The big, bright, brash and brilliant among the U.S. diamond trade feted two of their finest Saturday night. The event was truly gala, held at Cipriani's new location on Wall Street, an astonishingly cavernous and opulent venue.

Honored were Jacques Roisen and the late William Goldberg, two essentially universally respected and beloved figures. These two men can be counted among a handful that shaped the post-World War II U.S. diamond business.

The Gemological Institute of America produced an insightful video depicting the lives of the two men and their contributions to the trade. While they worked together regularly over the years, the two men's personalities were recognized as opposite and complementary—Goldberg, the street-savvy, bold marketer, and Roisen, the handsome, charming diplomat.

Each in their own way, both were indisputably charismatic and larger than life. For me, like many, they represent the type of person it just feels good to be around.

Congratulations to the officers and volunteers at the Diamond Manufacturers and Importers Association (DMIA), who brought more than 500 people out to help celebrate this 75th anniversary. Ronnie Friedman and Ronnie Vanderlinden had their hands full trying to keep an event on track with such a large room of wheelers and dealers.

In all, it was an absolutely stellar event with the minor exception of too much mike time. Is it really necessary to read the entire scroll of credits? And dinner could have been served, perhaps, before 10 o'clock. But these are minor points. In all, it was fantastic to have the trade all out and together after all the upheaval it's been through over the past few years.

Best wishes from National Jeweler to the Roisen and Goldberg families. And congratulations again to DMIA on its 75th.