SurveysApr 24, 2026
Mother’s Day 2026 Jewelry Spending to Top $7B, NRF SaysNRF’s annual survey found that 45 percent of consumers plan to purchase jewelry for a loved one this Mother’s Day.
SourcingJun 12, 2019
Glenn Nord, Past President and ‘Captain’ of GIA, Dies
The institute will honor the industry veteran by establishing a scholarship in his name.
Glenn Nord, the GIA’s third president, is credited with broadening the appeal of GIA education on a global basis. He died June 9 at the age of 90.
Carlsbad, Calif.—Glenn Nord, the third president of the Gemological Institute of America, died June 9. He was 90 years old.
Through his five-plus decades with the GIA, Nord was a student, instructor, president and member of its board of governors.
He received his Graduate Gemologist diploma in 1959 and was hired by the institute’s second president, Richard T. Liddicoat, in 1961.
He started as one of GIA’s traveling instructors, providing gemological training for students—and becoming a well-known and very popular teacher, according to GIA’s fourth president and friend Bill Boyajian—while also promoting the institute to local jewelers.
Glenn was the No. 2 person for the GIA on the West Coast behind Liddicoat during the institute’s formative years from the 1960s through 1974, Boyajian said, adding that he was the “perfect complement to the soft-spoken Liddicoat, himself a prince of a man.”
Nord is credited with pioneering the GIA’s corporate training programs. In 1970, he took GIA instruction to Israel and Japan, beginning a global outreach that now spans 14 cities in 12 countries.
Boyajian said he “probably did more to broaden the appeal of GIA education than anyone else.”
Nord left the GIA in 1974 to join Joseph Goldfinger, one of the biggest diamond dealers in the world.
The board of governors then asked him to return as president in 1983, as then-president Liddicoat was transitioning out due to health issues.
Nord retired from the GIA in 1986, after which time Boyajian became president—handpicked by Nord and Liddicoat themselves—but remained on the GIA board of governors until his death, serving the last few years as governor emeritus.
Boyajian said: “Glenn was a very strong and commanding person. Tall and good-looking, he commanded attention and was viewed as tough businessman. But he was also sensitive and thoughtful in how he dealt with people and could become quite emotional when confronted with the tough decisions he often had to make.”
“Glenn was a pioneer, maybe even more like a captain, at GIA and even in the industry. His greatness is legendary, and his memory lives on.”
The GIA honored Nord with its highest honor, the Richard T. Liddicoat Award, in 2001.
It credits him, along with other early leaders like Liddicoat, G.
Editors' Picks
Sponsored by
Robert Crowningshield, Bert Krashes and Eunice Miles, with laying the “foundation upon which GIA is built,” guiding it through difficult times and offering numerous contributions.
“Glenn Nord was a committed advocate for GIA’s mission, and for our students and the GIA staff, particularly those in our gemological laboratories,” GIA President and CEO Susan Jacques said. “His business acumen and wisdom, shared over decades with GIA management and the board of governors, provided strategic guidance that built GIA’s success.”
He is survived by his wife, Hannah, their three children and their grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Services will be held on June 22 in Pasadena, California.
The GIA said it will soon establish a scholarship in his name.
More on Sourcing
The Latest
TechnologyApr 24, 2026
TwentyFour’s Digital-Age Locket Is a Virtual VaultThe “Vault” charm, our Piece of the Week, expands on the memories that can be stored in a locket by connecting to your phone.
Events & AwardsApr 24, 2026
Hamptons Jewelry Show to Return in JulyThe open-to-the-public luxury jewelry and timepiece show, in its second year, is slated for July 23-26.
Brought to you by
Discover Timeless Treasures: A Showcase of Antique Jewelry & Timepieces in Las VegasGain access to the most exclusive and coveted antique pieces from trusted dealers during Las Vegas Jewelry Week.
IndependentsApr 23, 2026
Meet the Real Moms of Day’s JewelersThe jeweler’s Mother’s Day campaign highlights the women who work there—mothers, grandmothers, women who want to be mothers, and dog moms.
Weekly QuizApr 23, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
Supplier BulletinApr 23, 2026
JM® Shipping Solution: Smarter Shipping for High-Value GoodsSponsored by Jewelers Mutual
Lab-GrownApr 23, 2026
Charles & Colvard May Sell Assets for $1.5MThe proposed agreement follows the moissanite maker’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection filing last month.
