JNA Awards Announces Categories for 2015

HONG KONG, March 6, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- JNA Awards, the annual industry-wide event that honours innovators, leaders and outstanding enterprises of the international jewellery and gemstone industry with a focus on their contributions in Asia, has 16 award categories for 2015.

Organised by JNA (Jewellery News Asia), JNA Awards 2015 is led by Rio Tinto Diamonds and Chow Tai Fook as Headline Partners, with Diarough Group, Israel Diamond Institute Group of Companies (IDI), Shanghai Diamond Exchange, and Guangdong Land Holdings Limited (GDLAND) as Honoured Partners.

Although the number of categories is kept the same as last year, the JNA Awards has made adjustments to encourage more companies and individuals of high standards to participate in this prestigious and well-recognised awards programme.

The list of categories for 2015 is as follows:

1. Lifetime Achievement Award
2. 3 Decades of Excellence
3. Brand of the Year - Retail
4. Employer of the Year
5. Industry Innovation of the Year
6. Manufacturer of the Year - Coloured Gemstone Cutting & Polishing
7. Manufacturer of the Year - Diamond Cutting & Polishing
8. Manufacturer of the Year - Gem-Set Jewellery
9. Manufacturer of the Year - Precious Metals-Only Jewellery
10. Outstanding Enterprise of the Year - ASEAN Countries
11. Outstanding Enterprise of the Year - India
12. Outstanding Enterprise of the Year - Mainland China
13. Retailer of the Year (450 outlets and below)
14. E-tailer of the Year
15. Sustainability Initiative of the Year
16. Young Entrepreneur of the Year (Age 40 and below)

Individuals or companies may submit their entries or may be nominated by others by completing the online application form available at the Awards' website: www.JNAawards.com. Deadline for submissions will be midnight (Hong Kong time) of 30 April, 2015.

A highly respected international panel will judge the entries starting from May to mid-June.  The Honourees or shortlisted candidates will be announced on 25 June and will be feted together with the Recipients at the JNA Awards Ceremony and Gala Dinner on Thursday, 17 September, during the September Hong Kong Jewellery & Gem Fair 2015.

Letitia Chow, Founder of JNA and Director of Business Development - Jewellery Group at UBM Asia, said, "Entering the fourth year of the JNA Awards, we have broadened the categories to encourage the participation of a wider jewellery community.  Specifically, we have expanded the scope in Innovation of the Year Award to include other business disciplines beyond the manufacturing sector.  We welcome companies that are innovative in areas, including but not limited to, technologies, business models, product developments, marketing initiatives and gemmological research to enter the Awards."  

"We have also reintroduced the 3 Decades of Excellence Award to honour companies with outstanding achievements and a long-term commitment to developing the industry."

Wolfram Diener, Senior Vice President of UBM Asia, added, "Since its inception, the JNA Awards has gained strong support from our Partners and industry leaders, driving it to become one of the most highly regarded events in the jewellery and gemstone trade. We look forward to attracting more participants and well-qualified companies to this annual awards programme."

Rita Maltez, Director of Rio Tinto Diamonds for Greater China, said "Rio Tinto is proud to continue as a Headline Partner of the JNA Awards. Our sponsorship is part of our commitment to the growth of the diamond industry, particularly in the fast-growing market of Greater China. Developing win-win partnerships at all stages of the value chain is integral to the way we work, and having been present in this market for five years now, it has been very gratifying for Rio Tinto Diamonds to see the wonderful results from these collaborations."

Kent Wong, Managing Director of Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Group, said, "We, as a Headline Partner of the JNA Awards since its launch in 2012, are thrilled to see its continuous success and growing prominence as an industry-wide platform that recognises achievement and excellence, and one that inspires innovation and improvement, and facilitates sharing and learning. Together, with your full support and enthusiastic participation, we expect to see another year of resounding success with many new records and exciting moments at the fourth edition of the Awards in September."

For more information on the event, please visit www.JNAawards.com  or contact:

JNA Awards Marketing
UBM Asia (Hong Kong) 
+852 2516-1683
[email protected]

Notes for Editors:

1. About JNA (www.jewellerynewsasia.com)
JNA is the flagship magazine of UBM Asia's Jewellery Group. First published in 1983, the title is the leader in providing up-to-date international jewellery trade news with an Asian insight. It features original, in-depth reports by experienced journalists covering the latest developments in the diamond, pearl, gemstone, jewellery manufacturing, and equipment and supplies sectors.

2. About the Headline Partners

2.1 Rio Tinto Diamonds (www.riotinto.com/diamondsandminerals)
Rio Tinto operates a fully integrated diamonds business from exploration through to sales and marketing. It is one of the world's major diamond producers through its 100 percent control of the Argyle mine in Australia, 60 percent interest in Diavik mine in Canada, 78 percent interest in the Murowa mine in Zimbabwe and 100 percent interest in the Bunder project in India. 

Rio Tinto's share of the production from its three operating diamond mines is sold through its sales and marketing office in Antwerp, with representative offices in Mumbai, Hong Kong and New York. It also operates a niche cutting and polishing factory in Perth for the rare pink diamonds from its Argyle mine. Rio Tinto is a leading supporter of the Kimberley Process, as well as a founding member of the Responsible Jewellery Council.

2.2 Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Group Limited (www.chowtaifook.com)
Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Group Ltd, one of the world's leading jeweller and the largest in terms of sales, was listed on the Main Board of The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong in December 2011. Chow Tai Fook is now a constituent stock of the Hang Seng China 50 Index and the Hang Seng Mainland 100 Index.

