories.”

Following the announcement of his death, Lynch’s Facebook page was flooded with posts from friends and colleagues, who remembered him as caring, generous, a wonderful friend and a talented gemologist. 

Phillip Bosen, director of sales at Arizona jewelry store Coffin & Trout Fine Jewellers wrote, “Craig was always positive and upbeat. He was what all gemologist(s) should strive to become. Honest, knowledgeable, kind, professional, respectful, and much more. Deepest condolences to his family.”

Alongside his work, Lynch had a wide range of hobbies and interests, including a love for the outdoors and adventure and his penchant for telling “dad jokes.”

He became a certified scuba diver at age 15 and later pursued commercial deep-sea diving training at the Divers Training Academy in Florida, going on to volunteer as a search-and-rescue diver.

Lynch was preceded in death by his father, Robert John Lynch; his mother, June Diane Kotka; and his grandson, Noah Michael Jakeman.

He is survived by his wife of 42 years, Donna Wilkinson Lynch of Phoenix; son Joshua Robert Lynch, daughter-in-law Ariel Jensen, and granddaughter Iris of Murray, Utah; and daughter Alexandria Elizabeth Jakeman, son-in-law Shaun Jakeman, and grandchildren Lilyan, Elijah, Aiden, and Emma Jakeman, all of Lawrenceburg, Tennessee.

A memorial service will be held today at 4 p.m. MST/6 p.m. EST at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Phoenix. 

For those unable to attend in person, the event will be live-streamed via Facebook.

Flowers or donations may be sent to Sunland Memorial Park Mortuary, located at 15826 Del Webb Blvd., in Sun City, Arizona.

A GoFundMe Lynch’s daughter organized to raise money for funeral expenses and support his family can be found here.