Jewelers of America (JA) and the GEM Awards Committee have announced that Ed Bridge, Chairman Emeritus of Ben Bridge Jeweler, Inc., will be the recipient of the GEM Award for Lifetime Achievement at the 18th annual GEM Awards on Friday, January 10, 2020, at Cipriani 42nd Street in New York City. Bridge is receiving the 2020 GEM Award for Lifetime Achievement for his dedication to Ben Bridge and the jewelry industry throughout the course of his career.

The American Gem Society honored the jewelry industry’s best and brightest at its annual Circle of Distinction dinner on August 7, 2019. Honored were Alan M. Zimmer (left), president and CEO of Reeds Jewelers, Inc., who received the Lifetime Achievement Award for his contributions to the industry, as well as Elliot Tannenbaum (right), senior principal of Leo Schachter Diamond Group, and Caryl Capeci (center), CEO of Chow Tai Fook (CTF) North America, who received AGS Triple Zero Awards for their career accomplishments.

At a ceremony, David Bouffard, Vice President, Corporate Affairs, Signet Jewelers was named the 2018 William P. Kannel Child Advocate of the Year by the Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) Volunteer Board of Trustees.

The American Jewelry Design Council (ajdc.org) announced on October 25, 2018, that it will present its highest award, the Benne Award, to Alan Revere during the Tucson Gem Fair on February 8, 2019. Named for the Italian renaissance goldsmith and sculptor, Benvenuto Cellini, the lifetime achievement award honors an individual who has made a significant contribution to the world of jewelry design. Past recipients are Mort Abelson, Cindy Edelstein, Ettagale Blauer and Laurie Hudson.

Jewelers for Children announced in October that it will honor Judy Fisher of Reeds Jewelers and David Bonaparte of Jewelers of America at the 21st Annual Facets of Hope event on Sunday, June 2, 2019 at the Venetian Las Vegas, in Las Vegas, NV

At FOLIO’s 2018 Eddie & Ozzie Awards for Excellence on October 10, INSTORE’s Eileen McClelland won a Gold Award in the series or single article category, B-to-B Retail, for her feature in the April 2018 issue, “Life on the New Frontier.”

Stewart Wicht, president and CEO of Rolex Watch U.S.A., was named the 2019 GEM Award honoree for Lifetime Achievement, it was announced on September 12, 2018. The award will be given on January 11, 2019 at the GEM Awards, presented by Jewelers of America.

On August 24, 2018, Leslie Paige Jewelry won the first ever Metal & Smith Innovation Award, awarded to a brand that demonstrates unique and consistent design elements not often seen from categorical peers.

Gift Sales Supervisor Jodi Farley was announced as the winner of Borsheims’ prestigious Ike It Award.