David Craig Rotenberg, a prominent member of the American Gem Society (AGS) who owned David Craig Jewelers in Langhorne, Pa., died on June 29. He was 79.
Rotenberg started in the jewelry business in 1964. “I needed a job,” he told JCK years later. “And eventually the job developed into a career.”
He opened David Craig in 1980, working alongside wife Deborah. For years, their picture adorned local billboards, accompanied by the words “Have we met?”
A 1999 JCK article by then publisher Frank Dallahan hailed the ads as both fun and effective.
“The message here is focused on the people at the store—not the name and not the products sold,” it said. “After all, everyone knows what jewelers sell, so why not tell them something else? Tell them a friendly couple await their visit.”
Rotenberg was active in the AGS and a frequent attendee of its annual Conclave. He served on the group’s board of directors and as president of its Jewelers Educational Foundation and its Keystone Guild.
He was also a respected appraiser, who valued items for the Secret Service and IRS.
In 2023, health issues caused Rotenberg to close his store.
“I love the jewelry business,” he told JCK at the time. “At times I think about ‘Why am I leaving?’”
He also issued some parting advice: “The industry should be an industry of love. If you don’t treat people well, there is no future.”
In its Facebook group, AGS remembered Rotenberg as “a long-standing and valued member who made lasting contributions to our organization and the jewelry industry. His insight, generosity, and leadership will be deeply missed by all who had the privilege of knowing him.”
Rotenberg is survived by his wife, his son Evan, and two sisters. He was predeceased by another son, Mathew.
An obit can be seen here.
(Photo courtesy of David Craig Jewelers)
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