PodcastsJan 12, 2026
The latest poscasttest
GradingSep 04, 2019
After Nearly Four Decades, Jerry Ehrenwald Exits IGI
Avi Levy is taking over as president of IGI North America for Ehrenwald, who is leaving to oversee a new trading platform for lab-grown diamonds.
Jerry Ehrenwald is stepping down as president and CEO of IGI North America, a position he has held for 28 years. He will be replaced by Avi Levy, who most recently served as vice president of sales for Prime Art & Jewel. (Photo courtesy of International Gemological Institute)
New York—The International Gemological Institute announced late Tuesday that longtime North America President and CEO Jerry Ehrenwald is leaving the lab to head an online platform for buying and selling lab-grown diamonds.
He will be succeeded by Avi Levy, whose resume includes MJJ Brilliant Inc. and Renaissance.
Ehrenwald has been with IGI for nearly 40 years, starting with the lab in 1981 to establish an independent appraisal division.
He’s served as IGI North America president and CEO since 1991, and his legacy with the lab includes the invention of the U.S.-patented Laserscribe device, which inscribes unique indicators, such as identification numbers, onto diamonds.
He is moving on to head LGDEX.org, a New York-based web platform where consumers, manufacturers, distributors and retailers can buy and/or sell lab-grown diamonds.
With this new position, Ehrenwald remains in the jewelry industry and won’t be completely out of touch with his old colleagues; IGI is one of three grading labs the exchange says it will be using to verify that the stones being traded on its site are lab-grown diamonds. (The other two are GIA and GCAL, according to the website.)
In the press release announcing his departure, Ehrenwald said: “There comes a time in life where you want to do something different, and that time for me is now. I will always keep IGI in my heart and hope to achieve the same level of pride and success with LGDEX.org as I have with IGI.”
IGI CEO Roland Lorie noted he and Ehrenwald have spent most of their professional lives working together and said he wishes him all the best in his new endeavor.
Levy, meanwhile, has 30 years of experience in diamond sourcing, manufacturing, product development, brand partnerships and wholesale trade to major jewelry retailers.
He will be succeeded by Avi Levy, whose resume includes MJJ Brilliant Inc. and Renaissance.
Ehrenwald has been with IGI for nearly 40 years, starting with the lab in 1981 to establish an independent appraisal division.
He’s served as IGI North America president and CEO since 1991, and his legacy with the lab includes the invention of the U.S.-patented Laserscribe device, which inscribes unique indicators, such as identification numbers, onto diamonds.
He is moving on to head LGDEX.org, a New York-based web platform where consumers, manufacturers, distributors and retailers can buy and/or sell lab-grown diamonds.
With this new position, Ehrenwald remains in the jewelry industry and won’t be completely out of touch with his old colleagues; IGI is one of three grading labs the exchange says it will be using to verify that the stones being traded on its site are lab-grown diamonds. (The other two are GIA and GCAL, according to the website.)
In the press release announcing his departure, Ehrenwald said: “There comes a time in life where you want to do something different, and that time for me is now. I will always keep IGI in my heart and hope to achieve the same level of pride and success with LGDEX.org as I have with IGI.”
IGI CEO Roland Lorie noted he and Ehrenwald have spent most of their professional lives working together and said he wishes him all the best in his new endeavor.
Levy, meanwhile, has 30 years of experience in diamond sourcing, manufacturing, product development, brand partnerships and wholesale trade to major jewelry retailers.
Avi Levy
After starting his career at Star Diamond, he worked for MJJ Brilliant Inc. then left for Renaissance, an India-based jewelry manufacturer. There, he worked with Signet Jewelers to develop the popular Open Hearts by Jane Seymour collection.
A few years later, Levy returned to MJJ Brilliant.
He joins IGI from Prime Art & Jewel, where he has spent the last six months as vice president of sales.
