AuctionsDec 18, 2025
Audemars Piguet Reclaims Historic Pocket Watch at AuctionIt purchased the “Grosse Pièce,” an ultra-complicated Audemars Piguet pocket watch from the ‘20s, for a record-breaking price at Sotheby’s.
Events & AwardsJun 02, 2017
And the 2018 Gem Award for Lifetime Achievement Goes To …
Sally Morrison, the current director of sales and marketing for the Americas for Gemfields and the architect behind some of the jewelry industry’s most compelling marketing campaigns.
Sally Morrison is the recipient of the 2018 Gem Award for Lifetime Achievement. She will be honored at the Gem Awards gala, scheduled to take place Jan. 19, 2018, in New York.
New York--It’s not hard to figure out where Sally Morrison is working.
Just take the most buzzed-about piece on the red carpet, trace it back to the company that supplied the gemstone or metals, and there’ll you’ll find her, working behind the scenes to buoy the public’s appreciation for beautiful gems and jewelry.
Morrison, who started her jewelry career at the Diamond Information Center and has spent the last 15 years marketing fine jewelry, is the 2018 recipient of Jewelers of America’s Gem Award for Lifetime Achievement.
Chosen by the Gem Awards committee, the honor goes to someone who “has accumulated a career’s worth of contributions to the fine jewelry and watch industry,” and set a standard of excellence that inspires.
“We are honored to present the Gem Award for Lifetime Achievement to Sally Morrison, who is so widely respected throughout the industry,” said Norman Miller, Gem Awards chair. “Sally’s work in developing iconic marketing campaigns furthers the Gem Awards’ mission of raising the visibility and status of fine jewelry and watches, making her the perfect recipient of the award.”
For Morrison, who is now working as the director of sales and marketing in the Americas for colored gemstone miner Gemfields, accepting the award brings forth opposing emotions.
First, it’s a little bit uncomfortable to step into the spotlight when one’s entire career has been about staying out of it or, even, making the person operating said spotlight invisible.
“I feel like the most successful accomplishment of a marketing campaign is that it doesn’t reveal the person or the agency behind it,” she said. “For me, it’s always been about trying to be super-effective and not being too obvious in that mix.”
But, on the other hand, there’s the recognition of the fact that the person behind the work does deserve to be commended.
“There have been many times in my career that I probably haven’t, for whatever reason, gotten credit for something I’ve done. And, on that hand, it’s wonderful to be acknowledged.”
Raised in and outside of London, Morrison attended Wadham College in Oxford.
She moved to the United States in 1983 and worked as an au pair before getting a part-time job at the organization that would become amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research.
She rose to the level of executive vice president of external affairs before leaving in 1998 to become the senior vice president
of international publicity at Miramax, working to promote films like “Cider House Rules,” “Kids” and “Scary Movie 2.”
In 2002, Morrison got what would become the first of a string of high-profile jobs heading some of the biggest marketing campaigns in jewelry.
She was appointed director, and then director-in-charge, of the Diamond Information Center (DIC) at advertising agency JWT, the now-defunct entity that served as the marketing arm of De Beers in the United States when anti-trust issues kept the company from operating here directly.
Morrison led the team responsible for pushing De Beers’s ads, complete with the iconic tagline “A Diamond is Forever” (which was the brainchild of another woman, copywriter Frances Gerety), out to the general public.
When De Beers shut down both the DIC and the trade-facing Diamond Promotion Service in 2010, she moved over to serve as the chief marketing officer for the company’s then-new diamond brand, Forevermark.
A year later, Morrison left Forevermark for the World Gold Council, where she became the managing director of jewelry and marketing, launching what is considered one of the--if not the--best digital marketing campaigns in the jewelry space, Love Gold.
Morrison said of all the marketing campaigns she’s worked on in jewelry, Love Gold has been her favorite so far.
“It was the most creative project I was ever given,” she explained.
Handed research and data, Morrison was tasked by David Lamb, then the WGC’s managing director of jewelry, with creating a campaign to reignite interest in gold jewelry among younger consumers, to “assume nothing and go off and do something completely fresh,” she said.
“I felt like I was at ground zero, and we could do anything we wanted. We could be kind of fearless.”
What she and her team came up with was a digital-only campaign that launched on social media before its website was even up and created a worldwide following of more than a million consumers.
