Harlow’s partner, NBA player Kyle Kuzma, worked with Vobara to design the ring, which features oval and pear-shaped diamonds.
Roger Gesswein Jr., a True Gentleman, Dies at 77
He was the third generation to lead tools and equipment supplier Paul H. Gesswein Co.

New York—Roger Gesswein Jr., chairman of global jewelry tools and equipment supplier Paul H. Gesswein Co., died Friday after a battle with mantle cell lymphoma, a rare form of cancer.
He was 77.
Gesswein was the third generation of his family to head the company founded by his grandfather, German immigrant Paul H. Gesswein, in 1914 on Maiden Lane in Lower Manhattan.
He joined the family business in the 1960s after earning a degree in political science from the University of Connecticut, working alongside brother Dwight Gesswein and sister Janet Gesswein Mutti.
In a 2014 interview with Southern Jewelry News marking the company’s 100th anniversary, he recalled working in the family business even before that, going in on weekends and holidays to “play around the office” when he was 14 before taking on more serious tasks when he reached the legal working age of 16.
Gesswein was named president of the company in 1978 and, later, CEO and chairman, helping to innovate and grow the New York-based family business into a global operation.
As news of his passing spread online this week, jewelers recalled how Gesswein and his family’s company had helped them throughout their careers.
“May your father’s memory be a blessing,” one Facebook user wrote on the page of his son, Roger III. “Your company has been outfitting our jewelry store for decades. We bought our first bench and rectifier from him.”
Outside of the family business, Gesswein was active with the Jewelers Vigilance Committee and the Jewelers’ Security Alliance, and was a former president and chairman of the 24 Karat Club of New York City.
In a tribute published Monday, Centurion Editor Hedda Schupak recalled the parties Gesswein would host at his home on the Friday before the annual 24 Karat Club banquet held in New York each January.
“Even before I became a member of the 24 Karat Club, Roger always took time to greet me charmingly, and thoughtfully answer any questions I had about the industry,” she wrote. “He and his wife, Farideh, always welcomed me graciously to their home for their famous annual pre-24 Karat party.”
Gesswein was known for being generous and cultured. His interests outside of the jewelry industry included traveling, food and wine, cigars, art, and music.
He was preceded in death by his sister Janet, who passed away in 2004.
He is survived by his wife, Farideh; daughter Kristen (Stephen
Memorial services will be held at a later date due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Those who wish to make a charitable donation in Gesswein’s memory can make checks payable to: HUMC Foundation #1126 BMT Inpatient, with the memo: In honor of Roger Hudson Gesswein Jr.
The checks should be mailed to Hackensack Meridian, Hackensack University Medical Center Foundation, 160 Essex St., Suite 101, Lodi, NJ 07644.
“These are the people who nurtured and guided Roger through his long and difficult struggle, and cared for him with love and compassion throughout his final months, weeks and days,” his family said.
Editor’s note: This story was updated post-publication to include information about charitable donations in Roger Gesswein Jr.’s memory.
The Latest

The Danish jeweler released the next chapter of its “Be Love” campaign, which celebrates love in all its forms.

The 13 lots on offer were comprised of material that previously went unsold at the miner’s November auction.

The jewelry industry faces challenges from lab-grown diamonds. A diamond ETF can restore natural diamonds' value and drive investor demand.

The learning workshop and the convention are both scheduled to take place April 26 and 27 in Montgomery, Alabama.


The EU, like the U.S., also now will require diamond importers to provide information about where exactly the diamonds were mined.

The formal signing of the agreement comes nearly two years after De Beers and Botswana initially announced they had reached a new deal.

This year will feature a new MJSA Showcase and partnership with Piazza Italia.

The charity will celebrate Pandora CEO Alexander Lacik and Brilliant Earth CEO Beth Gerstein at its annual event in Las Vegas.

Retailers need to have the right merchandise, marketing, and people in place to stay on top in a sea of uncertainty, Peter Smith writes.

Senior Editor Lenore Fedow traveled to Smyth Jewelers in Maryland to see the first of 15 revamped in-store boutiques Tacori is rolling out.

The parent company of HSN and QVC is undergoing a restructuring.

The company’s newest brand ambassador Eiza González will also be featured in the ads for the women’s campaign.

Declining supply and growing demand persist in the colored gemstone market, presenters from Gemworld said at AGTA GemFair Tucson.

The designer’s new patent transforms the everyday clasp into her jumbo “Lobster Clasp,” modeled after the look of a crustacean’s claw.

Kenewendo, Botswana’s minister of minerals and energy, will discuss the future of diamonds.

Sales at the Rio Tinto-owned mine also slid by a double-digit percentage, falling 37 percent in a difficult market for diamonds.

Heidi Gardner, an SNL cast member, wore the smoky quartz earrings on the “SNL50: The Anniversary Special” red carpet on Sunday.

The reversal comes less than two months after the Zambian government reinstated the tax in an effort to bring in more money.

The organization also announced its newly elected officers and directors.

As anticipated, Anglo took another impairment charge on the diamond miner and marketer, which saw revenue sink 23 percent in 2024.

Ronald Winston is giving the 2.33-carat “Winston Red” to the Smithsonian, 67 years after his father donated the Hope Diamond.

Kirit Bhansali, a partner in Smital Gems and chairman of India Jewellery Park, will take on the role of chairman.

The company has to pay the Justice Department and FinCEN for violating the Bank Secrecy Act, the U.S.’s main anti-money laundering law.

Petra Diamonds Ltd. CEO Richard Duffy resigned as the diamond miner reported a 30 percent drop in sales to start its fiscal year.

Pinterest is a potential gold mine for jewelry brands, Emmanuel Raheb writes, provided they follow these five tips.

The boutique is the French luxury brand’s first airport store on the West Coast.