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Jewelers of America (JA) has announced the nominees for the 2026 GEM Awards, which honor brands and individuals that have raised the profile of fine jewelry and watches.
The organization will present the awards in three categories, it said Tuesday: Jewelry Design, Media Excellence, and Retail Innovation. It will announce the winners at a New York ceremony on March 13 next year.
JA will also present Mark and Candy Udell of London Jewelers with the Lifetime Achievement Award.
The nominees are:
Jewelry Design
The founder and designer of London-based Cece Jewellery began goldsmithing in 2018 after working at Sotheby’s and Christie’s. Today, she specializes in hand-engraved and enameled jewels featuring fairytale imagery and tattoo motifs.
The Brazilian designer has gained acclaim for her eponymous brand’s unconventional creations, which use natural materials like bamboo, silk and wood alongside precious gems. She has partnered with artisans from diverse cultures and won multiple awards.
Creations by the Paris-born founder and CEO of fine-jewelry brand Almasika have adorned celebrities such as former First Lady Michelle Obama and actress Reese Witherspoon. Her designs “bridge art, heritage and shared human experience,” JA said.
Media Excellence
Currently fashion director at Vanity Fair magazine, she has also worked at Marie Claire, InStyle and Allure, and has become “renowned for uniting fashion with cultural resonance,” according to JA.
The editor in chief of magazine and website Gem + Jewel previously served as a senior editor at JCK magazine and has contributed to numerous other publications. She also co-hosts the Rough Cut jewelry podcast.
As senior fashion market editor for accessories at WWD magazine, Waller “explores how design, heritage and innovation shape the way we adorn ourselves,” according to JA. He previously worked at InStyle and Allure.
Retail Innovation
This 111-year-old New England retailer has been 100% employee-owned since 2021 and has nine locations across Maine and New Hampshire.
Founder and designer Emily Phillippy has made her Philadelphia-based brand a center of inclusivity and transparency, offering gender-free, sustainably sourced fine jewelry.
This London-based, female-led fine-jewelry brand has gained a celebrity following for its hybrid antique-modern aesthetic. It opened its first US location this year on New York’s Madison Avenue.
Main images: Silvia Furmanovich, Catherine Sarr and Thomas Waller (left to right). (Jewelers of America)
