Israel Beck (1891–1972) was a founding member of the Antwerpsche Diamantkring, the world's largest and first-ever diamond bourse to be dedicated to rough

diamond Diamond is a Allotropes of carbon, solid form of the element carbon with its atoms arranged in a crystal structure called diamond cubic. Another solid form of carbon known as graphite is the Chemical stability, chemically stable form of car ...

s trade. He was President of the Board from 1961 until his death in 1972. By that time, he had served benevolently 43 years as a member of the Board, promoting diamond trade internationally and the Antwerp diamond industry in particular, and representing the Antwerpsche Diamantkring at the World Diamond Congress.

Early life

Beck was born in 1891 in

Sanok Sanok (in full the Royal Free City of Sanok — pl, Królewskie Wolne Miasto Sanok, rue, Санок, ''Sanok'', ua, Cянік, ''Sianik'', la, Sanocum, yi, סאניק, ''Sonik'') is a town in the Subcarpathian Voivodeship of south-eastern ...

, southern

Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populous ...

(a region which was known as Galicia). He married Helena Blitz, with whom he had three children (Isaac, Edith, and Leopold). In 1907 he joined his future father in law, Louis (Levie) Blitz, to become the third generation of family members in the diamond trade.

Between World War I and World War II

Beck co-founded the Antwerpsche Diamantkring, and became in 1929 a member of its first Board of Directors immediately upon its establishment as the first diamond bourse worldwide for rough

trade. By 1932 he opened a new diamond factory with his brother, in the center of the diamond district in Antwerp.

During World War II

Beck and his family fled Belgium during World War II, crossing France and finding shelter during the final years of the war as refugees in

Geneva Geneva ( ; french: Genève ) frp, Genèva ; german: link=no, Genf ; it, Ginevra ; rm, Genevra is the List of cities in Switzerland, second-most populous city in Switzerland (after Zürich) and the most populous city of Romandy, the French-speaki ...

, Switzerland.

After World War II

The diamond industry in Antwerp had to recover from the many human losses that were suffered during the Second World War. After the war, Beck returned to Antwerp and benevolently dedicated much of his time and attention to the rebuilding of Antwerp's diamond trade and the industry. In 1957 he became Vice-president of the Board of the Antwerpsche Diamantkring, and in 1961 he was elected President of the Board.

Memberships to other Boards of directors

* Vice-president of the

World Federation of Diamond Bourses The World Federation of Diamond Bourses, founded in 1947, was created to provide bourses trading in rough and polished diamonds and precious stones with a common set of trading practices. It is composed of 30 member diamond bourses. Their headqua ...

* National Board member at the Syndicate of the Belgian Diamond Industry * Board member of the Diamantexpo * Board member of the

Diamond Office Diamond is a solid form of the element carbon with its atoms arranged in a crystal structure called diamond cubic. Another solid form of carbon known as graphite is the chemically stable form of carbon at room temperature and pressure, b ...

Honors and awards

* Knight of the

Order of Leopold II The Order of Leopold II is an order of Belgium and is named in honor of King Leopold II. The decoration was established on 24 August 1900 by Leopold II as Sovereign of the Congo Free State and was in 1908, upon Congo being handed over to Belgi ...

, appointed by his Majesty King

Baudouin of Belgium Baudouin (;, ; nl, Boudewijn Albert Karel Leopold Axel Maria Gustaaf, ; german: Balduin Albrecht Karl Leopold Axel Maria Gustav. 7 September 1930 – 31 July 1993), Dutch name Boudewijn, was King of the Belgians from 17 July 1951 until his de ...

on January 4, 1955, in recognition of the services rendered to the Kingdom of Belgium and in particular for the development of the diamonds trade in Antwerp. * Honorary distinction granted on 19 November 1968 by the Diamantexpo for his contributions to the industry as Board member

Subsequent family members to enter the diamond business

Israel Beck's two sons Isaac and Leopold Beck joined the family business, becoming the fourth generation of diamond traders. Leopold Beck has been heading Beck Diamonds in Antwerp since 1972. Leopold Beck's two sons became the fifth generation of diamond traders in the family: Axel Beck joined Beck Diamonds in 1995, whereas Raoul Beck joined in 1997 and heads DiamAlps in Switzerland, and Hauthentic Jewellery in Switzerland.

References

External links

World Diamond Congress, World Federation of Diamond Bourses

Beck Diamonds

DiamAlps

Hauthentic Jewellery
{{DEFAULTSORT:Beck, Israel 1891 births 1972 deaths 20th-century Belgian businesspeople Knights of the Order of Leopold II