The conversation around #LoveGold continues on social channels today, even after the WGC shuttered its jewelry division to focus on the investment market for gold.
In 2016, following the WGC’s pivot from jewelry, Morrison returned to diamonds as the managing director of marketing for the Diamond Producers Association for a short time before departing for colored gemstone miner Gemfields.
Although she’s only been at Gemfields for a year, Morrison succeeded in putting the miner’s colored stones front and center on red carpets this past awards season. Consider: Ruth Negga’s ruby tiara at the Oscars and the “Loving” actress’s cuff of the same gemstone at the Golden Globes.
It was all Morrison’s work, even if nobody knew it.
The Gem Awards are scheduled for Friday, Jan. 19 at Cipriani 42nd Street in New York City.
In addition to Lifetime Achievement, awards will be handed out in four categories: Jewelry Design, Marketing and Communications, Media Excellence, and Retail Innovation. The nomination period is open for these categories, and will remain so through June 30.
For more information on the GEM Awards, visit Jewelers.org.
In 2002, Morrison got what would become the first of a string of high-profile jobs heading some of the biggest marketing campaigns in jewelry.
She was appointed director, and then director-in-charge, of the Diamond Information Center (DIC) at advertising agency JWT, the now-defunct entity that served as the marketing arm of De Beers in the United States when anti-trust issues kept the company from operating here directly.
Morrison led the team responsible for pushing De Beers’s ads, complete with the iconic tagline “A Diamond is Forever” (which was the brainchild of another woman, copywriter Frances Gerety), out to the general public.
When De Beers shut down both the DIC and the trade-facing Diamond Promotion Service in 2010, she moved over to serve as the chief marketing officer for the company’s then-new diamond brand, Forevermark.
A year later, Morrison left Forevermark for the World Gold Council, where she became the managing director of jewelry and marketing, launching what is considered one of the--if not the--best digital marketing campaigns in the jewelry space, Love Gold.
Morrison said of all the marketing campaigns she’s worked on in jewelry, Love Gold has been her favorite so far.
“It was the most creative project I was ever given,” she explained.
Handed research and data, Morrison was tasked by David Lamb, then the WGC’s managing director of jewelry, with creating a campaign to reignite interest in gold jewelry among younger consumers, to “assume nothing and go off and do something completely fresh,” she said.
“I felt like I was at ground zero, and we could do anything we wanted. We could be kind of fearless.”
What she and her team came up with was a digital-only campaign that launched on social media before its website was even up and created a worldwide following of more than a million consumers.
The conversation around #LoveGold continues on social channels today, even after the WGC shuttered its jewelry division to focus on the investment market for gold.
In 2016, following the WGC’s pivot from jewelry, Morrison returned to diamonds as the managing director of marketing for the Diamond Producers Association for a short time before departing for colored gemstone miner Gemfields.
Although she’s only been at Gemfields for a year, Morrison succeeded in putting the miner’s colored stones front and center on red carpets this past awards season. Consider: Ruth Negga’s ruby tiara at the Oscars and the “Loving” actress’s cuff of the same gemstone at the Golden Globes.
It was all Morrison’s work, even if nobody knew it.
The Gem Awards are scheduled for Friday, Jan. 19 at Cipriani 42nd Street in New York City.
In addition to Lifetime Achievement, awards will be handed out in four categories: Jewelry Design, Marketing and Communications, Media Excellence, and Retail Innovation. The nomination period is open for these categories, and will remain so through June 30.
For more information on the GEM Awards, visit Jewelers.org.
More on Events & Awards
The Latest
EditorsDec 18, 2025
Terry Chandler Looks Back on 40 Years of Opportunity, Change, and FriendsChandler got his start at Michelson Jewelers and has served as DCA president and CEO since 2001. He will retire at the end of the month.
Supplier BulletinDec 18, 2025
Cell Jammers Are Targeting Your Business. Here's How to Beat ThemSponsored by Digital Monitoring Products
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.
WatchesDec 18, 2025
Bob’s Watches to Open Store in New York’s JFK AirportThe boutique is slated to open this week inside Terminal 8, offering pre-owned Rolex watches and more to international travelers.
