The passing of RockDoc

[Iiro]

Thank You Bill for the knowledge You shared. I remember you as my friend and founding member of virtual diamond community.

Iiro aka Sibelius

 

[DiaDiva]

That''s such sad and shocking news. Bill will be missed!

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 6/23/2007 8:40:45 PM
Author: Shay37
I just want to add my condolences to those of my other PS family members. I was in shock when I read this. He will be truly missed.

I just want to add something if you will indulge me just a bit. It is a description of the New Jerusalem from the book of Revelation. I had to look it up to share it with you, and I think you will know why.

It''s found in Revelation 21. John is following the angel who is measuring the New Jerusalem.

There is a wall and it has foundations. The wall is of jasper and the city was pure gold like unto clear glass. The foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald; the fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolyte; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst. And the twelve gates of the city were twelve pearls and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass.

I think our RockDoc will feel quite at home there.

shay

Beautiful Shay, thanks for sharing that and I think he will too.

 

[LesleyH]

Marty, thank you for informing all of us here about Bill''s passing.

I have known Bill Lieberum since the late 1990''s when selling diamond on the internet was a new concept. I had the distinct privelege of meeting him once and taking him out for lunch for his birthday when I was in Boca Raton on vacation one August a few years ago. We talked about his "pet rock" collection and I got to see some of them, he loved good food and going to Brazil and was totally committed to his 90 something aunt on a daily basis. He was so passionate about his work, his relationships with his collegues and customers and the pursuit of truth. He was all for the customer and making sure that he gave the customer full disclosure on the product they had selected preparing lengthy and detailed reports that often took days.

I will miss his long phone calls, keen sense of humor and his friendship. May his soul rest in peace.

LesleyH
www.whiteflash.com

 

[Hest88]

Hi all. I am shocked and saddened. I remember a long, enthusiastic phone conversation I had with him some years ago, where he was his typical self--opinionated, funny, passionate, and oh so RockDoc-ish. He was one of the first people in the online diamond community I had any "live" interaction with, and I was not disappointed in how his online persona and his real life persona meshed so perfectly. Over the years I learned a lot from him, and I only wish I had gotten to know him better.

 

[YoungPapa]

This is a sad day for the diamond community. My personal experiences with Bill go back almost ten years, where we most often found ourselves on opposite sides of an issue. In many respects he acted as a teacher to me back then, keeping me in-check when I may have known a bit less about diamonds than I thought. Bill didn''t pull punches, feverishly defended what he believed to be right, and always-always-always worked to protect, inform and educate his clients and the online community in general.

Rest in peace Bill - you will be sorely missed.

 

[mela lu]

I offer my deepest condolences. It seems as though he was a friend to many and will be greatly missed.

 

[Mexi]

I am so sad and shocked to hear about RockDoc''s passing.

 

[ccuheartnurse]

Thank you for informing us here.. I can''t believe it, and so sad to hear of his passing away.

I send my condolences to his family and loved ones...

Judy

 

[Fly Girl]

I would like to add my condolences to RockDoc's family and friends. He will be sorely missed.

 

[gailrmv]

I am so sad to hear of RockDoc''s passing.

 

[Skippy123]

Gosh, how sad. He will be missed by so many.

 

[phoenixgirl]

I''m so sorry to hear that. I always enjoyed reading his posts, and the elegant tributes to his life in this thread make me wish I had known him in person.

 

[Lord Summerisle]

RIP Rockdoc. Very Sad to hear.

and thank you to David for the lovely Eulogy on Page1.

 

[strmrdr]

I will miss him :{
He was so exited to finally be able to share his pet rocks the other day when I was helping him get his cameras working.
R.I.P the one and only RockDoc.
My thoughts and prayers are with his family.

 

[Nicrez]

My deepest condolences to his family and his aunt. Rock Doc was a staple of PS and the industry will be one good person lighter, and will be sad to have lost such a beacon of consumerism and honesty.

You will be missed, dear Bill! My prayers are with you.

 

[FireGoddess]

My heartfelt condolences to all of Bill''s family and friends. I never had the opportunity to work with him, but I fully intended to in the future. He was a well versed and knowledgeable person and will be sorely, sorely missed here.

 

[Jennifer@DCD]

I am so sorry to hear about Bill''s passing. I send all of my blessings and condolensces to Bill''s family and wish them well.


Jennifer
James Allen Diamonds

 

[niceice]

We''re going to miss you friend... Your goodhearted friendship, your willingness to contribute to a cause even in the darkest of times, your inherent quality focused personality and defiant will - which served to educate and advise many so that would-be-blind early day buyers of diamonds via the internet would get what they came for, "The Cat''s Meow" as you were so fond of saying

Here''s to all of us raising a Pint to our dear friend Bill the next time we get together! Here is to RockDoc, may his next adventure be great and even more rewarding than the last!

