HONG KONG, June 19, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- JNA (Jewellery News Asia), the organiser of the prestigious JNA Awards, has announced the much-anticipated list of Honourees across 14 categories for its third edition. A total of 29 companies from 10 countries/regions have been shortlisted. The event is supported by Headline Partners Rio Tinto Diamonds and Chow Tai Fook, together with Honoured Partners Diarough Group, Gubelin Group, Israel Diamond Institute, KARP Group, Paspaley Pearling Company and Shanghai Diamond Exchange.

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The judging panel consists of five industry experts, namely Nirupa Bhatt, Managing Director of GIA in India and the Middle East; Bill Boyajian, Founder and President of Bill Boyajian & Associates Inc. and former President of the Gemological Institute of America (GIA); Albert Cheng, Managing Director of the World Gold Council - Far East (WGC); James Courage, Chief Executive Officer of Platinum Guild International (PGI); and Lin Qiang, President and Managing Director of the Shanghai Diamond Exchange (SDE).

Now in its third year, the awards event has grown in size and stature with 91 highly qualified entries from 20 countries and regions. Countries represented for the first time included Belgium, Indonesia, Italy, Malaysia, the Netherlands and Vietnam. Nominations were also fielded from Australia, mainland China, Hong Kong, India, Israel, Japan, the Philippines, Russia, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, United Kingdom, U.S. and the United Arab Emirates.

A new category, Outstanding Enterprise of the Year - ASEAN Countries, has been introduced this year to reflect the growing importance of this region in the jewellery and gemstone industry.

The Recipients of the Lifetime Achievement Award and the Outstanding Contribution of the Year 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 Tuesday, 16 September, at the InterContinental 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 can submit their request by logging on to www.JNAawards.com

Please click here for the list of Honourees and full announcement.

SOURCE JNA