This year’s honorees include a Midwest retailer and two multi-store independents, one in New York and the other in New England.
RJO honors Vendors of the Year at buying event
Citizen Watch, Ostbye and RDI Diamonds are among the companies recently honored with Vendor of the Year Awards from the Retail Jewelers Organization, a buying group of independent jewelers based in Newton, Iowa.

Minneapolis, Minn.--Citizen Watch, Ostbye and RDI Diamonds are among the companies recently honored with Vendor of the Year Awards from the Retail Jewelers Organization, a buying group of independent jewelers based in Newton, Iowa.
The awards are given in recognition of outstanding sales, service and support, and the winners are chosen by the retail membership.
This year’s winning vendors are as follows.
RJO Lifetime Achievement: Martin Jacobson of Martin Jacobson Ltd.
RJO Board of Directors: Prashant Mehta of Diamond Expressions
Loose Goods: RDI Diamonds
Finished Goods: Ostbye and Allison-Kaufman Company
Clock/Watch: Citizen Watch Co.
Service/Specialty Product: The Edge by Abbott & Shapiro
An RJO Sales Representative of the Year Award also was given to Mark Olsen of Schurhammer Mfg. and Tim Marr of Ostbye. This award recognizes the dedicated and hard-working “road warriors” who provide outstanding service and support to the RJO membership, the organization said.
The winners all were recognized at the RJO’s fall buying show in Minneapolis, which carried the theme “There’s No Business Like Show Business.” In addition to the awards, the show offered jewelers the opportunity to browse upcoming trends, network with other industry professionals and attend educational seminars.
This was the eighth edition of the RJO’s Vendor of the Year Awards.
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