JNA Awards honours Leung Sik Wah with "Lifetime Achievement Award"

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HONG KONG, Aug. 4, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The second annual JNA Awards will confer on industry pillar Leung Sik Wah the prestigious "Lifetime Achievement Award," JNA (Jewellery News Asia), organiser of the awards, announced today. Leung is the Honorary Life President of the Diamond Federation of Hong Kong, China and Chairman of the Hong Kong Jewellers' & Goldsmiths' Association.

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The Lifetime Achievement Award, which recognises Leung's significant contributions to the gem and jewellery industry, will be presented at an awards ceremony and gala dinner scheduled for 12 September at The Grand Hyatt, Hong Kong. The second edition of the JNA Awards is led by Rio Tinto Diamonds and Chow Tai Fook as Headline Partners, with Gubelin, Israel Diamond Institute, KARP Group, Robert Wan Tahiti and the Shanghai Diamond Exchange as Honoured Partners.

Letitia Chow, Chair of the JNA Awards judging panel, said: "We are honoured to confer the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award on Mr. Leung Sik Wah. He is an industry luminary who has made significant contributions to the global gem and jewellery industry. The values he advocates reflect the same values that the JNA Awards represents.  For decades, Mr. Leung has initiated and led various projects that promote unity, good business practices and integrity in the industry. He has also been instrumental in developing Hong Kong and Asia into a major jewellery trading and retailing hub."

Mr Anthony Lau, Executive Director of the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB), said: "While Mr Leung Sik Wah plays an instrumental role in promoting the gem and jewellery industry, he also contributes significantly to Hong Kong's tourism industry. Through the years, Mr Leung has actively supported and acted as a sub-committee member of the HKTB's Quality Tourism Services Scheme, offering us his expertise and wise counsel as we strive to elevate service standard in Hong Kong. The Lifetime Achievement Award presented by JNA is certainly well-deserved recognition of Mr Leung's accomplishments and contributions to the local community."

In 1985, Leung led diamantaires in Hong Kong in the establishment of the Hong Kong Diamond Bourse, which helped solidify Hong Kong's position as one of the top five diamond trading centres in the world. He served as Chairman of the bourse from 1985 to 1991. Leung was also elected President of the Diamond Federation of Hong Kong, China, where he currently holds the title Honorary Life President. He advocated the Diamond Federation's Integrity Pledge Scheme, which promotes honesty, transparency and accountability in  the sale of diamonds and diamond jewellery.

As Chairman of the Hong Kong Jewellers' & Goldsmiths' Association - a position he has held since 1971 - Leung works closely with various government departments in developing trade-regulated, and ethical and good business practices to protect the interest of consumers. His accomplishments included the creation and implementation of the Gold Quality Mark in 1989 and the Fei Cui Quality Mark in 2007. Leung is also a renowned figure in the pearl trade, and was instrumental in bringing South Sea and Tahitian pearl auctions to Hong Kong.

"It is such an honour to be recognised as a contributor to the gem and jewellery industry. The award is not for me alone, but also for those who have dedicated their lives to the growth of the entire industry, and those who contributed their valuable ideas and helped me in the past," Leung said. "This award affirms my strong belief that one must always do the right thing. In my own little way, I hope to serve as a role model for the younger generation. This just goes to show that integrity and hard work do pay off," he said.

The JNA Awards recognises and honours excellence in the jewellery industry, with a focus on companies and individuals that have made significant contributions to the Asian gemstone and jewellery trade.

The awards ceremony and gala dinner, which will be held on the sidelines of the September Hong Kong Jewellery & Gem Fair, is a ticketed event by application only. Interested parties may submit their request for gala dinner tickets by logging on to www.JNAawards.com.

Notes for Editors:

1. About JNA (www.jewellerynewsasia.com)

JNA, 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.

2. About the Headline Partners

2.1 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.

2.2 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 a heritage and long-standing reputation spanning more than 80 years, 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.

