JNA Awards 2018 shines light on world-class innovators

IIDGR, PANDORA Production join prestigious circle of Honourees

Hong Kong, Aug. 21, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The seventh edition of the JNA Awards has received a record number of entrants for the Industry Innovation of the Year category, proving yet again the importance of ground-breaking work and creativity in the jewellery sector.

Retail space of China Precious Gold Holdings Ltd

At PANDORA Production Co Ltd's innovation centre

An Opal Master Reference Set produced by Cody Opal Australia Pty Ltd

SYNTHdetect machine with a monitor developed by IIDGR (UK) Ltd

Organised by UBM Asia, the JNA Awards is one of the most prestigious awards programmes that promotes innovation, excellence and best business practices in the jewellery industry. It has established itself as an inspiring platform where business leaders and industry influencers can exchange ideas and share stories of success. The Award Recipients and Honourees will be feted at a gala celebration on Sunday, 16 September, at the InterContinental Hong Kong.

Competition was keener than ever in this category. Out of the 34 outstanding entrants, nine successfully made it to the Honourees list, namely, China Precious Gold Holdings Limited, Cody Opal Australia Pty Ltd, DRC TECHNO, IIDGR (UK) Ltd, ISMOND Jewelry Technology Co Ltd, PANDORA Production Co Ltd, Shenzhen HengFuYingJia Gold Co Ltd, Shenzhen Lingchengben Technology Corporation Limited, and Shenzhen MOVER Jewellery Co Ltd.

Letitia Chow, Chairperson of the JNA Awards, Founder of JNA, and Director of Business Development -- Jewellery Group at UBM Asia, said, "The importance of innovation is vital for businesses to remain competitive and be the winning team in this ever-changing world. Innovation does not only apply to technology, but in every aspect of an operation, from business models, gemmological research, production and marketing initiatives to management processes, which have all been well-demonstrated by the Honourees. These companies are not satisfied with the status quo and have sought creative ways to respond and foresee the needs and challenges of the industry."

The 2018 independent judging panel consists of industry experts, namely, Albert Cheng, Advisor to the World Gold Council (WGC) and former Managing Director, Far East (WGC); James Courage, former Chief Executive Officer of Platinum Guild International (PGI) and former Chairman of the Responsible Jewellery Council (RJC); Lin Qiang, President and Managing Director of the Shanghai Diamond Exchange (SDE); Mark Lee, Research Director of Asia Pacific Institute for Strategy (APIFS); Nirupa Bhatt, Managing Director of the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) in India and the Middle East; and Yasukazu Suwa, Chairman of Suwa & Son, Inc.

JNA Awards 2018 is supported by Headline Partners Chow Tai Fook (CTF), the Shanghai Diamond Exchange (SDE), and the Bahrain Institute for Pearls and Gemstones (DANAT) together with Honoured Partners KGK Group, Guangdong Gems & Jade Exchange, and Guangdong Land Holdings Limited (GDLAND).

Tickets for the prestigious Awards Ceremony and Gala Dinner are available for booking now at http://www.JNAAwards.com/ The JNA Awards is a ticketed event by application only.

Here is the full list of the individuals and companies that have been shortlisted as Honourees for JNA Awards 2018:

Brand of the Year -- Retail

• Jewelmer (KARAMAR CORPORATION)
• Luk Fook Holdings (International) Limited
• Phu Nhuan Jewelry Joint Stock Company
• Shenzhen Darry Jewelry Co Ltd
• Shenzhen Perfect Love Diamond Co Ltd
• Shenzhen Sunfeel Jewelry Co Ltd

eSupplier of the Year

• Kiran Gems Private Limited
• Zbird / Shanghai Wisdom Jewelry Trading Co Ltd
• Zhuge-to-store, Fubillion

