Headlines

Jewelers of America Now Accepting Entries for the 2016 CASE Awards

Published

8 years ago

February 12, 2016

INSTORE Staff

First-place winners will receive a $500 cash prize.

National trade association Jewelers of America (JA) is now accepting entries for its annual retailer design competition to be held at the JA New York Spring Show, March 13-15, 2016, at the Jacob Javits Convention Center. The CASE Awards honor JA Retail Members who exhibit creativity artistry, style and excellence in jewelry design.

Entry forms will be accepted through Feb. 19. First-place CASE Award winners will receive a $500 cash prize and national media exposure, among other prizes. A maximum of 15 entries will be accepted in each category.

“The CASE Awards celebrate the talent and expertise of independent Jewelers of America members. There is a lot of talented jewelry designers and bench jewelers across the country and we are proud to recognize their talents and extraordinary pieces of jewelry,” says Jewelers of America President & CEO David J. Bonaparte.

There are four competition categories in which jewelers can submit their pieces, including: jewelry to $2,000 retail value; jewelry $2,001 to $5,000 retail value; jewelry $5,001 to $10,000 retail value; and jewelry over $10,000 retail value. The entries will be evaluated by a panel of judges on the following criteria: overall design, marketability, practicality/wearability and quality of manufacture.

The CASE Awards are open to staff of JA Retail Member companies. JA Member employees can enter through Feb. 19, and accepted jewelry must arrive at Jewelers of America headquarters from March 7-10.

For more information about the competition and for complete competition guidelines, visit www.jewelers.org/caseawards or contact JA’s Member Services at (800) 223-0673.

This Third-Generation Jeweler Was Ready for Retirement. He Called Wilkerson

Retirement is never easy, especially when it means the end to a business that was founded in 1884. But for Laura and Sam Sipe, it was time to put their own needs first. They decided to close J.C. Sipe Jewelers, one of Indianapolis’ most trusted names in fine jewelry, and call Wilkerson. “Laura and I decided the conditions were right,” says Sam. Wilkerson handled every detail in their going-out-of-business sale, from marketing to manning the sales floor. “The main goal was to sell our existing inventory that’s all paid for and turn that into cash for our retirement,” says Sam. “It’s been very, very productive.” Would they recommend Wilkerson to other jewelers who want to enjoy their golden years? Absolutely! “Call Wilkerson,” says Laura. “They can help you achieve your goals so you’ll be able to move into retirement comfortably.”