The World Federation of Diamond Bourses mourns the death of Wolfgang Gross (1918-2010), Honorary president of Diamond Club of Vienna) and an Honorary Delegate to the WFDB.

The sentiment was expressed in a WFDB statement. "Gross, who passed away late last month, just short of his 93rd birthday in Vienna, Austria, became a member of the club in 1957 and served as Vienna's bourse president from 1972 to 1996, completing an uninterrupted, 25-year term of service. He was consequently appointed Honorary President of the club," it said.

Diamantclub Wien President Wilfried Haass said Gross "had been an old-school diamantaire whose ethics and morals were beyond reproach… Gross was characterized as an officer and gentleman, whose thinking and actions were genuine, straightforward, but also kind and unselfish. He will be very much missed by his many friends, many who have known him for close to 50 years, including myself."

WFDB Secretary General Michael Vaughan added: "Wolfgang Gross belonged to the generation who helped rebuild the international diamond business after World War II. I don't think that during his presidency, or thereafter, he has missed any of the WFDB congresses and WFDB Presidents Meetings.

"It was very important to him to assure that the small bourse in Vienna was a full member of that exclusive family of bourses that constitutes the WFDB.

"On behalf of WFDB President Avi Paz, the WFDB Executive Committee and the WFDB member bourses, we send heartfelt condolences to his family and many friends," Vaughan said.