Jewelry Information Center announced Nov. 11 the top 10 finalists in its Gems Among Us Contest on its website.

The public will determine the grand-prize winners by voting for their favorite Gems Among Us essay each day through Nov. 22 at 12 p.m.

The top 10 finalists were selected from a group of nearly 700 essays entered from all over the country, from Sept.13 through Oct. 25.

In addition to its marketing opportunities, the contest offers participating retailers—who must be members of Jewelers of America—the chance to win prizes for themselves and their sales associates. The retailer who refers the winning essay will receive a trip for two to Las Vegas during the 2011 jewelry trade shows, courtesy of GE Money. The prize package includes: coach airfare for two, four nights of hotel accommodations and $500 for spending money. The contest’s Sales Associate Incentive Program included prizes of $50 Visa gift cards and Balmain pen sets for the top referring sales associates.

The participating retailers in the running to win a grand-prize are: Crews Jewelry, Grandview, Mo.; Greenwich Jewelers, New York, N.Y.; Jared the Galleria of Jewelry; Kay Jewelers; Lux Bond & Green, Glastonbury, Conn.; and Republic Jewelry, Auburn, Maine.   Jewelers Mutual, a contest sponsor, also has two referring entries in the top 10.

The grand-prize essay winners—the essay entrant and their nominated “Gem”—will also receive prizes. The grand-prize essay’s nominee wins a trip for two to the Aventura Spa Palace Resort in Riviera Maya, Mexico, courtesy of Cosmopolitan magazine. The grand-prize essay entrant wins a $5,000 jewelry-shopping spree at a Gems Among Us participating retailer of their choice.

JCK