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Jewelers of America Announces Recipients of 2026 GEM Awards

Jewelers of America Announces Recipients of 2026 GEM AwardsReading Time: 5 minutes
Key takeaways

• Jewelers of America announced the winners of the 24th annual GEM Awards, held on March 13, 2026, in New York City.

• Mark and Candy Udell of London Jewelers received the Lifetime Achievement Award for their commitment to relationships and the jewelry community.

• Key category winners included Sylvia Furmanovich for Jewelry Design, Thomas Waller for Media Excellence, and Jessica McCormack for Retail Innovation.

(New York, NY) – Jewelers of America (JA), the national trade association for businesses serving the fine jewelry marketplace, and the GEM Awards Committee announce the winners of the 24th annual GEM Awards. The sold-out event took place on Friday, March 13, 2026, at Cipriani 42nd Street in New York City. Mark and Candy Udell of London Jewelers received the GEM Award for Lifetime Achievement. Ana Khouri was presented with the GEM Award for High Jewelry Excellence by Linda Evangelista. The winners in the Jewelry Design, Media Excellence, and Retail Innovation categories were revealed live during the event, and the David Yurman GEM Awards Grant was presented to Johnny Nelson.

Jewelers of America Announces Recipients of 2026 GEM Awards

Sylvia Furmanovich won the GEM Award for Jewelry Design. The award was presented by the 2025 GEM Award for Jewelry Design winner, Beth Hutchens of FoundRae. The other nominees in the category were Cece Fein-Hughes and Catherine Sarr.  

The GEM Award for Media Excellence went to Thomas Waller. The 2025 winner in the category, Sam Broekema, presented the award. The other nominees were Nicole Martine Chapoteau and Emili Vesilind.

Jessica McCormack won the GEM Award for Retail Innovation, and the award was accepted on stage by Leonie Brantberg. The other nominees were Day’s Jewelers and Emily Chelsea Jewelry. The award was presented by the 2025 GEM Award for Retail Excellence recipients, Yael Reinhold and Mildred Marcano, of Reinhold Jewelers.

David Yurman presented the 2026 David Yurman GEM Awards Grant to Johnny Nelson. “The David Yurman GEM Awards Grant is our commitment to the next generation of extraordinary talent. It reflects our long-term vision and belief in nurturing what’s next for innovative jewelry design,” said David Yurman. “What truly sets Johnny apart is the meaning embedded in his work. His designs fuse his own heritage, identity, and artistry, creating pieces that spark conversation and invite reflection.” 

The final award of the evening was presented to Mark and Candy Udell of London Jewelers with the GEM Award for Lifetime Achievement. Candy and Mark captivated the audience with a remarkable acceptance speech, following a touching introduction from Jim Haag of Verdura that included, “I always have gotten the feeling that their hearts prevail over all decisions. They just know what to do and when to do it.” Mark and Candy’s speech touched on their love for family, their commitment to their community, and their love for what they do. “Standing on this stage to accept a Lifetime Achievement Award is something we never could have imagined when this journey began. We didn’t build this company thinking about recognition—we built it thinking about people and relationships.  Our relationships are built on mutual trust and respect, something we hold dearly in our hearts,” said Candy Udell.

The 2026 GEM Awards were chaired by Marion Fasel, The Adventurine. The Committee was comprised of Sarin Bachmann, JCK & LUXURY; David Bonaparte, Jewelers of America; Sam Broekema, Natural Diamond Council; Gannon Brousseau, COUTURE; Annie Doresca, Jewelers of America/Diamond Council of America; Tanya Dukes; Dorit Engel, CHANEL; Jennifer Gandia, Greenwich St. Jewelers; Michelle Graff, National Jeweler; Lauren Harwell Godfrey; Harwell Godfrey; Sally Morrison, De Beers Group; Rebecca Moskal, COMMUNIQUÉ; and Jill Newman.

For more information on GEM Awards or to view photos from the 2026 GEM Awards, visit www.jewelers.org/gemawards.

The post Jewelers of America Announces Recipients of 2026 GEM Awards appeared first on Southern Jewelry News.



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