‘More than a jeweller’: Michael Hill founder Sir Michael Hill dies, aged 86

Sir Michael Hill, founder of his eponymous jewellery brand, has died aged 86.

Sir Michael stepped down from his role on the board to undergo treatment for cancer in April.

His death was announced to the market on Tuesday.

“Sir Michael was a celebrated jeweller, entrepreneur, philanthropist and committed father and husband,” the company said.

Sir Michael founded Michael Hill with his wife Lady Christine in 1979 in Whangarei, New Zealand. Since then, the dual-listed business has grown to have nearly 290 stores across Australia, NZ and and Canada.

In a statement, the retailer said Sir Michael’s first love was music and as a young man, he dreamed of becoming a concert violinist. However at just 17 years old, he was told he had started too late to reach the pinnacle of his craft.

Forced to reconsider his future, he pivoted into the world of jewellery, joining his uncle’s family-owned store in NZ. What began as a job soon became a passion.

“Sir Michael had a natural gift for storytelling, a keen eye for visual merchandising, an instinct for attracting customers and a gift for selling,” the company said.

“He won international awards for his window displays and revolutionised the store’s advertising with bold, unconventional campaigns.”

Michael Hill chair Rob Fyfe added: “To every endeavour he pursued, Michael brought a deep sense of purpose, an enduring curiosity, open-mindedness and creativity that challenged all of us to embrace ever more lofty goals and be unconstrained in our thinking — a legacy that will continue to inspire us.”

The board said: “’Michael Hill, Jeweller’ was much more than a jeweller, founding the Michael Hill International Violin Competition, one of the most respected violin contests in the world, creating The Hills, one of New Zealand’s most iconic golf courses and inspiring generations of New Zealanders through his books.”

New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon paid tribute to Sir Michael in a post on X, saying his “aspiration, grit and determination to succeed not only built a globally recognised brand, but also inspired generations of Kiwi entrepreneurs to dream big.”

Sir Michael is survived by his wife, Lady Christine, whom he married in 1965.

Earlier this year, Michael Hill announced the sudden death of its chief executive, Daniel Bracken.