Independents

Bob Sears Siragusa, Beloved Mentor to Many, Dies at 72

IndependentsMay 20, 2020

Bob Sears Siragusa, Beloved Mentor to Many, Dies at 72

He brought Maurice Lacroix to the United States and spent more than a decade as president of the U.S. market for the Swiss watch brand.

20200520_Bob_Siragusa.jpg
Robert “Bob” Sears Siragusa, who brought Swiss watch brand Maurice Lacroix to the United States, has passed away from complications related to COVID-19.

Los Angeles—Robert “Bob” Sears Siragusa, a beloved industry veteran who served as the president of Maurice Lacroix U.S.A., died over the weekend from complications related to COVID-19 after a decade-long battle with Alzheimer’s disease.

He was 72.

One of his two sons, Brent Siragusa, confirmed his passing in a Facebook post on Saturday, writing: “It’s with deep sadness that we have to report to our family and friends that our dad, loving husband, father, and grandfather, Bob Siragusa, has left our earth.”

Siragusa started off on the jewelry side of the business, founding jewelry manufacturer Aurion International in the mid-1980s before switching to the job for which he was perhaps most well-known—president of Maurice Lacroix U.S.A.

“Bob was an industry veteran who was between jobs when he came across a watch brand he immediately fell in love with. Maurice Lacroix had no distribution in the United States, and Bob was convinced they needed to be here,” jeweler and American Gem Society president John Carter wrote on the AGS Facebook page.

So, Carter wrote, Siragusa convinced the Swiss family who owned the watch brand to take a chance on the U.S. market despite a recent spate of bankruptcies. They did, and he built a “very successful” brand here.

Then 24 years old and fresh out of college, Carter worked under Siragusa as a traveling salesman for Maurice Lacroix for five years.

He said Siragusa taught him how to be a mentor, as well as the customer service skills he still uses today as owner of Jack Lewis Jewelers in Bloomington, Illinois.

“He was just the best boss that a young person could have asked for because he gave me freedom but also gave me guidance,” Carter said in an interview with National Jeweler Tuesday. “He really showed me how a boss should be, how you should mentor people.

“He personally meant very much to me.”

After Maurice Lacroix, Siragusa worked alongside jewelry designer Michael Beaudry to create his eponymous company’s watch division, Beaudry Time, serving as its president for two years before retiring from the industry around 2010.

Beaudry said he will be missed by many.

“He was so passionate about developing fine timepieces and enjoyed nothing more than going to Basel and seeing all of his friends and colleagues,” the designer wrote in an email.

Siragusa was also a proponent of the American Gem Society, and when the organization

relocated from Los Angeles to Las Vegas, he was among the donors who sponsored one of the monuments constructed outside AGS headquarters.

“Each time I visit, I make sure to touch the one from Bob and Maurice Lacroix, and it makes me smile every time,” Carter wrote.

Siragusa is survived by his wife, Renee Bersen Siragusa; two sons, Brent and Logan Siragusa; and grandchildren.

In his Facebook post, Brent said the family hopes to be able to gather to celebrate their patriarch’s life “all in good time. We thank you for your support then, now, and going forward.”

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Siragusa’s name to The Alzheimer’s Association, Stephen S. Wise Temple in Los Angeles or charity of the donor’s choosing.
Michelle Graffis the editor-in-chief at National Jeweler, directing the publication’s coverage both online and in print.

The Latest

CD Peacock Mansion in Oak Brook, Illinois
EditorsNov 22, 2024
Out & About: Inside the CD Peacock Mansion

Step inside the nearly 21,000-square-foot suburban Chicago jewelry store with Editor-in-Chief Michelle Graff.

Xander Jane earrings
CollectionsNov 22, 2024
Piece of the Week: Xander Jane’s ‘Spiked’ Pearl Studs

These punk-inspired earrings from the new Canadian brand’s debut collection reveal the alter ego of the classic pearl.

Facets of Fire Pear and Marquise Diamonds
SourcingNov 22, 2024
Facets of Fire Expands to Include Pear, Marquise Diamonds

The company brings its nanotechnology to two new fancy cuts for diamonds that feature its signature color and brilliance.

Jewelers Mutual Group Cybersecurity
Brought to you by
Navigating Cybersecurity: Essential Guidance for Jewelers

From protecting customer data to safeguarding inventory records, it's crucial to learn how to tackle cybersecurity challenges.

5 main.jpg
Supplier BulletinNov 21, 2024
Tasha R Releases 2025 Labbelle Lab Diamond Jewelry Catalog

Sponsored by Tasha R

Weekly QuizNov 21, 2024
This Week’s Quiz
Test your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
Take the Quiz
18-karat gold Tiffany & Co. pocket watch Captain Arthur Rostron
AuctionsNov 21, 2024
Gold Watch Gifted to Titanic Rescue Ship Captain Sells for $2M

Three Titanic survivors presented him with the personalized Tiffany & Co. timepiece about a year after the tragedy.

Harris Jewelry storefront
MajorsNov 21, 2024
Harris Jewelry Ordered to Reopen Claims Portal for Refund Requests

A federal court found that the jewelry store chain violated terms of the settlement reached after it was accused of defrauding customers.

