Anthony Hirsh, the founder of Hirsh, a well-respected London jeweler known for its innovative use of color, died on Nov. 2. He was 85.
Hirsh started the company in 1980 with his wife, Diane. The business was a pioneer in using pink diamonds and other natural colored gemstones in jewelry design. In his years in the business, he visited everywhere from the palace of Brunei to the jungles of South America.
Before going into jewelry, Hirsh designed furniture, and at one point modeled swimsuits. A longtime lover of jazz, he took his first clarinet lesson from jazz legend Sidney Bechet.
“Those of you that knew him will remember his fun-loving spirit, his creativity, his passion for life, travel, and adventure,” the company said in an Instagram post.
In 2005, Hirsh established the first scholarship for GIA London. That same year, he was inducted into GIA’s League of Honor.
His business is now run by his son Jason and Jason’s wife, Sophia. Hirsh is survived by his children and grandchildren; Diane died in 2022..
(Photo courtesy of Hirsh)
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