24 Karat Club of Southern California Recognizes 3 Honorees
They will be celebrated at the annual dinner dance and gala in the fall.

The Lifetime Achievement Award recipient is Georgie Gleim of Palo Alto’s Gleim the Jeweler.
Gleim is president of the store, which was founded in 1931. She is also heavily involved in the industry, having been a past president of the American Gem Society, past board chair of Jewelers of America, and past president of the Jewelers Education Foundation.
She’s received many accolades over her career, including being inducted into National Jeweler’s Retailer Hall of Fame. She is a Robert M. Shipley Award recipient and has a WJA Award for Excellence in Retailing.
The 2023 Excellence in Service honoree is Shelly Sergent, curator of the Somewhere in the Rainbow Collection in Phoenix, Arizona.
Somewhere in the Rainbow aims to provide education and an appreciation of colored gemstones and artisan-crafted jewelry to museums, stores, and educational facilities.
Sergent received the 2022 AGS Sallie Morton Award. She has exhibited and presented the Somewhere in the Rainbow Collection at the Smithsonian Natural History Affiliate Museum, Harvard, and the University of Arizona.
Internationally, she has presented the collection at Gem-A in London, Germany, and Scotland.
Sergent is on the University of Arizona Board of Directors for Geo Sciences and is a founding member of the Tucson Gem and Mineral Museum, which opened in 2020.
Finally, the Rising Star Award recipient is Molly Peterson of Seattle’s Ben Bridge Jeweler.
The Ben Bridge bridal buyer joined the merchandising team in 2021. Prior to that, she was a top sales associate and manager, taking home honors like “Store of the Year,” “Highest Store Sales Increase,” and “Buyer’s Choice,” from the company.
Her role as bridal buyer sees her in charge of the Ben Bridge’s proprietary bridal brand, Bella Ponte, which specializes in custom design and state of the art technology.
The three honorees will be officially honored at the 79th Annual Dinner Dance and Gala this fall.
“We are really excited about this year’s slate of honorees,” said Adam Graham, president of the Jewelers 24 Karat Club of Southern California.
“We invite everyone out to celebrate with us on Oct. 7 at the beautiful Ritz Carlton on the water in Marina Del Rey.”
Information on the 79th Annual Dinner Dance and Gala, including tickets and sponsorship, is available online.
The Latest

The jewelry collection belonged to “one of society's most glamorous and beautiful women of the mid-20th century,” said the auction house.

The update came as Anglo took its third write-down on the diamond miner and marketer, which lost more than $500 million in 2025.

Emmanuel Raheb discusses the rise of “GEO” and the importance of having well-written, quality content on your website.

Every jeweler faces the same challenge: helping customers protect what they love. Here’s the solution designed for today’s jewelry business.

Each received around four years for burglarizing a jewelry store and a coffee shop in Simi Valley, California, last May.


We asked a jewelry historian, designer, bridal director, and wedding expert what’s trending in engagement rings. Here’s what they said.

Experts from India weigh in the politics, policies, and market dynamics for diamantaires to monitor in 2026 and beyond.

With refreshed branding, a new website, updated courses, and a pathway for growth, DCA is dedicated to supporting retail staff development.

Beth Gerstein discusses the vibe of the new store, what customers want when fine jewelry shopping today, and the details of “Date Night.”

Are arm bands poised to make a comeback? Has red-carpet jewelry become boring? Find out on the second episode of the “My Next Question” podcast.

The Swiss watchmaker is battling declining sales amid a rapid retail expansion, according to a Financial Times report.

The campaign celebrates Giustina Pavanello Rahaminov, the co-founder’s wife and matriarch of the family-owned brand, for her 88th birthday.

Rachel Bennett, a senior jeweler who has been with Borsheims since 2004, earned the award.

After the Supreme Court struck down the IEEPA tariffs, President Trump imposed a 10 percent tax on almost all imports via a different law.

The industry veteran, who was with The Edge Retail Academy for 14 years, joins her husband at the company he founded in 2022.

The vintage signed jewelry retailer chose Miami due to growing client demand in the city and the greater Latin American region.

Former Flight Club executive Jin Lee will bring his experience from the sneaker world to the pre-owned watch marketplace.

Sakamoto, who died in mid-January following a sudden illness, is remembered for his humility and his masterful, architectural designs.

Bulgari chose the British-Albanian singer-songwriter for her powerful and enduring voice in contemporary culture, the jeweler said.

In a 6-3 ruling, the court said the president exceeded his authority when imposing sweeping tariffs under IEEPA.

Smith encourages salespeople to ask customers questions that elicit the release of oxytocin, the brain’s “feel-good” chemical.

JVC also announced the election of five new board members.

The brooch, our Piece of the Week, shows the chromatic spectrum through a holographic coating on rock crystal.

Raised in an orphanage, Bailey was 18 when she met her husband, Clyde. They opened their North Carolina jewelry store in 1948.

Material Good is celebrating its 10th anniversary as it opens its new store in the Back Bay neighborhood of Boston.

The show will be held March 26-30 at the Miami Beach Convention Center.

The estate of the model, philanthropist, and ex-wife of Johnny Carson has signed statement jewels up for sale at John Moran Auctioneers.


























