HONG KONG /PRNewswire/ -- JNA (Jewellery News Asia), organiser of the prestigious JNA Awards, has announced the much-anticipated list of Honourees or shortlisted finalists across 15 categories for 2015. A total of 49 Honourees representing 31 companies from 10 countries/regions have been shortlisted.

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(From left) Zheng Liu of Guangdong Land Holdings Limited, Caroline Yuan of Shanghai Diamond Exchange, Rita Maltez of Rio Tinto Diamonds, Wolfram Dien...

JNA Awards 2015 Partners
(From left) James Courage, Chairman of the Responsible Jewellery Council; Albert Cheng, Managing Director of the World Gold Council, Far East; Lin Qiang, President and Managing Director of the Shanghai Diamond Exchange; Nirupa Bhatt, Managing Director of GIA India and the Middle East; and Yasukazu Suwa, Chairman of Suwa & Son, Inc

The JNA Awards is supported by Headline Partners Rio Tinto Diamonds and Chow Tai Fook, together with Honoured Partners Diarough Group, Gübelin Group, Israel Diamond Institute Group of Companies, Shanghai Diamond Exchange and Guangdong Land Holdings Limited (GDLAND).

The judging panel consists of five industry experts, namely James Courage, Chairman of the Responsible Jewellery Council (RJC); Albert Cheng, Managing Director of the World Gold Council, Far East (WGC); Lin Qiang, President and Managing Director of the Shanghai Diamond Exchange (SDE); Nirupa Bhatt, Managing Director of GIA India and the Middle East; and Yasukazu Suwa, Chairman of Suwa & Son, Inc.

The Awards serves as an open platform that promotes and encourages the sharing of best practices and innovative ideas for the international jewellery and gemstone industry. It continues to draw interest among companies across key markets in the trade, including dynamic enterprises from South Korea, Taiwan, the United Kingdom and Vietnam that have been shortlisted for the first time. Other countries represented include Australia, Mainland China, Hong Kong, India, the Philippines and Thailand.

Wolfram Diener, Senior Vice President of UBM Asia, said, "The JNA Awards is entering its fourth year, and it is indeed very exciting for us to see such positive and enthusiastic response from the trade both in terms of entrants and quality of entries. We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to the judges who worked tirelessly and professionally to come up with such a stellar list of finalists."

Letitia Chow, Chair of the JNA Awards 2015 Judging Panel, Founder of JNA and Director of Business Development – Jewellery Group at UBM Asia, noted, "I have been serving as the Chair of the Judging Panel since the first year and I continue to observe an increasing high level of energy and zeal to excel and advance among the participating companies and individuals. This year, we have added a couple of criteria in the entry rules, which made room for different scale enterprises and newcomers to be qualified as Honourees. It is also encouraging to see past Recipients entering and being shortlisted for categories new to them.

"As in the past, the members of the judging panel have demonstrated dedication, professionalism and tremendous commitment during the selection process that they themselves exemplify the spirit of the JNA Awards."

WGC's Albert Cheng, a member of the judging panel for the fourth year, commented, "I felt the enthusiasm of the participants through their applications and success stories. I hope the Awards will continue to attract more companies from the region in the coming years. The JNA Awards is truly an excellent platform for the jewellery fraternity to have a reality check every year, benchmark themselves against their peers and learn from the industry's best practices."

James Courage from RJC added, "There is a strong spirit of innovation, both technical and in business approach, to meet the challenges of cost, competition and developing new designs. A positive reflection of entrants listening to consumer needs for variety in content, identifying means of purchase, gaining confidence in the product and supplier, and increasing international reach. As before, there are many clear illustrations of the importance of looking at both customer and employee relationships and retention."

Lin Qiang of SDE said, "In my fourth year of judging, I continue to be impressed by the innovative spirit and exceptional leadership of the entrants. The quality this year made it difficult to draw up a shortlist of finalists since they have all achieved excellent results in taking their businesses to a higher level, which undoubtedly will raise the bar for future Awards. I believe that the tight competition in the JNA Awards will inspire everyone to excel and thus, drive the whole industry forward."

GIA's Nirupa Bhatt added, "It is a privilege to be invited back as a JNA Awards judge for the third consecutive year. The Awards brings together members of the gem and jewellery industry across the globe who are working towards the common goal of expanding and improving our industry. Award categories like 'Sustainability of the Year' and 'Industry Innovation of the Year' will continue to inspire businesses to strive for excellence. The JNA Awards has undoubtedly become an important industry event."

Yasukazu Suwa of Suwa & Son remarked, "As a first-time judge on the JNA Awards panel, I was not familiar with most of the participants, but their eagerness to excel in business was apparent. Through their entries, I could feel and see the vitality in Asia. The unique values of these companies have made it possible for them to flourish in a growing regional economy.

"One of the challenges I faced was the broad range of companies in terms of size, which goes from less than US $1 million to US $9.9 billion in annual sales. Although the difference in scale affects many things, I had to look at the entrants' business approach and philosophy, and judge on quality rather than quantity. I was impressed with the calibre of entrants and I found their stories very enlightening."