Industry Innovation of the Year

• China Precious Gold Holdings Limited
• Cody Opal Australia Pty Ltd
• DRC TECHNO
• IIDGR (UK) Ltd
• ISMOND Jewelry Technology Co Ltd
• PANDORA Production Co Ltd
• Shenzhen HengFuYingJia Gold Co Ltd
• Shenzhen Lingchengben Technology Corporation Limited
• Shenzhen MOVER Jewellery Co Ltd

Manufacturer of the Year -- Cutting & Polishing

• Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Group Ltd
• KGK Diamonds (HK) Limited

Manufacturer of the Year -- Jewellery

• Kuwayama Corporation
• MKS Jewelry International Co Ltd
• Shenzhen Kingli Jewellery Co Ltd

Outstanding Enterprise of the Year -- ASEAN, Japan & Korea

• Crossfor Co Ltd
• J.ESTINA
• Poh Kong Jewellers

Outstanding Enterprise of the Year -- Greater China

• Luk Fook Holdings (International) Limited
• Shenzhen MingFeng Jewellery Co Ltd
• Shenzhen Sunfeel Jewelry Co Ltd

Outstanding Enterprise of the Year -- India

• H.K. Jewels Private Limited
• KGK Diajewels Private Limited
• RMC GEMS INDIA LIMITED

Retailer of the Year (500 outlets and below)

• Phu Nhuan Jewelry Joint Stock Company
• Poh Kong Jewellers
• PT Central Mega Kencana
• Shenzhen Darry Jewelry Co Ltd

Retailer of the Year (501 outlets and above)

• HIERSUN
• Mokingran Jewelry Group Co Ltd
• Shenzhen Ideal Jewellery Co Ltd

Sustainability Initiative of the Year

• Jewelmer (KARAMAR CORPORATION)
• KGK Diamonds (HK) Limited

Young Entrepreneur of the Year (Age 40 and below)

• XU Xiao, Zbird / Shanghai Wisdom Jewelry Trading Co Ltd
• YANG Lian Guang, Beijing Ying Yan Network Technology Co Ltd
• Zulu GHEVRIYA, Prism Group

For more information, visit www.JNAawards.com or contact:
JNA Awards Marketing
UBM Asia (Hong Kong) 
+852 2516-2184
marketing@jnaawards.com

Notes for Editors:

1.      About the Headline Partner

1.1 Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Group Limited (www.chowtaifook.com)
Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Group Limited (the "Group"; SEHK stock code: 1929) was listed on the Main Board of The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong in December 2011.

Founded in 1929, the Group's iconic brand "Chow Tai Fook" has been widely recognised for its trustworthiness and authenticity, and is renowned for its product design, quality and value. The success of the Group and its iconic brand is rooted in innovation, craftsmanship and heritage. The Group also holds other jewellery brands including CHOW TAI FOOK T MARK, Hearts On Fire, MONOLOGUE and SOINLOVE, which are the first examples of a long term multi-brand strategy rollout.

The Group's commitment to sustainable growth is anchored in its "Smart+" strategy, which is in place to promote long term innovation in the business, in people and in culture. Another asset underpinning sustainable growth is a sophisticated vertically integrated business model. This supports the Group by fostering excellence and extending opportunities along the entire value chain to communities and industry partners. 

With an extensive retail network in Greater China, Korea, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia and the United States, and a fast-growing e-commerce business, the Group is implementing effective online-to-offline ("O2O") strategies to succeed in today's omni-channel retail environment.

1.2 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.

1.3 Bahrain Institute for Pearls and Gemstones -- DANAT (http://www.danat.bh)
The Bahrain Institute for Pearls and Gemstones (DANAT) was established in 2017, at the instigation of HRH Prince Salman bin Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Bahrain. DANAT was formed as a wholly owned subsidiary of the Bahrain Mumtalakat Holding Company (Mumtalakat), the sovereign wealth fund of the Kingdom. As an organisation, DANAT has evolved from the Pearl & Gem Testing Laboratory of Bahrain (the first laboratory of its kind in the region), which was established in 1990. DANAT was formed to expand upon and enhance the excellent work of the laboratory, with the vision of becoming the world's preferred institute for natural pearl and gemstone third-party verification services and scientific research.

