RAPAPORT... Against the backdrop of a bountiful display of colored gemstone jewelry, the American Gem Trade Association (AGTA) announced the winners of its 27th Spectrum Awards™ competition. Entries were judged over a weekend in a sunny New York City penthouse photography studio in Greenwich Village. This year’s judges were Tanya Dukes, Elite Traveler magazine; Jennifer Gandia, Greenwich Jewelers; Glenn Lehrer, Lehrer Designs; Mallary Marks, Mallary Marks, Inc., and Robin Rotenier, Rotenier, Ltd.
The judges evaluated entries on overall beauty and wearability, innovative design, effective use of materials, quality of gemstones and craftsmanship, broad-base consumer appeal and the potential to generate positive publicity for natural colored gemstones. There are five Spectrum Award categories: Bridal, Business/Day Wear, Classical, Evening and Men’s Wear. With the support of Platinum Guild International (PGI), Platinum Honors were once again awarded. All entries with platinum as the primary metal were eligible for this category. In addition, every design entered in the competition was considered for Manufacturing Honors, which recognizes the use of colored gemstones and cultured pearls in jewelry that can be manufactured in production quantities. The popular category of Fashion Forward Honors was back again. This category salutes the use of colored gemstones and/or cultured pearls in artful, trendsetting jewelry. All jewelry in the AGTA Spectrum Awards competition automatically qualified for Fashion Forward Honors.
All winning entries and submissions were on view for editors, stylists and fashion bloggers during a media day event held in the Greenwich Village penthouse. This year’s AGTA Spectrum Awards will be presented during the 2011 AGTA GemFair Tucson. Winning entries will be displayed during the show and Spectrum Awards recipients will be recognized February 5, during the AGTA Dinner Dance and Awards Gala.
Evening Wear
a. First Place
Cynthia Renée Zava
Cynthia Renée, Inc.; Carrboro, North Carolina
Palladium and green tourmaline necklace.
b. Second Place
Evelyn Clothier
Evelyn Clothier Jewelry; New York, New York
18-karat yellow gold, aquamarine and diamond earrings.
c. Third Place
Samuel Getz
Samuel Getz Designs; Miami, Florida
18-karat white gold, black opal, tsavorite garnet, blue sapphire, iolite, Paraiba tourmaline and diamond ring.
d. Honorable Mention
Erica Courtney
Erica Courtney; Los Angeles, California
18-karat yellow gold, tanzanite and diamond earrings.
e. Platinum Honors
Rudi Wobito
Zultanite Gems, LLC; Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Platinum, zultanite and diamond earrings.
f. Manufacturing Honors
Laura Jackowski-Dickson
LJD Designs; St. Augustine, Florida
18-karat white gold, South Sea cultured pearls, freshwater pink cultured pearls and diamond cuff.
Bridal Wear
a. First Place
Niveet Nagpal
Omi Gems, Inc.; Los Angeles, California
Platinum, 18-karat yellow gold, tsavorite garnet and yellow diamond ring.
b. Second Place
Guilherme Ferreira
Vielle Jewelers, LLC; New York, New York
18-karat yellow gold, palladium, titanium, yellow tourmaline and colored diamond ring.
c. Third Place
Michael Endlich
Pavé Fine Jewelry; Oakland, California
Platinum, spinel and diamond ring.
d. Honorable Mention
Ryan Roberts
Ryan Roberts, Ltd.; Santa Fe, New Mexico
18-karat white gold, pink diamond, white diamond and
brown diamond ring.
e. Platinum Honors
Yehouda Saketkhou
Yael Designs; San Francisco, California
Platinum, blue sapphire and white diamond ring.
f. Platinum Honors
Robert Pelliccia
J.R. Dunn Jewelers; Lighthouse Point, Florida
Platinum, blue sapphire and diamond ring.
g. Manufacturing Honors
Neda Benham
Diamonds For A Cure; Great Neck, New York
18-karat rose gold, rough-cut pink diamond and diamond ring.
Business/Day Wear
a. First Place and Best of Show
Todd Reed
Todd Reed, Inc.; Boulder, Colorado
Palladium, aquamarine, gray diamond and white
diamond cuff bracelet.
b. Second Place and Fashion Forward
Gregore Morin
Gregore Joailliers; Santa Barbara, California
18-karat white and yellow gold, lemon chrysoprase and
garnet earrings.
c. Third Place and Best Use of Color
Martin Key
Martin Key Co.; South Portland, Maine
22-karat yellow gold, blue tourmaline and Mexican
fire opal ring.
d. Honorable Mention
Eva Cheng
Elite Import; San Francisco, California
18-karat rose gold, rose quartz and diamond pendant/brooch.
e. Platinum Honors
Maria Canale
Richard Krementz Gemstones; Springfield, New Jersey
Platinum, Paraiba tourmaline and diamond pendant.
f. Platinum Honors
Ron Lodholz
Stonehaven Jewelry Gallery; Cary, North Carolina Platinum, aquamarine and diamond ring.
g. Manufacturing Honors
Alan Friedman
Alan Friedman; Beverly Hills, California
14-karat white and rose gold and aquamarine ring.
Classical Wear
a. First Place
Samuel Getz
Samuel Getz Designs; Miami, Florida
Platinum, 18-karat yellow gold, yellow sapphire, blue sapphire,
red spinel and diamond necklace.
b. Second Place
Sean Ryan
Schmitt Jewelers; Phoenix, Arizona
18-karat white and rose gold, padparadscha sapphire and diamond ring.
c. Third Place
Patricia Van Wagoner
Beija Flor; Haiku, Hawaii
22-karat yellow gold, rhodochrosite and Paraiba tourmaline necklace.
d. Honorable Mention
Frederic Sage
Frederic Sage; Great Neck, New York
18-karat white gold, seafoam green tourmaline and diamond cufflinks.
e. Platinum Honors
Christopher Olson
Molina Fine Jewelers; Phoenix, Arizona
Platinum, ruby and diamond ring.
f. Manufacturing Honors
Christopher Duquet
Christopher Duquet Fine Jewelry Design; Evanston, Illinois
14-karat white gold and South Sea black pearl ring.
Men’s Wear
a. First Place
Mark Lauer
Mark Michael Designs; Maple Grove, Minnesota
18-karat yellow gold, jasper agate, lapis lazuli,
spessartite garnet and sapphire cufflinks.
b. Second Place
Eddie Sakamoto
Schmitt Jewelers; Phoenix, Arizona
Platinum, blue star sapphire and diamond ring.
c. Third Place
Ron Lodholz
Stonehaven Jewelry Gallery; Cary, North Carolina 18-karat yellow and rose gold, platinum
and garnet cufflinks.
d. Honorable Mention
Michael Endlich
Pavé Fine Jewelry; Oakland, California
22-karat yellow gold and purple star sapphire ring.
e. Platinum Honors
Alan Friedman
Alan Friedman; Beverly Hills, California
Platinum and purple spinel ring.
f. Manufacturing Honors
Oliver Smith
Oliver Smith Jeweler; Scottsdale, Arizona
Sterling silver, rose gold and Madagascar Ocean jasper ring.
*Photography By Robert Weldon
Article from the Rapaport Magazine - February 2011. To subscribe click here.