The American Gem Society (AGS) will host its fourth annual Circle of Distinction Dinner on Tuesday, July 29, at the Rainbow Room in New York City to honor individuals who have demonstrated impeccable service and made a lasting contribution to the jewelry industry.

AGS honors Robert Crowningshield of the Gemological Institute of America as the 2003 AGS Lifetime Achievement Award winner. AGS will also honor the Triple Zero Award winners, signifying the highest grade a diamond can receive in AGS nomenclature. The AGS Triple Zero Awards will be presented to members of the jewelry industry for their accomplishments and contributions. The 2003 recipients are the Kwiat family (Jacques Roisen, Sheldon F. Kwiat, Lowell M. Kwiat, and David S. Kwiat) in the diamond category; Lee Berg of Lee Michaels Fine Jewelry in the retail category; and Cecilia Gardner of the Jewelers Vigilance Committee in the industry category.

The Circle of Distinction Benefactors also will be recognized. Each will receive a medallion representing their contributions to the Society’s Partnership for Excellence campaign, which funds the AGS Campus Expansion project.

The American Gem Society, founded in 1934 by Robert M. Shipley, is a trade association dedicated to proven ethics, knowledge, and consumer protection within the jewelry industry. Members are held to the highest ethical standards in the industry and must pass annual recertifications to maintain their AGS titles. For more information regarding the American Gem Society, please call (702) 255-6500, or visit the AGS Web site at www.ags.org.