Winner Announced in National Ultimate Proposal Contest

America Voted and "Setting Sail" Takes Top Prize

NEW YORK, June 28, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Jewelry Information Center (JIC), the consumer education arm of Jewelers of America, is thrilled to announce that America has voted in the Second Annual Ultimate Proposal Contest and chosen, "Setting Sail," as the Ultimate Proposal Story. The proposal story was submitted by San Diego,CA-resident Austin Dias, who popped the question via the sail of a sailboat while he and his girlfriend stood on shore.

JIC's Ultimate Proposal Contest, a nationwide search for the best proposal story, invited couples to submit their special proposal stories at JIC's website, www.JIC.org, and asked America to vote for a favorite amongst Top 10 Finalists. More than 6,000 people cast their vote to choose the winner. Dias and his fiancée, Jessica Williams, won a seven-night Caribbean cruise on Norwegian Cruise Line and a pair of platinum-and-diamond wedding bands from MaeVona. He learned about the Contest from his local jeweler, Jewelers of America-member Leo Hamel Fine Jewelers in San Diego, CA.

"'Setting Sail' was a well planned proposal involving the perfect mix of surprise, romance, adventure and personalized details," says Amanda Gizzi, spokesperson for Jewelry Information Center. "It has rightfully earned the 'Ultimate Proposal Story' title."

To win the grand prize, Dias poignantly told his proposal story, which included:

"The plan involved borrowing a sailboat, a spinnaker sail, and organizing a crew of friends to sail the boat. I worked with a friend from a local sail-making company to put 'Marry Me?' on the spinnaker sail. Meanwhile, I was also contacting some of my best buddies to help crew the boat on this special mission. I created a plan for them that had detailed locations for the proposal that depended upon the day's wind direction and even included a 'no wind' plan that involved putting the sail up and motoring backwards to make the spinnaker fly! The final piece to the puzzle was to have a professional photographer taking paparazzi photos while the proposal was unfolding."

Visit www.JIC.org/proposalcontest to read the full version of "Setting Sail" and the other proposals in the Top 10 and get creative proposal ideas for yourself!

"Thank you so much to everyone who voted for us!" says Williams. "Austin and I feel so blessed to have won the Ultimate Proposal Contest. Austin's proposal was absolutely perfect, and we are so excited to get married this October. We did not have a budget for a honeymoon or wedding bands and are just so blessed to win this Contest grand prize and to see the love and support from so many people."

In addition to hosting the search for the Ultimate Proposal Story, www.JIC.org is the source for fine jewelry and watch information. Jewelry enthusiasts visit the website to get jewelry gift ideas that celebrate life's special moments, learn care-and-cleaning tips, see jewelry trends and enter jewelry sweepstakes.

Sponsors of JIC's Ultimate Proposal Contest include Platinum Guild International, USA; Jewelers Mutual Insurance Company; and Onewed.com.

America voted and "Setting Sail" takes top prize

Amanda Gizzi

Spokesperson

Jewelry Information Center

646-658-5811

Agizzi@jewelers.org

About Jewelry Information Center

Jewelry Information Center (JIC) is the consumer education arm of Jewelers of America, the national trade association for businesses serving the fine jewelry retail marketplace. JIC has provided public relations and marketing services on behalf of the fine jewelry and watch industry since 1946. JIC's website, www.JIC.org, is the online source for fine jewelry and watch information, trends and shopping tips. Visit www.jewelers.org and www.JIC.org  for more information.

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