JNA Awards 2013 Gathers Momentum

HONG KONG, March 5, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The second edition of the much-anticipated JNA Awards promises to be another exciting and ground-breaking event as it prepares to shine the spotlight on individuals and companies that have distinguished themselves in the gemstone and jewellery industry. The Awards will culminate in a gala dinner and presentation ceremony on September 12, 2013 (Thursday) at the Grand Hyatt Hong Kong.

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(Logo: http://www.prnasia.com/sa/2013/01/17/20130117180122220857.jpg )

The JNA Awards recognises and honours excellence and innovation in the industry, with a special focus on companies and individuals that have made a significant positive impact on Asia's gemstone and jewellery trade.

The JNA Awards 2013 is led by Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Group Limited and Rio Tinto Diamonds as Headline Partners, with Gubelin, the Israel Diamond Institute (IDI), Robert Wan Tahiti and the Shanghai Diamond Exchange as Honoured Partners. An international group of prominent industry experts will form the judging panel.

Letitia Chow, Founder of JNA and Director of Business Development -- Jewellery Group at UBM Asia, said: "We have chosen the Grand Hyatt as the venue for the second annual JNA Awards because of its high level of service and convenient location in the 'heart of the city.' The Awards will take place on the second day of the September Hong Kong Jewellery & Gem Fair, reflecting the importance of the event as a platform to further promote the advancement and raise the standards of the industry during the world's largest jewellery fair."

"The JNA Awards 2013 is the ideal benchmark for excellence and achievement. In 2012, we were very proud that an Israeli professional was named one of the Honourees in the Young Leader of the Year category, and we will encourage more Israeli companies and individuals to enter the Awards in 2013," said Nissim Palomo, Chief Marketing Officer of IDI, which is continuing its sponsorship of the JNA Awards as an Honoured Partner for the second consecutive year.

Robert Wan, Founder and Chairman of Robert Wan Tahiti, also an Honoured Partner for the second time running, commented, "We look forward to the second edition of the JNA Awards after the tremendous success of last year's event. It is a prestigious showcase celebrating our industry's best business practices, including companies specialising in pearls."

The JNA Awards' inaugural event was held at The Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong last September, gathering an audience of over 450 industry leaders and VIPs, including the most influential and inspiring decision-makers and stakeholders in the jewellery and gemstone trade. The event attracted more than 70 entries of exceptional standards for 10 categories. Nicky Oppenheimer, former Chairman of the De Beers Group, was presented with the inaugural Lifetime Achievement Award.

For more information about the JNA Awards, log on to www.jnaawards.com.

Notes for Editors:

1.  About the JNA Awards

The JNA Awards is an industry-wide event that honours and recognises excellence and achievement in the jewellery trade. The event is organised by Jewellery News Asia of UBM Asia.

2.  About Jewellery News Asia

Jewellery News Asia, first published in 1983, is the flagship magazine of UBM Asia's Jewellery Group. The publication is a leader in providing the latest industry updates and in-depth reports, covering the international jewellery trade with an Asian insight. Following its success, the publication launched its online edition in June 2011.

3.  About Israel Diamond Institute (www.israelidiamond.co.il)

The Israel Diamond Institute (IDI) Group of Companies is a non-profit, public interest company that represents all organizations and institutions involved in Israel's diamond industry. The IDI operates representative offices in key diamond trade centres such as New York and Hong Kong. These include marketing and public relations, technological R&D, promotion of rough sources, professional training, publishing professional literature and security consultancy. IDI is responsible for industry participation in major trade fairs around the world, organising Israeli Diamond Pavilions, receptions press conferences and other events at these fairs. As one of Israel's leading industries, the Israeli diamond industry has an illustrious and impressive history dating back to the late 1930s.

4.  About Robert Wan Tahiti (www.robertwan.com)

Robert Wan Group, located in Papeete, Tahiti, is a global brand that focuses its activities around the culture of Tahitian pearls. The Group is represented in Europe, Hong Kong, Mainland China, Japan, the Middle East and Oceania. The brand representing the culmination of Robert Wan's vision to create timeless exquisite pearl jewellery embracing his passion to combine elegance, nature and sophistication. The result is high-end feminine designs, chokers and sautoirs of superb-quality pearls from his farms in South Marutea, Polynesia. Robert Wan as one of pearl cultivations pioneers, plunged into the industry in the early seventies. He has now become the first Tahitian pearls producer top conquer the international markets, earning him his nickname: "the Emperor of the Pearl". In 1983, he acquired the atoll of South Marutea, in the Tuamotu Gambier archipelago.

5.  About the Headline Partners

Rio Tinto Diamonds (www.riotintodiamonds.com)

As one of the largest producers of rough diamonds in the world, Rio Tinto Diamonds enjoys an important presence in the international diamond market through its 100 percent control of the Argyle mine, 60 percent of the Diavik mine, 78 percent interest in the Murowa mine and an advanced diamond project in India. Rio Tinto Diamonds' productions are sorted and prepared for sale at its sales and marketing headquarters in Antwerp, Belgium, supported by a network of representative offices in Hong Kong, Mumbai and New York. Rio Tinto Diamonds maintains an extensive industry intelligence network and a high level of customer and product support. The company also believes in supporting consumer confidence in diamonds and plays an active role in addressing key industry issues around product integrity and sustainable development. Rio Tinto Diamonds is a founding member of the Responsible Jewellery Council, the not-for-profit organisation established to reinforce consumer confidence in the jewellery industry.

Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Group Limited (www.chowtaifook.com)

Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Group Limited (Chow Tai Fook), listed on the Main Board of the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong in 2011, is today's largest jeweller by market capitalisation in the world. With over 80 years' heritage and a long-standing reputation, the iconic brand "Chow Tai Fook" is recognised for its trustworthiness and authenticity, and renowned for its product design, quality and value. Chow Tai Fook has an extensive retail network with over 1,800 points of sale spanning 400 cities in Greater China, Singapore and Malaysia, and a rapidly growing presence in e-commerce. Chow Tai Fook's fundamentals and growth dynamics are strong, and it aspires to become the world's most trusted Asian jewellery brand.

6.  About UBM Asia 

Owned by UBM plc listed on the London Stock Exchange, UBM Asia is Asia's leading exhibition organiser and the biggest commercial organiser in mainland 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 25 major cities with 29 offices and over 1,200 staff. With a track record spanning over 30 years, UBM Asia operates in 19 market sectors with 160 dynamic face-to-face exhibitions, 75 high-level professional conferences, 28 targeted trade publications, 18 round-the-clock vertical portals and virtual event services 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, Chengdu and Shenzhen, where we organise more than 60 exhibitions and conferences. In ASEAN, UBM Asia operates from its offices in Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore, Vietnam and the Philippines with over 50 events in this region. UBM India teams in Mumbai, New Delhi, Bangalore, Chennai and Hyderabad organise 20 exhibitions and 60 conferences every year across the country.

7.   About UBM plc

UBM plc is a leading global business media company. We inform markets and bring the world's buyers and sellers together at events, online, in print and provide them with the information they need to do business successfully. Our 6,500 staff in more than 30 countries are organised into specialist teams which serve commercial and professional communities, helping them to do business and their markets to work effectively and efficiently.

For more information, please contact:

Jewellery News Asia
UBM Asia (Hong Kong)
+852-2516-1637
[email protected]

SOURCE UBM Asia Ltd