Brought to you by
Las Vegas Antique Jewelry & Watch Show: Showcasing the Most Collectible Merchandise from Across the GlobeGain access to the most exclusive and coveted antique pieces from trusted dealers during Las Vegas Jewelry Week.
AuctionsApr 23, 2026
John Jacob Astor IV’s Titanic Pocket Watch Fetches $1MThe Patek Philippe for Tiffany & Co. timepiece Astor brought aboard the ill-fated ship sold for double its estimate at a Freeman’s auction.
CollectionsApr 23, 2026
Adam Neeley’s High Jewelry Collection Steps Into Salvador Dalí’s GardenThe “Dalí’s Garden” collection was inspired by a surreal dream Neeley had after cooking a recipe from Salvador Dalí’s 1973 cookbook.
IndependentsApr 23, 2026
Windsor Jewelers Names New Buying DirectorNatalie Feanny has been appointed to the role.
CrimeApr 22, 2026
New Mexico Couple Pleads Guilty to Selling Fake Native American JewelryThe pair falsely claimed their jewelry was made by Navajo artists, but it was imported from Vietnam.
AuctionsApr 22, 2026
Roberta Flack’s Jewelry Is Going Up for AuctionJulien’s Auctions is selling the musician’s fine and fashion jewelry alongside her clothing, gold records, and other memorabilia.
CollectionsApr 22, 2026
British Museum Curator Pens Book on ‘The Tudor Heart’Rachel King’s book dives into the history of the pendant believed to have belonged to Henry VIII and his first wife, Katherine of Aragon.
Events & AwardsApr 22, 2026
Here’s What Sy Kessler Has on Tap for Las Vegas The company will have deals on precious metals testers as well as the latest in lab-grown diamond detection technology and security.
WatchesApr 21, 2026
Coco Chanel Enters the Game with New Watch CollectionGabrielle “Coco” Chanel is a character in the “Coco Game” collection of watches and the queen in its first haute horlogerie chessboard.
IndependentsApr 21, 2026
Meet Jewelers of America’s 2026 ‘20 Under 40’ ClassThe annual list honors rising professionals on the retail and supply sides of the jewelry industry.
CrimeApr 21, 2026
Customs Nabs 1,500 Pieces of Counterfeit Jewelry Bound for NYCSeized in Kentucky, the packages include fake Cartier, Tiffany & Co., Chanel, and Fendi jewelry.
CrimeApr 20, 2026
Queens Man Convicted in Bludgeoning Death of Pawn Shop OwnerRodolfo Lopez-Portillo faces 25 years to life in prison after being found guilty in the March 2022 beating death of Arasb Shoughi.
TrendsApr 20, 2026
Beth Bernstein, Sonia Esther Soltani Pen New Jewelry Book“Jewelry Creators: Dynamic Duos and Generational Gems” highlights the relationships among 22 influential designers, brands, and gem dealers.
Events & AwardsApr 20, 2026
Atlanta Jewelry Show’s Spring Event Is Hitting the RoadThe AJS Spring 2027 show will be held in Savannah, Georgia, with future shows taking place in other Southeast cities.
MajorsApr 20, 2026
Kendra Scott Names New CFO, Chief Business OfficerThe jewelry retailer plans to open 20 new stores this year and expand into new product categories.
TrendsApr 17, 2026
New (Groundbreaking) Floral Jewelry for Spring 2026Flower motifs are the jewelry trend blooming amongst the new collections that debuted this spring.
MajorsApr 17, 2026
QVC Group Files for Chapter 11 BankruptcyThe retailer reported an 8 percent decline in annual sales as it struggles under the weight of billions of dollars of debt.
CollectionsApr 17, 2026
Edina Kiss’ Earrings Are the Devil on Your ShoulderThe “Devil” drop earrings, our Piece of the Week, are part of designer Edina Kiss’ new namesake jewelry line that she will show at Couture.
CrimeApr 17, 2026
FBI Issues Warning to Refineries, Retailers Due to High Price of GoldThe alert states that burglary crews are targeting jewelry businesses and details how jewelers and refineries can protect themselves.
WatchesApr 16, 2026
Cartier Brings Back the RoadsterThe “watchmaker of shapes” debuted the reworked version of the vintage sports car-inspired timepiece at Watches & Wonders.
