Harry Levy, former chair of the BJA, passes away

17 May 2023

The NAJ is deeply saddened to hear the news of the passing of former British Jewellers Association Chair Harry Levy (1939-2023), a dear friend and colleague to many within the industry. 

Over a fifty-year career, Harry Levy selflessly served the jewellery industry, holding prominent positions across some of the most significant institutions within the trade. 

After leaving university with a degree in mathematics, Harry took a part-time job lecturing in his professional field while also dabbling in the gemstone trade. Soon after, he left the academic world and became fully engaged in the gemstone trade, starting his own company, Levy Gems, in London.

Throughout his public career, Harry has served the industry in various capacities. Over the years, he has served several terms as vice president and President of the London Diamond Bourse and also held the Chair of the British Jewellers Association (BJA).

At CIBJO, the International Jewellery Confederation, Harry served alternately as president and vice president of the Coloured Stone Commission. He also served on the Laboratory Commission and was president of the Diamond Commission for ten years.

Harry joined the board of the IDC to foster a greater understanding between CIBJO and the IDC and, in particular, to help bridge the differences between IDC and CIBJO nomenclature. At various times he held several other senior roles in our trade too.

Gaetano Cavalieri, President of the World Jewellery Confederation, shared,

"Harry embodied the very best of CIBJO. He was a true gentleman, soft-spoken, gentle, polite and with an iron-clad moral compass. He also was completely dedicated to the mission of creating harmonised standards for our industry, combining the intellectual excellence of a true academic and the realism of an individual who earned his living as a gem trader."

Harry Levy held a master's in mathematics and a degree in philosophy and is a Fellow of Gem-A, the Gemmological Association of Great Britain. He was honoured by the UK Jewellery Trade when he received the lifetime achievement Award at the UK Jewellery Awards in 2015.

NAJ President David Doyle shared his condolences,

"Harry gave so much of himself to the trade over so many years. A generous and kind human being. A true Gentleman. He will be sorely missed by so very many of us."

Our thoughts and best wishes are with his family at this difficult time.

Source: National Association of Jewellers