3. About the Honoured Partners

3.1 Gubelin

Since 1854, Gubelin has stood for the highest standards in jewellery and gemstones. With its wide range of selected gems and signature jewellery collections, the family-owned business has established its presence in Switzerland's premier locations including Lucerne, Zurich, Basel, Bern, Lugano, St. Moritz and Geneva. Gubelin runs its first boutique in Asia at the famous Starhill Gallery in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.  At the head of the business, now in its sixth generation, stands Raphael Gubelin. Besides the jewellery retail stores and the Gubelin Ateliers, the corporate group also operates the Gubelin Gem Lab, a world-renowned scientific gemstone laboratory with its headquarters in Switzerland and an office in Hong Kong. As head of the company, Raphael Gubelin is continuing his father's business philosophy and nurturing the company's traditional values of genuineness, purity, exclusivity, quality and authenticity.

3.2 Israel Diamond Institute

The Israel Diamond Institute (IDI) Group of Companies is a non-profit, public interest company that represents all organisations and institutions involved in Israel's diamond industry. Israel is one of the world's leading diamond centres, and the Israeli diamond industry has an illustrious and impressive history dating back to the late 1930s. IDI works for the benefit of Israel's diamond industry. Its responsibilities include marketing and public relations, build-up of R&D capabilities, rough sources promotion, professional development and training, publication of professional literature and security consultancy. IDI is also responsible for industry participation in major trade fairs around the world, organising Israeli Diamond Pavilions, receptions, press conferences and other events at these fairs. IDI operates a representative office in Hong Kong, which fosters trade relations with Asian markets.

3.3 KARP Group

With over four decades of experience and expertise in the diamond trade, KARP caters to international luxury brands. Apart from being a DTC Sightholder, the group is recognised as an "institution" in the industry, using the most technologically advanced manufacturing systems in the business. KARP manufactures a huge array of products, from 0.005-carat goods to stones weighing 10 carats and above. It excels in the production of certified fine makes, fancy-cut goods and fancy coloured diamonds. The manufacturer is one of the few companies that has achieved up to 5-micron precision in diamond manufacturing.

3.4 Robert Wan Tahiti (www.robertwan.com)

Based in Papeete, Tahiti, the Robert Wan Group 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 represents the culmination of Robert Wan's vision to create timeless exquisite pearl jewellery, from elegant chokers and sautoirs of gem-quality pearls from his farms in South Marutea. One of the industry pioneers, Robert Wan is known as the "Emperor of Pearls."

3.5 Shanghai Diamond Exchange(www.cnsde.com)

The Shanghai Diamond Exchange is the only transaction platform authorised by the State Council for the import and export of diamonds in mainland China. It is a member of the World Federation of Diamond Bourses.

4. About UBM Asia

Owned by UBM plc, which is listed on the London Stock Exchange, UBM Asia operates in 18 market sectors with headquarters in Hong Kong and subsidiary companies across Asia. We have over 240 products including trade fairs, conferences, trade publications, B2B/B2C portals and virtual event services. As Asia's leading exhibition organiser and the biggest commercial organiser in China, India and Malaysia, we stage the leading events of their kind across the region. Our 200 events, 24 publications and 16 vertical portals serve over 1,000,000 quality exhibitors, visitors, conference delegates, advertisers and subscribers from all over the world with high-value face-to-face business-matching events, quality and instant market news and industry trends, and round-the-clock online trading networks and sourcing platforms. We have 1,000 staff in 21 major cities across Asia, stretching from Japan to Turkey.

5. About UBM plc

UBM plc is a leading global company. We inform markets and bring the world's buyers and sellers together at events, online and in print, and provide them with the information they need to do business successfully. We focus on serving professional commercial communities, from doctors to game developers, from journalists to jewellery traders, and from farmers to pharmacists around the world. Our 6,600 staff in more than 31 countries are organised into specialist teams that serve these communities, helping them to do business effectively and efficiently.

6. About UBM Awards

UBM Awards and Partnerships is UBM plc's awards organiser and producer. Based in London, UBM Awards and Partnerships specialises in end-to-end delivery of cross-sector awards programmes and bespoke events worldwide. UBM Awards and Partnerships organises more than 30 awards and bespoke events annually including the UK's National Business Awards and National Sales Award.

For more information, contact:

JNA
UBM Asia (Hong Kong)
+852-2516-1630
[email protected]

SOURCE UBM Asia Ltd