Article-Top-Image.jpg
Brought to you by
Enhance Your Expertise with IGI’s In-Person Courses in NYC

This fall, sharpen your skills in jewelry grading, quality control and diamond assessment.

Cynthia Erivo wearing Have a Heart x Cynthia Erivo collection
CollectionsNov 21, 2024
Channel Elphaba in Muse’s ‘Have a Heart x Cynthia Erivo’ Collection

Cynthia Erivo chose Dreams of Hope, an organization dedicated to empowering LGBTQA+ youth, as the charity for this year’s collection.

Rocksbox San Francisco store
MajorsNov 21, 2024
Rocksbox Opens Pop-Up Store in San Francisco

The new space was designed to evoke a warm, inviting vibe.

Sotheby’s New York building
CrimeNov 20, 2024
Sotheby’s to Pay $6.25M Settlement to NY State for Alleged Tax Fraud

The auction house was accused of helping clients avoid paying taxes on millions of dollars’ worth of art purchased from 2010 to 2020.

Kering logo
Events & AwardsNov 20, 2024
Kering Debuts New Jewelry Award With Sustainability Focus

The four finalists will present their pieces at the 2025 JCK Las Vegas show.

Model wearing pieces from Camera Oscura collection
CollectionsNov 20, 2024
Pamela Love Channels Surrealist Artists in New Collection

The “Camera Oscura” collection showcases earring designs celebrating female Surrealist artists Claude Cahun and Leonor Fini.

Columbia Gem House “Pebbles to Pines” fundraiser
Policies & IssuesNov 20, 2024
Columbia Gem House Raises $10K for Reforestation Efforts

The money will fund the planting of 10,000 trees in critical areas across Oregon, Arizona, Montana, and other regions.

The jewelry symposium 2025
Events & AwardsNov 20, 2024
The Jewelry Symposium Opens Registration, Scholarship Applications

The event centered on advancing jewelry manufacturing technology will return to Detroit in May 2025.

Stock image of police cars with lights on
CrimeNov 19, 2024
Woman Killed in Armed Robbery of Sacramento Jewelry Store

Local reports identified the woman as the wife of the jewelry store owner.

Tsar Ferdinand I Bulgaria colored diamond pin and emerald diamond ring
AuctionsNov 19, 2024
‘A Tsar’s Treasure’ Fetches $2.9M at Sotheby’s Jewelry Sale

A collection of pieces owned by Ferdinand I, the first king of modern Bulgaria, and his family, blew away estimates in Geneva last week.

Trove NYC flagship exterior
MajorsNov 19, 2024
Trove Opens First US Flagship in NYC

The Australian jewelry box brand’s new West Village store will showcase new jewelers each month through its Designer in Residence program.

Snoop Dogg and Carolyn Rafaelian
CollectionsNov 19, 2024
Snoop Dogg’s New Jewelry Collection Is All About Love

“Lovechild” was created in partnership with Carolyn Rafaelian’s Metal Alchemist brand.

Helzberg CEO Brad Hampton
EditorsNov 18, 2024
Q&A: Helzberg CEO Brad Hampton on the Jeweler’s Rebrand

Hampton discussed how Helzberg is improving the customer experience and why it was inspired by the company formerly known as Dunkin’ Donuts.

Andrea Jose jewelry
Policies & IssuesNov 18, 2024
Reciprocity Jewels Returns to NYC Jewelry Week

The group will host several curated events and an exhibition of designer jewelry made with Peruvian gold traceable to the miners’ names.

Dolly Parton and Kendra Scott
CollectionsNov 18, 2024
Dolly Parton Shines in Collaboration with Kendra Scott

The collection honors the 50th anniversary of Dolly Parton’s “Love is Like a Butterfly” song, which shares a birth year with Kendra Scott.

IGI Expressions
Events & AwardsNov 18, 2024
IGI Jewelry Design Competition Returns

This year’s theme asks designers to take inspiration from classic fairy tales.

New York Comic Con Javits Center crowd
EditorsNov 15, 2024
Why Fine Jewelry Belongs at New York Comic Con

Senior Editor Lenore Fedow makes the case for why more jewelers should be appealing to nerds at the annual event.

Marie Lichtenberg and Raiz’in collection
CollectionsNov 15, 2024
Marie Lichtenberg Battles Counterfeits with New ‘Raiz’in Scapular’ Designs

The latest “Raiz’in” drop showcases a newly designed “Scapular” necklace and donates a portion of the proceeds to Make-A-Wish France.

Citizen 100th Anniversary Limited Edition #1 Pocket Watch
WatchesNov 15, 2024
Piece of the Week: Citizen’s Commemorative Pocket Watch

No. 1 out of 100, the timepiece was created to mark Citizen’s 100th anniversary and will be auctioned off at Sotheby’s next month.

My Next Question store security episode
Recorded WebinarsNov 15, 2024
Watch: 10 Tips to Keep Your Jewelry Store Secure

On the latest episode of “My Next Question,” two experts share best practices for store security during the holidays and year-round.

×

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