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Press Release: The American Gem Trade Association (AGTA) announced the winners of the prestigious AGTA Spectrum Awards™ today. The design competition, in its 31st year, was held in New York, October 25 and 26. The distinguished panel of judges were: Jerrold Green of Reginald C. Miller; Myriam Gumuchian of Gumuchian; Joseph Mardkha of ColorMasters; Tim McClelland of McTiegue & McClellan; Larry Pelzel of Neiman Marcus and Dr. Jeffrey Post of the Smithsonian Institution. "We were thrilled with the variety of entries at this year's AGTA Spectrum Awards competition," said Douglas K. Hucker, the CEO, AGTA. "I did not envy the decisions that our judges had to make, yet I was pleased to see how carefully they deliberated over each and every decision they made, resulting in this year's amazing list of winners." And the winners are.... SPECTRUM AWARDS Best of Category Winners: Best of Show Leon Mege of Leon Mege Inc. - platinum ring featuring a 4.71-carat, paraiba tourmaline accented with French-cut diamonds of 1.31 total carat weight (tcw). Best Use of Color Paula Crevoshay of Crevoshay - 18-karat yellow gold "The Venus Bracelet," featuring freshwater baroque cultured pearls (91.43 tcw) accented with pink and green tourmalines (29.32 tcw). Best Use of Platinum and Color Deirdre Featherstone of Featherstone Design - platinum "Anemone" earrings featuring tanzanites (5.37 tcw) accented with blue zircons (2.88 tcw), purple sapphires (3.72 tcw), tsavorite garnets (1.67 tcw), indigo tourmalines (0.40 tcw) paraiba tourmalines (0.26 tcw) and diamonds (0.16 tcw). Best Use of Pearls Naomi Sarna of Naomi Sarna Designs - 18-karat rose gold necklace, featuring white cultured pearls accented with pink diamonds. Fashion Forward Ion Ionescu of Ionescu Design Inc. - 18-karat yellow gold ring featuring a 36-carat turquoise, accented with a 9.2mm Tahitian silver cultured pearl, paraiba tourmalines (0.32 tcw) and diamonds (0.43 tcw).
Category Winners
Bridal Wear Sponsored by TheKnot:
Bridal Wear - 1st Place Deirdre Featherstone of Featherstone Design - platinum "Anemone" earrings featuring tanzanites (5.37 tcw) accented with blue zircons (2.88 tcw), purple sapphires (3.72 tcw), tsavorite garnets (1.67 tcw), indigo tourmalines (0.40 tcw) paraiba tourmalines (0.26 tcw) and diamonds (0.16 tcw). Bridal Wear - 2nd Place and Manufacturing Honors Laurence Bruyninckx of Laurence Bruyninckx - 18-karat rose and white gold ring featuring a 0.80-carat golden beryl, accented with orange citrines, orange sapphires and diamonds. Bridal Wear - 3rd Place and Platinum Honors Michael Endlich of Pave Fine Jewelry - platinum earrings, featuring diamond slices (7.07 tcw) accented with diamonds (0.67 tcw). Bridal Wear - Platinum Honors Michael Endlich of Pave Fine Jewelry - platinum earrings, featuring diamond slices (7.07 tcw) accented with diamonds (0.67 tcw). Bridal Wear - Entry Platinum Innovation Susan Drake of Spectrum Art & Jewelry - platinum "Tilt-A-Whirl" ring featuring a 2.06-carat tanzanite accented with diamonds (1.63 tcw). Bridal Wear - Gem Diva Award Suzanne Kalandjian of Suzanne Kalan - 18-karat white gold necklace featuring a 30mm white topaz accented with white diamonds (3.70 tcw). Bridal Wear - Manufacturing Honors Laurence Bruyninckx of Laurence Bruyninckx - 18-karat rose and white gold ring featuring a 0.80-carat golden beryl accented with orange citrines, orange sapphires and diamonds. Bridal Wear - Honorable Mention Bella Campbell of Campbellian - platinum earrings featuring aquamarines (5.61 tcw) and grossular garnets (3.51 tcw) accented with diamonds (0.56 tcw). Business/ Day Wear: Business/Day Wear - 1st Place Jennifer Rabe Morin of Gregore Joailliers - 18-karat rose gold ring featuring carved