Events & AwardsMay 12, 2023
Russ Shor, Guy Borenstein Among Speakers for 2023 AGA Vegas ConferenceEvents & AwardsMay 30, 2023
24 Karat Club of Southern California Recognizes 3 Honorees
They will be celebrated at the annual dinner dance and gala in the fall.
The Jewelers 24 Karat Club of Southern California will honor three industry members at its fall gala. They are (from left to right): Georgie Gleim, Shelly Sergent, and Molly Peterson.
Los Angeles—The Jewelers 24 Karat Club of Southern California has announced its three honorees for 2023.
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.
Related stories will be right here …
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.
More on Events & Awards
The Latest
MajorsNov 21, 2025
Natural Diamond Council Names New CEOAmber Pepper’s main focus will be on digital innovation and engaging younger consumers.
SourcingNov 21, 2025
De Beers’ Branded, Traceable Diamonds Roll Out to 19 Retailers Called “Origin by De Beers Group,” the loose, polished diamonds are being sold in a total of 30 stores in the United States and Canada.
CollectionsNov 21, 2025
Piece of the Week: Melissa Kaye’s ‘Rocky Infinity’ NecklaceThe lariat necklace features a 4.88-carat oval-cut Zambian emerald in 18-karat yellow gold.
Brought to you by
Impacting Tomorrow TodayHow Jewelers of America’s 20 Under 40 are leading to ensure a brighter future for the jewelry industry.
AuctionsNov 20, 2025
Vanderbilt Jewels Shine at Phillips Sale, Pink Diamond WithdrawnA 43-carat sapphire brooch from the Vanderbilt collection was the top lot of the Geneva sale.
Weekly QuizNov 20, 2025
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
CollectionsNov 20, 2025
Rebecca Rau Jewels Debuts With ‘Then & Now’ CollectionRau is a fourth-generation art and antique dealer from M.S. Rau gallery whose first jewelry collection merges artifacts with modern design.
Policies & IssuesNov 20, 2025
RJC Names New Executive DirectorFormer De Beers sustainability leader Purvi Shah will take over the role in February 2026.
Brought to you by
Roseco Releases New Full-Line CatalogRoseco’s 704-page catalog showcases new lab-grown diamonds, findings, tools & more—available in print or interactive digital editions.
WatchesNov 20, 2025
LVMH Takes Minority Stake in Citizen Group-Owned Movement Maker La Joux-Perret is based in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland, and makes solar quartz as well as mechanical watch movements.
GradingNov 20, 2025
Julia Griffith Joins SSEF as Head of EducationShe previously taught at Gem-A and is the founder of The Gem Academy.
CollectionsNov 19, 2025
Larkspur & Hawk Celebrates 25 Years With Helena Bonham Carter CampaignThe British actress and her daughter modeled pieces from the brand’s new “Palette” capsule for its “Once Upon a Time” holiday campaign.
TechnologyNov 19, 2025
Google Has a New Form for Reporting ‘Review Bombing’ Attacks Plus, the tech giant shares the steps retailers should take if they believe they’re a victim of a review extortion scam.
IndependentsNov 19, 2025
Houston Jeweler Keith Shaftel Retires, Next Generation Steps In Danny and Gaby Shaftel are now Shaftel Diamonds’ CEO and chief operating officer, respectively.
TrendsNov 19, 2025
Midas Chain Releases 2025 Holiday Style GuideThe jewelry manufacturer’s seasonal offering features its new “Melodie” bangles, as well as mini stud earrings and layering pieces.
MajorsNov 18, 2025
Lugano Diamonds Files for Bankruptcy, Looking for BuyerThe Chapter 11 filing follows the resignation of CEO Moti Ferder, who stepped down after an investigation into the company’s finances.
SourcingNov 18, 2025
Another Diamond Company CEO Steps DownMark Wall, president and CEO of Canadian mining company Mountain Province Diamonds, will vacate his position next month.
CrimeNov 17, 2025
Police Searching for 2 Suspects in Murder of Father, Son Jewelers Faustino Alamo Dominguez and his son, 25-year-old Luis Angel Alamo, were gunned down following an armed robbery at their jewelry store.
GradingNov 17, 2025
IGI Announces New President of North AmericaTiffany & Co. veteran Jeffrey Bennett has stepped into the role.
MajorsNov 17, 2025
Look Inside Robbins Brothers Fine Jewelers’ New Pasadena FlagshipThe showroom is located in a historic 1920s building in the Playhouse District.
Policies & IssuesNov 14, 2025
U.S., Switzerland Reach Deal That Drops Tariff to 15%The Swiss government announced the deal, which cuts the tax on Swiss imports by more than half, on social media Friday morning.
AuctionsNov 14, 2025
Napoleon’s Diamond Brooch Blows Away Auction Estimates A buyer paid $4.4 million for the piece, which Napoleon wore on his hat for special occasions and left behind when he fled Waterloo.
FinancialsNov 14, 2025
Richemont’s Q2 Jewelry Sales Up 12%Plus, how tariffs and the rising price of gold are affecting its watch and jewelry brands.
CollectionsNov 14, 2025
Piece of the Week: Silvia Furmanovich’s ‘Butterflies in Flight’ Jewelry BoxFurmanovich designed the box to hold Mellerio’s “Color Queen,” a high jewelry collection consisting of 10 rings.
Events & AwardsNov 14, 2025
JCK Names New Event DirectorJennifer Hopf, who has been with JCK since 2022, will lead the execution of the long-running jewelry trade show.
IndependentsNov 13, 2025
127-Year-Old New Orleans Jeweler to CloseAdler’s Jewelry is set to close its two stores as 82-year-old owner Coleman E. Adler II retires.
IndependentsNov 13, 2025
Green Lake Jewelry Works to Move to New Seattle StudioFounder Jim Tuttle shared how a dedication to craftsmanship and meaningful custom jewelry fueled the retailer’s double-digit growth.
MajorsNov 13, 2025
Vahan Jewelry Founder Leon ‘Sacha’ Der Calousdian Dies at 85The third-generation jeweler is remembered as a passionate creative with a love of art, traveling and sailboat racing.