“We are excited to welcome Avi to the team,” Lorie said. “He will play a significant role in bolstering the institute’s relationships and service offerings between the overseas manufacturers and the U.S. customer base.”
In the release, Levy said he looks forward to leading IGI North America’s New York-based team and will work on “growing our current relationships as well as forging new strategic alliances, with a concentrated focus on gaining further recognition and expansion of the IGI global brand.”
Ehrenwald’s IGI exit comes almost exactly a year after news broke that Fosun, a Chinese investment firm that owns stakes in a wide range of companies (U.K. football club the Wolverhampton Wanderers, Club Med and movie-maker Studio 8 are just a few of its holdings), would acquire 80 percent of the company.
The remaining 20 percent is still owned by the Lories, the lab’s founding family.
Ehrenwald told JCK at the time the purchase was announced last September that he would “remain for now.”
Editors' Picks
Sponsored by
More on Grading
The Latest
Weekly QuizOct 03, 2024
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
PodcastsJan 12, 2026
Introducing My Next Question, the PodcastA monthly podcast series for jewelry professionals
Brought to you by
Navigating Cybersecurity: Essential Guidance for JewelersFrom protecting customer data to safeguarding inventory records, it's crucial to learn how to tackle cybersecurity challenges.
PodcastsNov 27, 2025
Test Podcast With VideoTest Podcast With Video. New interview with Ada Lovelace.
PodcastsNov 25, 2025
Test New Podcast PostAbstract for tests. New Podcast interview with John Lennon, Jimi Hendrix and Jim Morison.
ColumnistsOct 09, 2024
Peter Smith: 7 Things to Know When Selling LuxuryAhead of the holiday season, Smith delves into the often subconscious reasons people buy luxury products for themselves or their loved ones.
AuctionsOct 09, 2024
Rolex Worn on Apollo 14 Mission Up for SaleThe GMT-Master “Pepsi” belonging to astronaut Edgar Mitchell is a standout in RR Auction’s online “Space Auction,” going on now.
MajorsOct 09, 2024
New Simon Campaign Invites Gen Z to ‘Meet Me At The Mall’The ads celebrate the mall culture of the ‘80s and ‘90s.
MajorsOct 09, 2024
PGI Launches New Virtual Sales TrainingRetail sales associates can access the video series on mobile to refresh their selling skills.
Policies & IssuesOct 09, 2024
GJNRF: Reaching Out, Rebuilding Futures For 25 years, India’s Gem & Jewellery National Relief Foundation has provided aid in the wake of war, natural disasters, and global crises.
AuctionsOct 08, 2024
Sotheby’s Selling Jewelry That Belonged to a Bulgarian TsarThe November auction will feature a collection of jewels owned by Ferdinand I, the first king of modern Bulgaria, and his family.
SourcingOct 08, 2024
Rio Tinto Begins New Phase of Production That Will Extend Diavik’s LifeCommercial production has begun underground at the Canadian diamond mine’s A21 pipe.
SurveysOct 08, 2024
What to Know About Online Shopping This Holiday SeasonDeloitte and Adobe Analytics shared their insights on the season, from the retail sales forecast to the role of generative AI.
CollectionsOct 08, 2024
Sylvie Adds New Men’s BandsThe Texas-based jeweler collaborated with luxury clothing brand Uncommon Man on men’s bands designed with European influences.
SourcingOct 08, 2024
Is Current Diamond Industry Turbulence Shaping a ‘New Normal’? Industry players have found ways to cope with market conditions while working to reshape themselves in the face of emerging realities.
SourcingOct 07, 2024
Rio Tinto to Offer 76 Diamonds in 2024 Beyond Rare Tender The sales event, in its second year, features a selection of rare diamonds from the miner’s Argyle and Diavik diamond mines.
CollectionsOct 07, 2024
Olympian Kristi Yamaguchi Partners With Heller Jewelers on New CollectionA portion of the proceeds from the “Always Dream” collection will go to Yamaguchi's foundation, supporting early childhood literacy.