turquoise (29 tcw) accented with amethyst cabochons (14 tcw). Business/Day Wear - 2nd Place Elizabeth Garvin of Elizabeth Garvin Fine - 18-karat gold and sterling silver "Jewel" ring featuring a 24.60-carat green quartz accented with diamonds (0.23 tcw). Business/Day Wear - 3rd Place Heath London of Heath London Jewelry - 18-karat yellow gold and copper "In The Swim" earrings featuring paraiba tourmalines (7.11 tcw) accented with pink tourmalines (2.23 tcw) and diamonds (0.80 tcw). Business/Day Wear - Platinum Honors Phillip Dismuke of Jewelsmith - platinum "Blooming" ring featuring a 21.40-carat opal accented with spessartite garnets (1.35 tcw) and diamonds. Business/Day Wear - Gem Diva Award Elizabeth Garvin of Elizabeth Garvin Fine Jewelry - 18-karat gold and sterling silver "Jewel" ring featuring a 24.60-carat green quartz accented with diamonds (0.23 tcw). Business/Day Wear - Manufacturing Honors Ryan Roberts of Ryan Roberts Ltd. - 18-karat yellow gold ring featuring a 11.25-carat chrysocolla accented with tsavorite garnets (0.56 tcw) and diamonds (0.62 tcw). Classical: Classical - 1st Place Leon Mege of Leon Mege Inc. - platinum ring featuring a 4.71-carat, paraiba tourmaline accented with French-cut diamonds of 1.31 total carat weight (tcw). Classical - 2nd Place Heena Chheda of Real Gems Inc. - 18-karat white gold "Ophion's Treasure" ring featuring emeralds (6.74 tcw) accented with diamonds (2.19 tcw). Classical - 3rd Place Evelyn Huang of China Art & Fine Jewelry Inc. - 18-karat yellow and white gold "Midnight Kiss" ring featuring a 5.76-carat unheated blue sapphire accented with white and yellow diamonds (1.18 tcw), blue sapphires (0.91 tcw) and tsavorite garnets (0.79 tcw). Classical - Platinum Honors Rex McClure of Sohn & McClure Jewelers - platinum ring featuring a 4.16-carat emerald accented with white diamond baguettes (1.20 tcw) and yellow diamonds (0.21 tcw). Classical - Entry Platinum Innovation Mimi Favre of Mimi Favre Studio - platinum "Etude d'Vert" earrings featuring tapered drops of shades of green tourmalines (15.50 tcw). Classical - Gem Diva Award Caroline Chartuni of Caroline C - 18-karat white gold "Astra" ring featuring a 24.16-carat star sapphire accented with diamonds (8.08 tcw).
Classical - Manufacturing Honors Deirdre Featherstone of Featherstone Design - platinum ring featuring a 5.81-carat green sapphire accented with diamonds (3.87 tcw).
Evening Wear: Evening Wear - 1st Place Maria Canale of Suna Bros. Inc. - platinum and 20-karat pink gold bracelet featuring multi-colored natural spinels (44.31 tcw) accented with white diamonds (6.80 tcw) and pink diamonds (1.00 tcw). Evening Wear - 2nd Place Erica Courtney of Erica Courtney Inc. - 18-karat yellow gold "Milky Way" earrings featuring opal drops (46.06 tcw) accented with diamonds (1.98 tcw) and paraiba tourmalines (2.03 tcw). Evening Wear - 3rd Place Gil of Gil Int'l - platinum ring featuring a 6.50-carat alexandrite accented with diamonds. Evening Wear - Platinum Honors Cara Becker Lichtenstein of My Blue Heaven - platinum bracelet featuring multicolored tourmalines (7.26 tcw) accented with diamonds (1.29 tcw). Evening Wear - Gem Diva Award Maria Canale of Suna Bros. Inc. - platinum and 20-karat pink gold bracelet featuring multi-colored natural spinels (44.31 tcw) accented with white diamonds (6.80 tcw) and pink diamonds (1.00 tcw). Evening Wear - Manufacturing Honors Linda Quinn of Linda Quinn Designs - 14-karat white gold ring featuring a 6.11-carat pink tourmaline accented with diamonds (1.24 tcw). Evening Wear - Honorable Mention Wendy Brandes of Wendy Brandes Jewelry - 18-karat pink gold "Pink Elephant & Tipsy Writer Maneater" ring featuring a pink sapphire elephant (2.00 tcw) accented with a ruby and brown and white diamonds (2.23 tcw).