 

[hoorray]

Bill''s passing is a sad loss for the diamond community as a whole and PS specifically. I never had a chance to work with him directly, but I learned a lot from him through all the information and knowledge he shared here. He will be sorely missed, but his advice will continue for the newbies searching through the archives...

RIP Bill.

 

[denverappraiser]

I have for several days been trying to write a eulogy that was appropriate for Bill and I find that words escape me, a situation that isn’t all that familiar. It seems the only appropriate thing would be a 5000 word essay because that’s the way he would write. He would want to include every detail. Whatever it took is what he would do. All of that and more. Bill would spend hours or even days typing up his opinion on some gemological or appraisal topic that would only be seen by one other appraiser and that everyone in the ‘real world’ would consider to be the depths of minutia and the height of insanity simultaneously. To say the least, Bill was thorough. Even 5000 words seems painfully insufficient but then it occurred to me that only one word is required. RockDoc.

There is only one RockDoc and his legacy is here on Pricescope. The diamond business will never be the same because we have been blessed with his participation. This site reinvents the diamond business every day and we are all standing in the shadow of a giant who lived every day for the opportunity to speak truth to power, no matter what. It caused him trouble with numerous dealers, appraisers and site administrators from time to time but he never swerved even slightly in his standards. He was all about telling the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. His legacy in the thousands of customers who have stopped in for a quick bit of free advice in a difficult situation and then went away with both a better knowledge and a better love of their diamonds. It’s in the prosumers who understand diamonds better than 90% of the trade and in the dealers who have learned to sell to a higher standard of excellence in order to pass his muster. I’m proud to have been his friend for many years and will miss the opportunity of awakening to another midnight call about the details of life, gemology and whatever else would come along.

I will miss you my friend, more than you ever would have imagined.

Neil Beaty
GG(GIA) ICGA(AGS) NAJA
Professional Jewelry Appraisals in Denver

 

[fabcrab]

This is absolutely terrible. Although I do not post very much, he was a familiar face in PS and I always found his posts very helpful. Deepest sympathy for his loved ones.

 

[sparkles]

A sad loss for ps and the industry. A man with obvious integrity and commitment - characteristics hard to find these days. My condolences to his loved ones.

 

[sevens one]

I''m so sorry to hear of RocDoc''s passing.

 

[CJ2008]

denverappraiser, I am so glad you posted again, because it gives me an excuse to do the same.

I have no idea why Bill not being here has affected me to the extent that it has. From the little I knew him, he talked too much, it was hard to get him off the phone, and even for me, a lover of detail and information, he was probably way too detailed. But one thing I knew is that I could trust him to guide me in the right direction. He seemed unafraid to tell things as he saw them, even if it got him in trouble. I think he really would have wanted me to end up with a diamond I loved and that I knew everything about, even if it was more than I needed to know. Purchasing my stone will just not have the same significance without him. I think if he read this he would be so surprised, as am I, at how much he comes into my mind, and how much I wish he was still around. I really think that somehow he will try to help me from heaven.

 

[Maarten]

To Bill''s family, Marty and everyone who graces these pages... my sincerest condolences.

We''ve all lost a decent and honorable and upright friend. I had the good fortune to meet, hang out and trade war stories with Bill on more than one occasion. I also perused and enjoyed many of his terrific posts.

I can''t tell you exactly why, but the word "curmudgeon" leaps to mind whenever I think of the RockDoc, and I definitely do not connect that moniker to Bill in any negative kind of way.

In fact, this quote from Jon Winokur - author of the Portable Curmudgeon - aptly explains my fondness for this marvelous and remarkable type of individual.

"A curmudgeon''s reputation for any malevolence is (entirely) undeserved. They''re neither warped nor evil at heart. They don''t hate mankind, just mankind''s absurdities. They''re just as sensitive and soft-hearted as the next guy, but they hide their vulnerability beneath a crust of misanthropy. They ease the pain by turning hurt into humor. They attack maudlinism because it devalues genuine sentiment. Nature, having failed to equip them with a serviceable denial mechanism, has endowed them with astute perception and sly wit. Curmudgeons are mockers and debunkers whose bitterness is a symptom rather than a disease. They can''t compromise their standards and can''t manage the suspension of disbelief necessary for feigned cheerfulness. Their awareness can be a curse. Perhaps curmudgeons have gotten a bad rap in the same way that the messenger is blamed for the message: They have the temerity to comment on the human condition without apology. They not only refuse to applaud mediocrity, they howl it down with morose glee. Their versions of the truth unsettle us, and we hold it against them, even though they soften it with humor."

I must add that most often - especially in Bill''s case - they are right!

