This year’s honorees include a Midwest retailer and two multi-store independents, one in New York and the other in New England.
Watch Industry Veteran Joseph Sindt Dies at 71
Sindt is remembered by friends in the industry as a dedicated, genuine person with a knack for storytelling.
Wayne, N.J.—Joseph Sindt, a longtime watch industry executive, died of congestive heart failure on July 7.
He was 71.
Born in Linz, Austria, Lindt and his parents left a refugee camp when he was 2, immigrating to the United States in 1950 and settling in New York City.
They later moved to New Jersey, where Sindt would live for the rest of his life.
Sindt met his future wife Nancy Pier at his first job.
They married in 1975 and moved to Pier’s hometown of Wayne, N.J. in 1986 to raise their son, Jameson Sindt.
The two were avid travelers, taking trips across the U.S., Asia and Europe.
“Joe was always up for a fun adventure, and he enjoyed collecting souvenirs everywhere he went,” according to his online obituary.
Sindt spent his career in the watch industry, serving as an executive at Seiko Corporation of America for several years.
He later ran its sister brand, Lorus, and was a driving force behind its cult-classic Mickey Mouse watches.
He also served as president of Hirsch USA, a notable watch band company from his home country of Austria.
Sindt established his own company in the mid-1990s, supplying brand-name watches to several corporate clients.
He was remembered by veteran watch journalist and author Roberta Naas on her blog “A Timely Perspective.”
Naas was a longtime friend of Sindt and his wife, Nancy Pier-Sindt, whom she worked with at National Jeweler in the 1980s.
“He was an incredibly dedicated person who worked tirelessly to grow the brands he was responsible for, to hire the right people, and do the right thing,” wrote Naas.
She said Sindt had “a great sense of right and wrong, of ethics and fair business practices. Still, he had a no-nonsense, almost headstrong way about him that made him incredibly genuine.”
Norman Miller, former Gem Awards chair and another National Jeweler alumnus, remembered his friend as someone he could rely on for advice and mentorship.
“I remember Joe as always being there with an answer and a great story. I would call him, in my younger days in the industry, when I had a question that I thought was too silly for anyone to answer,” he said in a statement on Naas’ blog.
Though Sindt retired from the watch industry about 15
Sindt and his son Jameson operated several seasonal pop-up Halloween stores throughout the northern New Jersey area for the past 10 years.
The father-and-son team also opened Gotham Comics, a comic book and collectibles store, in Caldwell, New Jersey four years ago.
Lindt was a sportsman in his youth, playing rugby, softball, tennis, and golf. Later in his life, he found an appreciation for collecting vintage movie memorabilia and fine wines.
“To his family and many friends, Joe was honest and opinionated, but always generous and giving. He will be missed dearly,” said his online obituary.
Lindt is survived by his beloved wife Nancy, their son, Jameson, and his mother, Rosalie Sindt. He was predeceased by his father, John Sindt, and by his sister, Anne Marie Larkins.
The Latest

As an homage to iconic crochet blankets, the necklace features the nostalgic motif through a kaleidoscope of cabochon-cut stones.

Discover the dozen up-and-coming brands exhibiting in the Design Atelier for the first time.

When investing in your jewelry business, it's important not to overlook the most crucial element of success: the sales associates.

The “Royal Ruby” Collection is a quintet of untreated rubies curated by collector Jack Abraham.


The entrepreneur and “Shark Tank” star will share his top tips for success.

Two existing executives have been given new roles.

More shoppers are walking out without buying. Here’s how smart jewelers can bring them back—and the tool they need to do it right.

Meredith Tiderington, an electrical engineering student, was selected for the award.

It will quit assigning the stones specific color and clarity grades in favor of applying “new descriptive terminology.”

From design trends to sustainability, here’s a roundup of can’t-miss education sessions at JCK Las Vegas.

The Jewelers’ Security Alliance offers advice for those attending the annual trade shows.

Her new role is director of strategic initiatives.

The designer is embracing bold pieces with weight to them in “AU79,” a collection she celebrated with a creative launch party.

On an earnings call, CEO J.K. Symancyk discussed what’s working for the company and how it’s preparing for the potential impact of tariffs.

The index partially rebounded after months of decline, due in part to the U.S.-China deal to temporarily reduce import tariffs.

The actress stars in the latest campaign set in Venice, Italy, and is set to participate in other creative initiatives for the jeweler.

The company has joined other labs, including GIA and Lotus Gemology, in adopting the Chinese term for "jadeite jade."

The large stone will be offered at its June sale along with a selection of secondary-type rubies from a new area of the Montepuez mine.

Located in Bangkok, the laboratory is Gemological Science International’s 14th location worldwide.

Those born in June have a myriad of options for their birthstone jewelry.

The diamond industry veteran has been named its senior sales executive.

The company plans to raise the prices of select watches to offset the impact of tariffs.

Between tariffs and the sky-high cost of gold, designers enter this year’s Las Vegas shows with a lot of questions and few answers.

Designed by founder Renato and his daughter Serena Cipullo, it showcases a flame motif representing unity and the power of gathering.

However, the tariffs remain in effect in the short term, as an appeals court has stayed the U.S. Court of International Trade’s decision.

The pop icon is one step closer to launching her “B Tiny” jewelry collection, a collection she first began posting about last fall.