The iconic brand "Chow Tai Fook" of the Group has been widely recognised for its trustworthiness and authenticity, and renowned for product design, quality and value. The recent acquisition of Hearts On Fire, an internationally acclaimed luxury jewellery brand, has further underpinned the Group's stature as a diamond expert in the industry.

The Group has an extensive retail network comprising over 2,250 Chow Tai Fook and Hearts On Fire points of sale spanning nearly 500 cities in Greater China, Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea and the United States, as well as a strong and fast growing e-tail network through operating its Chow Tai Fook e-Shop and various e-tail accounts on other online shopping platforms.

The Group's sophisticated vertically integrated business model provides an effective and tight control over the entire operation chain from raw material procurement, design, production, to marketing and sales through its extensive POS and e-tail channels.

3. About the Honoured Partners

3.1 Diarough Group (www.diarough.com)
Diarough Group was established in Antwerp in 1975 and owns diamond polishing factories in China, India, Thailand and Botswana, with a network of sales offices around the world. Diarough is known among the most professional and respected names in the international diamond industry.

Diarough believes in building and nurturing long-term business relationships based on mutual trust, finding solutions to business and marketing problems, creating marketable opportunities through innovative products and providing excellent client services.

Its jewellery manufacturing unit Uni-Design has produced many award-winning jewellery pieces, which have been proudly worn by celebrities on the red carpet over the years.

The Group employs over 3,500 people and is engaged in a wide range of diamond business activities like rough trading, cutting, polishing, jewellery manufacturing and marketing to retailers, chain stores, global brands and private labels worldwide. Diarough employs advanced technology and modern work speed with traditional ethical business practices upon which the Company was founded.

3.2 Israel Diamond Institute Group of Companies (www.israelidiamond.co.il)
The Israel Diamond Institute Group of Companies (IDI) is a non-profit, public interest company representing all institutions involved in the Israeli Diamond Industry. Israel is one of the world's leading diamond centres and IDI works to enhance Israel's position as a major trading and manufacturing hub.

IDI works to benefit Israel's diamond industry in a variety of areas including:  marketing and PR, technological innovation, encouraging local manufacturing, training, and security consulting. IDI seeks out new markets for Israeli diamonds and develops existing ones.  As part of this effort, IDI organizes industry participation in major trade fairs around the world, establishing Israeli Diamond Pavilions and sponsoring events at these shows. 

IDI operates a representative office in Hong Kong, which fosters trade relations with Asian markets.

3.3 Shanghai Diamond Exchange (www.cnsde.com)
Authorised by the State Council, the Shanghai Diamond Exchange (SDE) is the only diamond exchange in China and provides diamond dealers a fair and safe transaction venue under close supervision. It also enjoys a favourable taxation policy and is operated in accordance with international best practices of the diamond industry.

Established in 2000, the SDE is a non-profit, self-regulating membership organisation and a member of the World Federation of Diamond Bourses.

3.4 The Guangdong Land Holdings Limited (www.gdland.com.hk)
The Guangdong Land Holdings Limited (GDLAND), with its headquarters in Hong Kong, is listed on The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited, and is a subsidiary of GDH Limited, which is Guangdong Province's largest conglomerate operating outside Mainland China.

The principal business of GDLAND is property development and investment, including but not limited to the development and operational management of the innovative commercial real estate, urban complex and industrial business complex. As the strategic arm of GDH Limited, GDLAND engages in the business development of commercial real estate, as well as the projects of urban and industrial complex.

GDLAND's flagship project, namely the "Buxin Project", is planned to become the biggest and most advanced jewellery mart in the world, including a large-scale jewellery trading and exhibition centre along with other facilities, with a lot size of over 87,000 square metres and the construction scale (floor area) is expected to be more than 700,000 square metres. The Buxin Project, which is located in the Buxin area of Luohu district in Central Shenzhen, close to the Shuibei Gold and Jewellery Base, is expected to develop the area into one of the most influential gold and jewellery trading and exchange platforms in China and around the world.

4. About UBM Asia (www.ubmasia.com)
Owned by UBM plc listed on the London Stock Exchange, UBM Asia is the largest trade show organiser in Asia and the largest commercial organiser in China, India and Malaysia.  Established with its headquarters in Hong Kong and subsidiary companies across Asia and in the US, UBM Asia has a strong global presence in 24 major cities with 30 offices and 1,300 staff.

With a track record spanning over 30 years, UBM Asia operates in 20 market sectors with 230 dynamic face-to-face exhibitions and high-level professional conferences, 23 targeted trade publications, 20 round-the-clock online products for over 1,000,000 quality exhibitors, visitors, conference delegates, advertisers and subscribers from all over the world. We provide a one-stop diversified global service for high-value business matching, quality market news and online trading networks.

UBM Asia has extensive office networks in China, Southeast Asia and India, three of the world's fastest growing B2B events markets. UBM China has 11 offices in the major cities in mainland China, including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Hangzhou, Guzhen and Shenzhen, where we organise 90 exhibitions and conferences. In ASEAN, UBM Asia operates from its offices in Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore, Vietnam and the Philippines with over 40 events in this region. UBM India teams in Mumbai, New Delhi, Bengaluru and Chennai organise 40 exhibitions and conferences every year across the country.

Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150306/179970
Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20121014/HK92339LOGO-d
Logo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150306/179971LOGO

SOURCE JNA

Related Links

http://www.JNAawards.com