The following individuals and companies have been shortlisted as Honourees for the JNA Awards 2015:

3 Decades of Excellence
Hong Kong Jewellery & Jade Manufacturers Association -- Hong Kong
Jewelmer Joaillerie -- Philippines
Paspaley -- Australia
Shree Ramkrishna Exports Pvt Ltd – India

Brand of the Year -- Retail
Chii Lih Coral Co Ltd -- Taiwan
Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Group Limited -- Hong Kong
The Genuine Gemstone Company -- United Kingdom

Employer of the Year
Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Group Limited -- Hong Kong
Hari Krishna Exports Pvt Ltd -- India
Phu Nhuan Jewelry Joint Stock Company -- Vietnam
Pranda Jewelry Plc -- Thailand

Industry Innovation of the Year
China Stone Ltd -- Thailand
Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Group Limited -- Hong Kong
Shenzhen United BlueOcean Technology Development Co Ltd -- China
Shenzhen XingGuangDa Jewelry Industrial Co Ltd -- China
Shree Ramkrishna Exports Pvt Ltd -- India

Manufacturer of the Year -- Coloured Gemstone Cutting & Polishing
Lorenzo Jewelry Limited -- Hong Kong
RMC Gems India Limited -- India

Manufacturer of the Year -- Diamond Cutting & Polishing
Hari Krishna Exports Pvt Ltd -- India
J. B. And Brothers Pvt Ltd -- India

Manufacturer of the Year -- Gem-Set Jewellery
KGK Jewellery Mfg Ltd -- Hong Kong
Lorenzo Jewelry Limited -- Hong Kong
MKS Jewelry International Co Ltd -- Thailand
Shenzhen Ganlu Jewelry Co Ltd -- China

Manufacturer of the Year -- Precious Metals-Only Jewellery
Shenzhen Cuilu Jewellery Co Ltd -- China
Shenzhen Batar Investment Holding Group Co Ltd -- China
Shenzhen Ganlu Jewelry Co Ltd -- China
Shenzhen United BlueOcean Technology Development Co Ltd -- China

Outstanding Enterprise of the Year -- ASEAN Countries
China Stone Ltd -- Thailand
PANDORA Production Co Ltd -- Thailand
Phu Nhuan Jewelry Joint Stock Company -- Vietnam

Outstanding Enterprise of the Year -- India
J. B. And Brothers Pvt Ltd -- India
Kashi Jewellers -- India
Shree Ramkrishna Exports Pvt Ltd -- India

Outstanding Enterprise of the Year -- Mainland China
KGK Diamonds (Shanghai) Ltd -- China
Shenzhen Batar Investment Holding Group Co Ltd -- China
Shenzhen Bofook Jewellery Co Ltd -- China
Shenzhen XingGuangDa Jewelry Industrial Co Ltd -- China

Retailer of the Year (450 outlets and below)
Golden Dew Co Ltd -- South Korea
Phu Nhuan Jewelry Joint Stock Company -- Vietnam

E-tailer of the Year
KELA -- China
The Genuine Gemstone Company -- United Kingdom
Vaibhav Global Limited -- India

Sustainability Initiative of the Year
Kiran Gems Private Limited -- India
Shenzhen 3D-KET Jewellery Company Limited -- China
Shenzhen United BlueOcean Technology Development Co Ltd -- China
Shenzhen XingGuangDa Jewelry Industrial Co Ltd -- China

Young Entrepreneur of the Year (Age 40 and below)
Mr. Kwan Sit, Shenzhen Bofook Jewellery Co., Ltd -- China
Mr. Lei Xu, Zbird China -- China

The Recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award will be nominated by the organiser, and the announcement will be made at a later date.

This year's JNA Awards ceremony and gala dinner will be held on Sunday, 20 September, at the Regal Airport Hotel Hong Kong, during the September Hong Kong Jewellery & Gem Fair. It is an industry-wide event that honours and recognises excellence and achievement in the global jewellery trade with a focus on contributions and achievements made in the Asian region. It is a ticketed event by application only. Interested parties may submit their request by logging on towww.JNAawards.com

For more information, please contact:

JNA Awards Marketing
UBM Asia (Hong Kong)
+852 2516 2184
[email protected]

Notes for Editors:

1. About JNA (www.jewellerynewsasia.com )

JNA is the organiser of the JNA Awards and is the flagship publication 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 Gubelin Group (www.gubelin.com )

Since 1854, the name Gubelin has stood for the very highest standards in gemstones, jewellery and watches. With its selection of the most sought-after timepieces and jewellery of its own design, the family-run business is represented at all the prime locations in Switzerland: Lucerne, Zurich, Basel, Bern, St. Moritz, Lugano and Geneva. Last November, Gübelin Jewellery established its presence in Hong Kong.

Besides the jewellery boutiques and the Gubelin Ateliers, the group has a newly-established Academy and a world-renowned Gemmological Laboratory. The Gübelin Gem Lab is one of the oldest and most respected institutions of its kind, relied on by dealers, auction houses, royal families and collectors since the 1920s.

3.3 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.

3.4 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.

3.5 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.

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

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