The Museum of Arts and Design's new exhibition features 75 pieces by the designer, best known for her work in the “Black Panther” films.
Longtime Iowa Jeweler Herman Ginsberg Dies at 99
A third-generation jeweler, Ginsberg worked at his family’s store, Ginsberg Jewelers, from 1948 until his retirement in 2019.

He was 99.
Ginsberg Jewelers shared news of his passing Wednesday on Facebook.
“Herman leaves behind an incredible legacy—over seven decades dedicated to the jewelry industry and a lifetime of kindness, wisdom, and passion for his craft. As a third-generation jeweler, he helped shape our family business and touched countless lives with his warmth and generosity,” the post states.
“He will be truly missed, but never forgotten.”
According to his obituary, Ginsberg was born Emil Herman Ginsberg on Jan. 15, 1926, in Sedalia, Missouri.
He enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps after high school, serving as a corporal at Hobbs Army Airfield in New Mexico from 1943 to 1945.
After he served in the military, Ginsberg attended the University of Iowa, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in commerce in 1948.
He started working at Ginsberg Jewelers as soon as possible, literally.
As he tells it, Ginsberg went out to lunch with his family after his graduation ceremony, and after lunch, he started working in the store.
For decades, he ran Ginsberg Jewelers alongside his father and brothers, and, at one point, the business grew to five locations in Cedar Rapids and Des Moines, Iowa.
In a live oral histories event in 2018, which was recorded and shared on the Linn County History Center’s YouTube channel, the longtime jeweler told a holiday story many retailers can appreciate.
One Christmas, Ginsberg decided to take out a small ad in the local newspaper announcing that Ginsberg Jewelers would be open from noon to 4 p.m. on Christmas Day for “the real procrastinators.”
“My wife didn’t like it, [and] none of the employees would come to work,” Herman recalled, so he headed to the store alone that Dec. 25.
When he got there, there was a line of 10 to 15 people waiting at the door, and he said it turned out to be one of the best sales days he ever had.
Ginsberg’s son, Steve Ginsberg, joined the business in 1993. Together, they navigated recessions and the 2008 flood that devastated Cedar Rapids.
A fixture in the downtown Cedar Rapids business community, Herman invested in and worked to sustain the area for years and was “deeply and personally” affected by the flood, his obituary states.
He and Steve moved their store out of downtown Cedar Rapids and into a shopping center in 2009.
Herman retired in 2019, and in 2024, Steve transitioned Ginsberg Jewelers to an appointment-only operation, closing the physical store.
Herman is survived by three children, Julie Brusen, Steve Ginsberg, and Tom Ginsberg; seven grandchildren, Robin Brusen, Sam Brusen, Jackson Bartelme, Lincoln Ginsberg, Harrison Ginsberg, Isabel Ginsberg, and Alexander Ginsberg; one great-granddaughter, Penelope Rose Brusen; one son-in-law, Karl Brusen; and two daughters-in-law, Leslie Hurtig and Lucy Harrington.
He was preceded in death by his wife of 43 years, Phyllis Ginsberg, and two brothers, Stanley and Louis.
Services are scheduled to be held today at 1 p.m. CDT at Temple Judah in Cedar Rapids, with burial immediately following. A shiva will be held at the temple at 7 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Temple Judah Foundation.
The Latest

Making its auction debut, "The Glowing Rose" is expected to fetch $20 million at the November jewelry sale in Geneva.

They were attacked on Oct. 15, as approximately 40 miners without licenses marched on the mine’s gate.

You deserve to know what you are selling–to protect your customers as well as your business and your reputation.

It took the masked thieves less than 10 minutes to steal eight irreplaceable jewels from two display cases in the museum’s Apollo Gallery.


Gemologist Lauren Gayda has previously worked at The Clear Cut, Taylor & Hart, and Effy Jewelry.

The new showcase dedicated to Italian jewelry design is set for Oct. 29-30.

The upcoming show provides savvy retailers with the opportunity to stock their cases with best sellers in advance of the holiday season.

Take a gaze at the sky with this pair of platinum diamond-set star earrings with blue lace agate drops.

The new high jewelry design and production process takes 30 days or less from concept to completion, the auction house said.

The holiday catalog for 2025 features never-before-seen images of more than 100 one-of-a-kind masterpieces.

The brand has released a second installment of its collection of traditional and non-traditional commitment heirlooms.

Corey rescued New England chain Day’s Jewelers, preserving its legacy with strong people skills, pragmatism, and a “get-it-done” attitude.

Charles Robinson Shay was sentenced to life in prison plus 120 years while his accomplice, Michael James McCormack, got 75 years.

Timepieces at Luxury will take place at The Venetian and, like Luxury, will be invitation-only for the first two days.

The auction house named a new global head of jewelry, as well as a new head of the jewelry department for the Americas.

As chairman of Schwanke-Kasten Jewelers, Tom Dixon has been tasked with honoring the past and shaping the future of the family-run store.

Katty Villapando Lyte and Mica Rencher received a $10,000 grant for their business, Shimmer Culture LLC.

The parents of the Dallas Mavericks rookie bought their engagement ring at a Day’s store in Bangor, Maine, in 1997.

The UK-based brand sourced the gemstones, which are fully traceable, from an artisanal mining community in Tanzania.

The trio of Advent calendars include a version with 18-karat gold and lab-grown diamond jewelry in a red lacquer jewelry box.

Created in collaboration with Nymphenburg Porcelain, the lock is part of a four-piece collection that took two years to bring to fruition.

Jewelry industry veteran Alisa Bunger has taken on the role.

The company and industry leader’s two-decade tenure with De Beers will come to a close at the end of the month.

“The Winter Egg” set the world auction record for a Fabergé piece twice at previous Christie’s sales.

The company will pay 1.5x silver’s current spot price for each pound of silver oxide batteries submitted.

The line includes a “Shadow” series crafted exclusively for the new men’s offering and reimagined styles from the brand’s core collections.