DANAT plays a vital role in protecting and enhancing the public trust in pearls, gemstones and jewellery. With its offices located at the iconic Bahrain World Trade Center, DANAT aims to establish itself as the window into international markets, serving local and global clients and bolstering the reputation of the Kingdom as a leading centre for pearl and gemstone expertise. DANAT is an authority on industry standards, scientific knowledge and education, and is committed to the highest standards of professional and personal ethics. It is dedicated to supporting the pearl and gemstone industry and offers training programmes locally, regionally and internationally to a new generation of gemmologists, industry professionals and gemmology enthusiasts.

2.      About the Honoured Partners

2.1 KGK Group (www.kgkgroup.com)
The KGK Group was founded in 1905 by Kesrimal Kothari and Ghisilal Kothari of Jaipur (India), with the humble task of trading gemstones between India and Burma. With a global presence across 19 countries today, the privately held group has evolved into one of the most preferred brands in the gemstone and jewellery industry, with a vertically integrated operation that spans the entire supply chain from mines to brands. KGK is one of the few conglomerates covering the entire spectrum of mining, sourcing, manufacturing and distribution of coloured gemstones, diamonds and jewellery for over a century. KGK Group has a resilient team of 12,000 employees with operations and offices in Asia, Australia, North and South America, Europe and Africa. Having achieved an impeccable reputation in the gemstone, diamond and jewellery trade, the group has recently diversified into real estate.

2.2 The Guangdong Gems & Jade Exchange (http://en.gdgje.com/)
Founded in February 2016, the Guangdong Gems & Jade Exchange is one of two provincial jewellery trading platforms authorised by the People's Government of Guangdong Province.

Aggregating resources from key industrial hubs across Guangdong including Guangzhou, Pingzhou of Foshan, Yangmei of Jieyang and Sihui of Zhaoqing, the Guangdong Gems & Jade Exchange joins hands with world-renowned jewellery brands in setting up an international supply chain integrated service platform that offers a secure and convenient trading experience for domestic and overseas jewellers.

The Guangdong Gems & Jade Exchange is set to benefit China's jewellery industry in a variety of areas, such as the promotion of a healthier and more balanced international division of labour, foreign trade development, cross-border resource management and consumer market growth. As part of this effort, it will take full advantage of the base and influence of Guangdong's jewellery industry and the benefits stemming from the Belt and Road Initiative to establish linkages with national and global gemstone and jewellery markets.

2.3 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 urban and industrial complex projects.

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 a construction scale (floor area) that is projected to exceed 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.

3.      About UBM Asia (www.ubmasia.com)
UBM Asia recently became part of Informa PLC, a leading B2B information services group and the largest B2B Events organiser in the world. Please visit www.ubm.com/asia for more information about our presence in Asia.

4.      About Responsible Jewellery Council (https://www.responsiblejewellery.com/)
The Responsible Jewellery Council is an international not-for-profit standards and certification organisation. It has more than 1,100 member companies that span the jewellery supply chain from mine to retail. RJC Members commit to and are independently audited against the RJC Code of Practices -- an international standard on responsible business practices for diamonds, gold and platinum group metals. The Code of Practices addresses human rights, labour rights, environmental impact, mining practices, product disclosure and many more important topics in the jewellery supply chain. RJC also works with multi-stakeholder initiatives on responsible sourcing and supply chain due diligence. The RJC's Chain-of-Custody Certification for precious metals supports these initiatives and can be used as a tool to deliver broader Member and stakeholder benefit.

The RJC is a Full Member of the ISEAL Alliance -- the global association for sustainability standards.  For more information on RJC Members, Certification, and Standards please visit www.responsiblejewellery.com

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