Press Releases

GEM Awards 2017 Announcement of Nominees

Published

8 years ago

October 5, 2016

INSTORE Staff

(Press Release)
New York, NY – Jewelers of America, the national trade association for businesses serving the fine jewelry marketplace, has announced the GEM Award nominees in the categories of Jewelry Design, Marketing & Communications, Media Excellence and Watch Excellence. The GEM Award nominees were announced via Facebook Live on Sept. 29.

The winners in these categories will be announced live during the 15th Annual GEM Awards on Jan. 13, 2017, at Cipriani 42nd Street in New York.

The GEM Awards honors individuals and brands whose work raises the visibility and status of fine jewelry and watches.

The nominees are:

GEM Award for Jewelry Design Nominees:

Arun Bohra – A native of Jaipur, India, Arun Bohra’s family has been in the jewelry business since 1841. Arun draws on the rich heritage in own signature line Arunashi. Each Arunashi piece is one-of- a-kind and weaves together art, fantasy, tradition, innovation, drama and subtlety, bringing a fresh voice to an antique craft.
Suzanne Kalan – With over 28 years of experience designing fine jewelry, Suzanne Kalan is renowned for her innovative designs that have created a new meaning for modern and timeless jewelry. Suzanne’s award-winning Fireworks and Vitrine collections, showcase her signature use of baguette diamonds, asymmetrical placements and beautiful custom-cut gemstones.
Lucia Silvestri – Lucia Silvestri is Bulgari’s Jewellery Creative Director, a lifelong dream position that she realized in June 2013. She began her career in Bulgari’s gemmological department when she was just 18 years old. Instantly enamoured by precious stones, she left her biology studies and dedicated all her passion and enthusiasm to a career in gemstones.

GEM Award for Marketing & Communications Nominees:

Hearts On Fire – Hearts On Fire is a luxury diamond jewelry brand celebrated around the world. Recognized for its exclusive diamond cut, Hearts On Fire set a new industry standard for craftsmanship and, today, offers beautiful designer fashion and bridal collections that stand alone in their brilliance.
Kay Jewelers – The Kaufmann brothers opened the first Kay Jewelers in 1916, beginning a journey of delivering the perfect gift that has spanned a century. Kay is operated by Signet Jewelers Limited, the world’s largest retailer of diamond jewelry.
Monica Rich Kosann – Monica Rich Kosann’s fine jewelry collections are rooted in the idea that every woman has a story to tell. Her styles are created as modern heirlooms for a new generation and are offered in the brand’s lifestyle shop at Bergdorf Goodman and more than 100 fine jewelry stores.

GEM Award for Media Excellence Nominees:

Amanda Alagem – Amanda Alagem is the Executive Accessories Editor of Harper’s BAZAAR, overseeing jewelry and watches. Since joining in 2012, she has infused jewelry and watches into the pages – dedicating more editorial coverage to the category than any other fashion magazine. Her work celebrates high jewelry and the transformative power of accessories.
Grace Fuller – In just four years since graduating from the University of Miami, Grace Fuller has earned the role of Jewelry Editor at W Magazine. Grace is responsible for all jewelry-related editorial content at W, where she also writes on the subject. Grace was previously an Associate Accessory Editor at Vogue.
Stephen Watson – Stephen Watson has more than 20 years’ experience covering menswear fashion and luxury timepieces. He is the Contributing Watch Editor for Town & Country, and his watch reporting can be found online at Hearst Digital Media websites including townandcountrymag.com, esquire.com and harpersbazaar.com.
Previously, he was Fashion Director of Men’s Vogue and Associate Fashion Editor of Vogue.

GEM Award for Watch Excellence Nominees:

A. Lange & Söhne – In 1845, Dresden watchmaker Ferdinand Adolph Lange laid the cornerstone of Saxony’s precision watchmaking industry. Today, A. Lange & Söhne watches are endowed exclusively with proprietary movements, lavishly decorated and assembled by hand. In only 25 years, A. Lange & Söhne developed 54 manufacture calibres and secured a top-tier position among the world’s finest watch brands.
Jaeger-LeCoultre – Since its founding in 1833, Jaeger-LeCoultre has been delighting connoisseurs of fine watchmaking. Jaeger-LeCoultre artisans are heirs to the inventive spirit of the manufacture founder, Antoine LeCoultre. Their expertise and artistry creates collections that are as surprising as they are sophisticated: Reverso, Master, Rendez-Vous, Duomètre, Geophysic, Atmos, Hybris Mechanica and Hybris Artistica.
Patek Philippe – Founded in 1839, Patek Philippe is Geneva’s oldest independent family-owned watch manufacturer. Patek Philippe pushes watchmaking art through its achievements at the cutting edge of innovation. It has filed over 80 patents, including 20 of major importance to the history of horology, and continues to develop and manufacture only watches that reflect its quest for the exceptional.

The 2017 GEM Awards will also honor Jim Rosenheim, Chairman of Tiny Jewel Box, with the prestigious GEM Award for Lifetime Achievement award. More information is available at www.jewelers.org/gemawards.

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After almost 60 years in business, Breakiron Jewelers in Erie, Pennsylvania, was closing its doors. And the store’s owner, Linda Breakiron, was ready for it. She had run the store as its sole owner since the beginning of the millennium and was looking forward to a change. Of course, she called Wilkerson. Breakiron talked to other jewelers who had used Wilkerson and was satisfied with their response. “They always had positive feedback,” she recalls. With the sales, marketing and even additional inventory that Wilkerson provided, Breakiron insists she could never have accomplished her going-out-of-business sale without Wilkerson’s help. She’s now ready for the journey ahead, but looking back, she’d be sure to recommend Wilkerson. “They just made the whole process very seamless.”