Solomon Gad, president and founder of New York’s Amerind, died recently. He was 83.

Gad was born in Afghanistan in 1924. Upon settling in New York, he formed Amerind, one of the first companies to import Colombian Emeralds as well as precious gems from Burma, India and Ceylon. Gad spent much of his life traveling the world in search of precious stones.

Gad, a fifty-year member of the Diamond Dealers Club, continued to go to work until weeks before he died.

He is survived by seven children, Osnat Gad, Zipi Eisenberg, Ruth Hendelman, Ahuva Nazarian, Dalia Gad, Liza Rosenthal and Isaac Gad; twelve grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.

JCK