Men's Wear:
Men's Wear - 1st Place Dawn Muscio of D. Muscio Fine Jewelry Studio - 18-karat red gold and stainless steel "Pink2" cufflinks featuring pillow cut morganites (8.74 tcw) accented with rubies (0.87 tcw) and diamonds (0.60 tcw). Men's Wear - 2nd Place Mark Schneider of Mark Schneider Design - platinum ring featuring a 16.73-carat tourmaline accented with yellow diamonds (0.67 tcw) and tsavorite garnets (1.02 tcw). Men's Wear - 3rd Place Micheal Kanners of Michael Kanners - 18-karat blackened gold cufflinks featuring tanzanites 20.06 tcw accented with tsavorite garnet (6.50 tcw). Men's Wear - Platinum Honors
Naomi Sarna of Naomi Sarna Designs - platinum "His and His" rings featuring brown natural diamonds (5.68 tcw). Men's Wear - Honorable Mention William Travis of William Travis Jewelry - 18-karat yellow gold and sterling silver ring featuring a 13.17-carat citrine.
CUTTING EDGE AWARDS Classic Cut Gemstones: Classic Gemstone - 1st Place Allen Kleiman of A. Kleiman & Co. - 20.24-carat emerald-cut unheated yellow sapphire. Classic Gemstone - 2nd Place Joseph Ambalu of Amba Gem Corp. - 19.06-carat brilliant, step-cut unheated blue sapphire. Classic Gemstone - 3rd Place Joseph Ambalu of Amba Gem Corp. - 5.00-carat oval pink sapphire. Classic Gemstone - Honorable Mention Alan Hackman of Intercolor - 38.06-carat blue sapphire. All Other Faceted: All Other Faceted - 1st Place Hemant Phophaliya of AG Color Inc. - 43.96-carat oval cabochon tanzanite.
All Other Faceted - 2nd Place Mikola Kukharuk of Nomad's - 12.99-carat oval mint grossular garnet. All Other Faceted - 3rd Place Mikola Kukharuk of Nomad's - 28.21-carat imperial topaz. All Other Faceted - Honorable Mention Mikola Kukharuk of Nomad's - 115.48-carat emerald-cut heliodor. Phenomenal Gemstones: Phenomenal - 1st Place Robert Shapiro of Robert Shapiro - natural split pair of boulder opals (60.50 tcw). Pairs and Suites: Pairs & Suites - 1st Place Dalan Hargrave of Dust Devil Mining - rhodolite garnet suite (138.49 tcw). Pairs & Suites - 2nd Place Mikola Kukharuk of Nomad's - pair of imperial topaz (70.14 tcw). Pairs & Suites - 3rd Place Hemant Phophaliya of A G Color Inc. - fancy pear-shaped tanzanites (15.86 tcw). Pairs & Suites - Honorable Mention Allen Kleiman of A. Kleiman & Co. - suite of pear-shaped unheated yellow sapphires (57.73 tcw). Innovative Faceting: Innovative Faceting - 1st Place John Dyer of John Dyer & Co. - 63.19-carat fancy round curprian tourmaline. Innovative Faceting - 2nd Place John Dyer of John Dyer & Co. - 67.92-carat swirling "Nebula" ametrine. Innovative Faceting - 3rd Place John Dyer of John Dyer & Co. - 19.43-carat "Royal Velvet" tanzanite.
