The American Gem Society will host the sixth annual Circle of Distinction Dinner on Aug. 2, 2005, at the Rainbow Room in New York City. The event will honor individuals who have demonstrated impeccable service and made a lasting contribution to the jewelry industry.

AGS will honor Ronald R. Harder, chief executive officer of Jewelers Mutual Insurance Co., as the 2005 AGS Lifetime Achievement Award winner for his contributions and efforts in the industry. AGS also will honor the Triple Zero Award winners. (“Triple Zero” is a term signifying the highest grade a diamond can receive in AGS nomenclature.) The 2005 Triple Zero Award recipients will be the Green family of Lux, Bond & Green—Robert E. Green, RJ; John A. Green, CGA; and Marc A. Green, CGA—and William G. Underwood, CGA, of Underwood’s Jewelers.

The Richard T. Liddicoat Journalism Award winners also will be recognized. The RTL awards were developed in remembrance of Richard T. Liddicoat to honor journalists who have made exceptional contributions to the understanding of gemology, as well as to the AGS ideals of ethics, education, and consumer protection. The RTL Award winners will be honored in the following categories: consumer reporting in national/multiple markets, consumer reporting in a local market, jewelry industry/trade reporting, and trade journal reporting.

For more information on AGS, call (702) 255-6500, or visit www.ags.org.