Pattons Fine Jewelry Takes Home 3 Awards from Louisiana Jewelers Convention
They included the Jewelers of Louisiana’s top honor as well as two design awards.

The association named Tenisha Jason-Moore its “Jeweler of Louisiana,” one of its top honors. The award is given to an individual in the jewelry business in Louisiana who exemplifies excellence in their store and demonstrated a passion for jewelry.
Jason-Moore is the third Pattons employee to take home the honor, joining Kevin “Duane” Dunehew in 2015 and Kevin Patton in 2002.
Jewelry designer Melinda Wallace, who is also the manager of the Pattons Alexandria store, took first place in the category of designs retailing for $6,000 or more in the 2021 Jewelers of Louisiana Design Competition.
Her winning piece was a freeform boulder opal with 14-karat gold overlay and marquise emerald “leaves.”

Additionally, Patton jeweler Ara Chanakian entered three pieces into the design competition and earned two third-place awards, one in the category of retailing up to $2,000 and one in the retailing for $2,000 to $6,000 category.
The pieces entered were judged on overall design, marketability, practicality, wearability, and craftmanship.
Each first-place winner and the overall winner’s entries will be sent to Jewelers of America in New York to be entered into the association’s CASE Awards competition next year.
Pattons Fine Jewelry has been around since 1944, with locations in Alexandria and Baton Rouge.
Sandra Patton was the inaugural recipient of Jewelers of Louisiana’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2017, given to an individual who has been involved in the jewelry industry for over 20 years and who possesses qualities of professionalism, community involvement, exemplary customer service, and excellence.
The Latest

The Vault’s Katherine Jetter is accusing the retailer of using info she shared for a potential partnership to move into Nantucket.

Agents seized 2,193 pieces, a mix of counterfeit Cartier “Love” and “Juste Un Clou” bracelets, and Van Cleef & Arpels’ “Alhambra” design.

The designer brought her children’s book, “The Big Splash Circus,” to life through a collection of playful fine jewelry characters.

The Seymour & Evelyn Holtzman Bench Scholarship from Jewelers of America returns for a second year.

The organization has also announced this year’s slate of judges.


Associate Editor Natalie Francisco shares 20 additional pieces that stood out to her at the Couture show.

Lori Tucker started at Williams Jewelers when she was 18 years old.

The countdown is on for the JCK Las Vegas Show and JA is pulling out all the stops.

The “Marvel | Citizen Zenshin” watch is crafted in Super Titanium and has subtle nods to all four “Fantastic Four” superheroes on the dial.

The “XO Tacori” collection was designed to blend luxury and accessible pricing.

Pritesh Patel, the lab’s chief operating officer, will take over as president and CEO of GIA.

National Jeweler and Jewelers of America discuss the standout jewelry trends and biggest news to emerge from the shows this year.

Signatories to the “Luanda Accord” committed to allocating 1 percent of annual diamond revenue to the Natural Diamond Council.

Nominations in the categories of Jewelry Design, Media Excellence, and Retail Innovation will be accepted through July 30.

The singer’s ring ticks off many bridal trends, with a thick band, half-bezel setting, and solitaire diamond.

The bracelet references vintage high jewelry and snake symbolism as a playful piece where a python’s head becomes a working belt buckle.

The heist happened in Lebec, California, in 2022 when a Brinks truck was transporting goods from one show in California to another.

The 10-carat fancy purple-pink diamond with potential links to Marie Antoinette headlined the white-glove jewelry auction this week.

The Starboard Cruises SVP discusses who is shopping for jewelry on ships, how much they’re spending, and why brands should get on board.

The historic signet ring exceeded its estimate at Noonans Mayfair’s jewelry auction this week.

To mark the milestone, the brand is introducing new non-bridal fine jewelry designs for the first time in two decades.

The gemstone is the third most valuable ruby to come out of the Montepuez mine, Gemfields said.

Founder and longtime CEO Ben Smithee will stay with the agency, transitioning into the role of founding partner and strategic advisor.

Associate Editor Natalie Francisco shares 20 of her favorite pieces from the jewelry collections that debuted at Couture.

If you want to attract good salespeople and generate a stream of “sleeping money” for your jewelry store, then you are going to have to pay.

The top lot was a colorless Graff diamond, followed by a Burmese ruby necklace by Marcus & Co.

Gizzi, who has been in the industry since 2001, is now Jewelers of America’s senior vice president of corporate affairs.