Rest in Peace Bill, with the knowledge that you were loved and admired by a large community of colleagues!

Maarten de Witte
Diamond Wizard
Hearts On Fire

 

[DMBsGirl]

My condolences go out to Bill''s friends and family. he will be missed

 

[michaelgem]

Courtesy JCK-Jewelers Circular Keystone:

Known to most bloggers on Polygon and PriceScope as "Rockdoc," William R. "Bill" Lieberum, died June 20 at the age of 57.

"I got into being a gem junkie about 25 years ago," he wrote, "having bought some diamonds for investment, and got stones that graded lower than the seller represented them to be." And from that moment on, he would always fight for the consumer. "His heart was in the right place," said Michael Cowing, gemologist and appraiser in Crownsville, Md. "Bill couldn''t resist being a consumer advocate." Lieberum specialized in "consumer misrepresentation" and had an Internet verification service for consumers only.

Lieberum, who grew up in the Philadelphia area, was a Gemological Institute of America Graduate Gemologist, a former American Gem Society retail store owner, and Certified Gemologist Appraiser.

"Bill was a good guy," writes Dave Atlas, president, D. Atlas & Co., and Accredited Gem Appraisers in Philadelphia. "I don''t know a whole lot about his early family life, but it must not have been easy. He graduated from a privately endowed school in Philadelphia, Girard College, named after its benefactor, Stephen Girard. This school takes in orphans and fatherless boys into its care for their secondary education. This is a world famous place, but in a harsh part of the inner city these days. It wasn''t such a great spot even when Bill went there, but the fine education there led him into being the straight sort of fellow he was."

On radio talk shows, and on television, Lieberum helped expose what he called "a lot of shady practices that went on in the Philadelphia area."

In 1981, Lieberum closed his AGS retail store and began working as an independent appraiser gemologist. By the mid ''80s, Lieberum served as an expert advisor for the Philadelphia district attorneys'' office of economic crimes. He was a member of the International Society of Appraisers, and was an expert witness in several high profile legal cases, including the infamous 1986 diamond fraud case against Ron Perlstein of Sansom Street, the once famous Philadelphia jeweler who plead "no contest" to criminal charges.

Elly Rosen, of the Appraisal Information Network, Brooklyn, N.Y., called Lieberum "a valued associate." Rosen met Lieberum through ISA. "Bill was as much a teacher as he was a student," says Rosen. "A constant voice for ethics and professionalism, and he backed it up by example."

In 1991, Lieberum opened Consumers Gem Laboratory in Boca Raton, Fla.
With the advent of the internet, Lieberum found himself a well-publicized source in providing educational advice online. He began posting on various forums to help educate readers and trade members in the legal ramifications
relating to gemology and valuation science.

"Bill led by example in his later years. He was a strong advocate of consumer fairness. So much so, that he scared a lot of potential work away, but he wanted to play the game by his own set of rules and it is my belief he did this with honor. No one made more thorough reports and I sure would not have wanted him opposite me in an expert testimony situation. He was adamant about his positions and learned how to make his case and defend his territory. He fought hard for his clients and he set a good example of complete appraising and service. Bill never had quite enough time because he wouldn''t rush a job out before he was perfectly content with the appraisal.
"I will miss his contributions and his often counterpoint views," writes Atlas. "It''s difficult to outlast your contemporaries and I am saddened to hear we no longer have Bill around to pick on us or for us to pick on him. RIP."

Gary Roskin, Senior Editor -- JCK-Jewelers Circular Keystone, 6/26/2007 12:33:00 PM

Amen.

Bill, I will remember your good heart and great passion for this business and consumer advocacy.

Michael

 

[aphisiglovessae]

Wow, I had no idea. I was shocked when I logged into this forum after such a long time away and see this pop up on the screen. I am deeply saddened that such a good friend to all has passed away. I first met him when my now husband was buying my engagement ring almost 3 years ago. He was the person we asked to inspect the diamond that was to become my center diamond. He was so knowledgeable and so helpful that I couldn''t help but keep in touch with him afterwards. He was always so friendly and caring. We didn''t always talk shop either. He was always asking about how things in my life were, but never complained to me about any illness that he may have had. I had no idea that he was ill! Now that I know and now that he''s gone, I regret that I never had the chance to say goodbye or to thank him for all his kind words in my times of need or for his reassurance in times of doubt. I just hope that he can somehow read this in his afterlife and know how much I appreciated him.

I''m also sad that I never got to visit him and see his pet rocks..

My most sincere condolenses to his family and loved ones. I hope that he''s at peace, and playing with the pet rocks of his dreams!

Much love to you Bill!

Jenn

 

[Beacon]

I am so sorry to learn this very sad news. I always enjoyed his posts and his expertise and his genuine interest in helping everyone on the forum. He will be sorely missed.