Weekly QuizDec 18, 2025
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
Lab-GrownDec 18, 2025
Kira Jewels Debuts Custom Lab-Grown Diamond Jewelry ServiceThe lab-grown diamond grower now offers custom engagement and fashion jewelry through its Kira Custom Lab Jewelry service.
CrimeDec 17, 2025
Man Pleads Not Guilty to Swallowing Fabergé PendantThe special-edition egg pendant ingested in a New Zealand jewelry store was recovered after a six-day wait.
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.
EditorsDec 17, 2025
2025 Jewelry Rewind: The Best Piece of the Week PicksAssociate Editor Natalie Francisco plays favorites with Piece of the Week, selecting a standout piece of jewelry from each month of 2025.
CollectionsDec 17, 2025
Lucy Hale Stars in Jacquie Aiche’s Holiday CampaignThe “Love and Desire” campaign is inspired by the magic that follows when one’s heart leads the way, said the brand.
GradingDec 17, 2025
SSEF Announces 2025 Scholarship WinnersTwo awardees will receive free tuition for an educational course at the Swiss lab, with flights and lodging included.
MajorsDec 16, 2025
Pandora’s New CEO Will Step Up EarlyBerta de Pablos-Barbier will replace Alexander Lacik at the start of January, two months earlier than expected.
AuctionsDec 16, 2025
Suzanne Belperron, JAR Shine in Sotheby’s First Auctions at New HQSotheby’s held its first two jewelry sales at the Breuer building last week, and they totaled nearly $44 million.
ColumnistsDec 16, 2025
Beyond Unboxing: Creative Reveals to Drive Reach and EngagementHere are six ideas for making more engaging content for Instagram Reels and TikTok, courtesy of Duvall O’Steen and Jen Cullen Williams.
CrimeDec 15, 2025
Men Receive Life Sentences in Home Invasion Murder of Jeweler Carlos Jose Hernandez and Joshua Zuazo were sentenced to life without the possibility of parole in the 2024 murder of Hussein “Sam” Murray.
Policies & IssuesDec 15, 2025
Sara Yood Named Co-Chair of RJC Standards CommitteeYood will serve alongside Eduard Stefanescu, the sustainability manager for C.Hafner, a precious metals refiner in Germany.
IndependentsDec 15, 2025
M.S. Rau to Open Store in AspenThe New Orleans jeweler is also hosting pop-up jewelry boutiques in New York City and Dallas.
AuctionsDec 12, 2025
13.54-Carat Paraíba Tourmaline Sets Records at Christie’sSet in a Tiffany & Co. necklace, it sold for $4.2 million, the highest price and price per carat paid for a Paraíba tourmaline at auction.
MajorsDec 12, 2025
David Webb Reveals Ice-Cold Holiday Window DisplayThe jeweler’s “Deep Freeze” display showcases its iconic jewelry designs frozen in a vintage icebox.
CollectionsDec 12, 2025
Piece of the Week: Oscar Heyman’s Sphene RingTake luxury gifting to new heights this holiday season with the jeweler’s showstopping 12-carat sphene ring.
Events & AwardsDec 12, 2025
IGI Jewelry Design Contest Now Accepting SubmissionsThis year's theme is “Unveiling the Depths of the Ocean.”
TrendsDec 11, 2025
Pinterest 2026 Trend Report: Brooches, Bold Gold, Cool BlueIn its annual report, Pinterest noted an increase in searches for brooches, heirloom jewelry, and ‘80s luxury.
GradingDec 11, 2025
GIA to Offer Origin Determination for 3 More GemstonesStarting Jan. 1, customers can request the service for opal, peridot, and demantoid garnet.
IndependentsDec 11, 2025
Look Inside Day’s Jewelers’ Ninth StoreThe 111-year-old retailer celebrated the opening of its new location in Salem, New Hampshire, which is its third store in the state.
MajorsDec 11, 2025
Americas Gold Releases New Gold Chain CatalogThe new catalog features its most popular chains as well as new styles.
AuctionsDec 10, 2025
Francis Ford Coppola’s Watch Sells for $10.8MThe filmmaker’s personal F.P. Journe “FFC” prototype was the star of Phillips’ recent record-setting watch auction in New York.
WatchesDec 10, 2025
There’s A New Rolex Boutique in MiamiThe new location in the Design District pays homage to Miami’s Art Deco heritage and its connection to the ocean.