Carving: Carving - 1st Place Naomi Sarna of Naomi Sarna Designs - "Rose de France" amethyst carving (1,015 tcw). Carving - 2nd Place Bernie Benavidez of Master Jewelers - "The Eye of Genesis" opal carving (260 tcw). Carving - 3rd Place Darryl Alexander of Nirinjan - 102-carat specialty-cut sunstone.
Objects of Art: Objects of Art - 1st Place Robyn Dufty of DuftyWeis Opals Inc. - black chalcedony perfume bottle with a carved Mexican fire opal flower stopper (42.30 tcw) accented with 18-karat yellow gold. Objects of Art - 2nd Place Darryl Alexander of Somewhere In The Rainbow - 18-karat yellow gold and sterling silver "Doctor's Orders" featuring black jade accented with crystal opal and mammoth ivory. Objects of Art - 3rd Place Alishan Halebian of Alishan - 18-karat yellow gold and oxidized sterling silver letter opener / dagger featuring fossil walrus ivory accented with rubies (6.09 tcw), sapphires (3.98 tcw), white diamonds (0.15 tcw) and black diamonds (0.75 tcw). Objects of Art - Honorable Mention Adam Ramseyer of Ramstar Designs - sterling silver and 14-karat gold spacecraft pendant with docking station featuring a 30-carat fantasy-cut ametrine accented with tourmalines, emeralds, alexandrites, lazulites, tsavorite garnets, amethysts, diamonds and sapphires. This year's AGTA Spectrum Awards™ will be presented during the 2015 AGTA GemFair™ Tucson to be held February 3 to 8 at the Tucson Convention Center in Tucson, Arizona. Winning entries will be displayed during the show and AGTA Spectrum Awards recipients will be recognized during the AGTA Dinner Dance and Awards Gala. The event starts at 7 p.m. of February 7. Tickets for the gala are $100 and cocktail attire is encouraged. AGTA Spectrum Awards entries were judged on the basis of overall beauty and wearability, innovative design, effective use of materials, quality of gemstones, quality of workmanship, broad-base consumer appeal and potential to generate positive publicity for natural colored gemstones. AGTA Cutting Edge Awards™ honor excellence and creativity in lapidary arts, including natural colored gemstones and cultured pearls, carvings, and other gem materials. Bridal Wear Sponsored by TheKnot - whether gracing the bridesmaids or donning the bride, herself, this category captures all looks coming down the aisle. Engagement rings, wedding bands, necklaces, earrings, bracelets and tiaras were considered. Platinum Honors were once again awarded with the support of Platinum Guild International. All entries whose primary metal was platinum were eligible in this category. WJA Gem Diva Awards is in its third year with the Spectrum Awards with the support of WJA, and were presented in the Bridal Wear, Evening Wear, Classical and Business/Day Wear categories. All women who entered the Spectrum Awards competition were eligible for this category simply by marking the check-box for Gem Diva on their entry form. All designs that qualified for the Spectrum Awards competition were considered for Manufacturing Honors. This award celebrates outstanding use of colored gemstones and cultured pearls in jewelry appropriate to be manufactured in production quantities. Fashion Forward Honors recognizes the outstanding use of colored gemstone and/or cultured pearl in artful, trend-setting jewelry. All necklaces, earrings, bracelets or other jewelry that qualified for judging in the AGTA Spectrum Awards competition automatically qualified for Fashion Forward Honors judging. For further information on the 2015 AGTA GemFair Tucson or the AGTA Dinner Dance and Awards Gala, please call 800.972.1162 or visit our website at www.agta.org. For inquiries regarding the AGTA Spectrum Awards™ competition, please contact Megan Whitmire at megan@agta.org. The American Gem Trade Association is a not-for-profit Association serving the natural colored gemstone and cultured pearl industry since 1981. The AGTA serves the industry as "The Authority In Color" and has its headquarter office in Dallas, Texas.
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