24 Karat Club of Southern California Announces 2024 Honorees
The organization will hand out three awards at its 80th Anniversary Gala next month.

The organization will hand out awards to Martin Rapaport, founder and chairman of the Rapaport Group; Douglas Kazanjian, CEO of jewelry company Kazanjian Beverly Hills; and Carl Larson, director of gems at Pala International.
Rapaport will receive the club’s Lifetime Achievement Award.
He started Rapaport Group in 1978. The group offers the Rapaport Price List, the RapNet Trading Network, Rapaport Auctions, and other informational services.
It has over 21,000 members in 127 countries.
A primary advocate for “ethical, transparent, competitive, and efficient diamond markets,” the organization said, Martin will be honored for how he transformed the diamond industry through providing global price availability and trading transparency in competitive markets.
Kazanjian will be honored with the Excellence in Service Award.
He is the third generation to lead the 111-year-old family jewelry firm Kazanjian Beverly Hills.
Kazanjian, who works to source fine and rare gems and estate jewels, helped with the rediscovery of a 5.05 carat red diamond in 2007.
Previously, the company’s founders had carved what it said are the world’s four largest sapphires into busts of former U.S. Presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and Dwight D. Eisenhower.
Kazanjian helped donate the busts to the Oval Office, gifted through the Kazanjian Foundation, the company’s nonprofit organization that supports scientific, artistic, cultural, and other causes.
He is also involved in supporting his local community, industry trade organizations, and presents lectures on estate jewelry and gemstones to organizations nationwide.
The Rising Star Award will be presented to Larson.
Larson studied at the Gemological Institute of America and Paris’ Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle, where he fine-tuned his eye for fine gems and minerals.
A go-to dealer and broker, Larson has placed many high-quality gemstones with large brands and auction houses, said the 24 Karat Club.
He won his first AGTA Spectrum Award for jewelry design in 2023.
The club said Larson’s expertise and unwavering dedication will play a key role in the continued success of Pala International, the family-owned company.
The annual black-tie event will take place Sept. 28 at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles, a new venue for the gala.
Along with dinner, the event will include live entertainment, and guests can view the automotive specimens in the museum.
“I am thrilled to continue the tradition and legacy of our annual awards gala into its eightieth year,” said Kimberly Overlin, president of the club.
“Our new venue, the iconic Petersen Automotive Museum, reflects our commitment to innovation and celebrates our industry's rich heritage. Our members and longtime attendees of this event are in for an amazing evening of networking, recognition, and entertainment. I urge everyone to secure their tickets early and join us for a memorable celebration of excellence in the jewelry industry.”
Retailers, wholesalers, and colleagues in the jewelry, diamond, colored stone, and watch industries are invited to the celebration.
Tickets and information about sponsorships are available on the organization’s website.
The Latest

Plus, parent company Saks Global announces plans to cut ties with up to 600 vendors.

Peter Smith joined Michelle Graff to chat about the state of brick-and-mortar stores and share a few book and podcast recommendations.

The necklace features a candy-colored Australian white opal in 18-karat Fairmined gold, as the brand was named a Fairmined ambassador.

Gain access to the most exclusive and coveted antique pieces from trusted dealers during Las Vegas Jewelry Week.

Sponsored by the Las Vegas Antique Jewelry and Watch Show


A private American collector purchased the 10-carat fancy vivid blue diamond.

The designer has taken the appeal of freshly picked fruit and channeled it into a capsule collection of earrings, necklaces, and pendants.

Supplier Spotlight Sponsored by GIA

The country’s gem and jewelry exports fell 5 percent year-over-year last month, while imports declined 18 percent.

Around 54 million Americans and counting live with a disability. Here’s how to make your jewelry store and website more accessible.

Before Pope Leo XIV was elected, a centuries-old procedure regarding the late pontiff’s ring was followed.

The one-of-a-kind platinum Rolex Cosmograph Daytona was estimated to fetch up to $1.7 million.

While the product has entrenched itself in the market, retailers and consultants are assessing the next phase of the category’s development.

The police are trying to identify the man suspected of robbing two Tiffany & Co. locations in the area.

The well-known Maine jeweler takes over for Brian Fleming and will serve a one-year term.

The donation was the result of the brand’s annual Earth Day Ingot event.

Located in NorthPark Center, the revamped store is nearly 2,000 square feet larger and includes the first Tudor boutique in Dallas.

The nonprofit has made updates to the content in its beginner and advanced jewelry sales courses.

BIJC President Malyia McNaughton will shift roles to lead the new foundation, and Elyssa Jenkins-Pérez will succeed her as president.

As a nod to the theme of JCK Las Vegas 2025, “Decades,” National Jeweler took a look back at the top 10 jewelry trends of the past 10 years.

The company plans to halt all consumer-facing activity this summer, while Lightbox factory operations will cease by the end of the year.

Following weekend negotiations, the tax on Chinese goods imported into the United States will drop by 115 percent for the next 90 days.

The deadline to submit is June 16.

Moti Ferder stepped down Wednesday and will not receive any severance pay, parent company Compass Diversified said.

Lichtenberg partnered with luxury platform Mytheresa on two designs honoring the connection between mothers and daughters.

The miner announced plans to recommence open-pit mining at Kagem.

Michel Desalles allegedly murdered Omid Gholian inside World of Gold N Diamond using zip ties and then fled the country.