Dream Suite Wins AGTA “Best in Show”

By Staff -- JCK-Jewelers Circular Keystone, 2/1/2006

Presenting the winners of the annual AGTA Spectrum Awards for colored gemstone jewelry.

“Best in show” usually conjures up images of perfectly fluffed and blow-dried pooches prancing around a judging ring, but for designer and private jewler Samuel Getz of Coral Gables, Fla., there are no sweeter words.

No dogs here—Getz's necklace and earring suite (shown on page 94) was chosen as the Best in Show winner in the 2006 American Gem Trade Association Spectrum Awards competition. His entry, Caribbean Dream Suite, was a platinum necklace-and-earring suite featuring aquamarine, tsavorite garnet, chrysoberyl (22.74 cts. t.w.), and diamonds (8.41 cts. t.w.). One of 344 entries, his also placed first in the competition's Evening category.

Judging was held Oct. 3–5, 2005, at the Gemological Institute of America campus in Carlsbad, Calif. Judges for the 2006 competition included Robert Ackermann, a Swiss-born jewelry designer who now is a resident design instructor in jewelry manufacturing arts at GIA; designer and retailer Ricardo Basta, of E. Eichberg Jewelers, Beverly Hills, Calif.; gem cutter Larry McCoy of Prescott, Ariz.; Jack Seibert of Jack Seibert Goldsmith & Jeweler, Columbus, Ohio; and Tom Stacy, editor of Soap Opera Digest, Los Angeles.

Entries were judged on the basis of overall beauty and wearability, innovative design, effective use of materials, quality of gemstones, quality of workmanship, broad-based consumer appeal, and their potential to generate positive publicity for natural colored gemstones. Competition categories included Bridal, Business/Day, Casual, Evening, and Men's Wear.

Yellow gold was the primary metal in 137 entries (39 percent), followed by white gold, used in 117 entries (34 percent). Fifty-three entries (15 percent) featured platinum as the primary metal, 11 featured sterling silver, 10 used rose gold, nine were bicolor white and yellow gold, seven used green gold, and two used other metals and means of setting stones.

Rings, which numbered 118, were the most popular type of piece entered, followed by pendants (67), necklaces (57), earrings (38 pairs), brooches (25), and bracelets (14). The remainder of entries covered such diverse creations as cufflinks, lockets, formal sets, pin/pendant combinations. There were also a pocket square, a belt buckle, and a tiara.

As in previous years, blue was the most popular color, with 81 pieces featuring blue gemstones as their primary design element. Sixty-three pieces were green, 56 were pink, 49 were yellow, 45 were multicolored, 44 were white, 31 were black, 29 were purple, 27 were red, 26 were orange, and five were brown.

Evening wear, accounting for 141 of the 344 entries, was the most popular category. Business/day wear was next, with 77 entries, followed by 45 entries in bridal wear, 43 in casual wear, and 38 in men's wear.

All designs that qualified for the Spectrum Awards competition were also considered for Manufacturing Honors, a special award that celebrates outstanding use of colored gemstones and cultured pearls in jewelry that's appropriate to be manufactured in production quantities. Another special award, Fashion Forward Honors, recognizes the outstanding use of colored gemstone and/or cultured pearl beads 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 as well.

CUTTING EDGE WINNERS

Classic Gemstone—First place: Allen Kleiman, A. Kleiman & Co., Boulder, Colo., 5.02 ct. oval-cut ruby (also won Best of Show). Second place: Joseph Ambalu, Amba Gem Corp., New York, 5.20 ct. emerald-cut pink sapphire. Third place: Joseph Ambalu, Amba Gem Corp., New York, 14.33 ct. oval-cut blue sapphire. Honorable mention: Philip Zahm, Philip Zahm & Associates, Aptos, Calif., 20.14 ct. emerald-radiant-cut yellow sapphire.

All Other Faceted—First place: Brent Malgarin, ARINI, Kent, Wash., 39.09 ct. oval mixed-cut kunzite. Second place: John Dyer, Precious Gemstones Co., Eau Claire, Wis., 119.60 ct. fancy radiant cushion-cut morganite. Third place: Philip Zahm, Philip Zahm & Associates, Aptos, Calif., 9.69 ct. trilliant-cut tourmaline.

Phenomenal Gemstones—First place: Allen Kleiman, A. Kleiman & Co., Boulder, Colo., 4.46 ct. oval-cut alexandrite. Second place: Joseph Ambalu, Amba Gem Corp., New York, 5.49 ct. star ruby.

Pairs & Suites—First place: Ben Kho, Kho International, Decatur, Ga., three antique cushion-cut rhodochrosites (13.75 ctw). Second place: Douglas Mays, Wild & Petsch USA, Camas, Wash., matched pair of marquise-cut red spinels (9.75 cts. t.w.). Third Place: Joseph Ambalu, Amba Gem Corp., New York, pair of cushion-cut pink sapphires (6.69 cts. t.w.). Honorable mention: Thomas A. Trozzo, Trozzo, Culpeper, Va., Angels, featuring two aquamarines (22.00 cts. and 18.81 cts.) and two citrines (34.07 cts. and 38.10 cts.). Aquamarine fits inside citrine.

Faceting—First place: John Dyer, Precious Gemstones Co., Eau Claire, Wis., 114.48 ct. long tritop trillion-cut morganite. Second place: Ben Kho, Kho International, Decatur, Ga., 68.05 fancy cushion-cut aquamarine. Third Place: John Dyer, Precious Gemstones Co., Eau Claire, Wis., 11.04 ct. modified barion shield-cut tsavorite garnet.

Carving—First place: Larry Woods, Blanco, Texas, “Abstract Organic Carving” featuring a 26.19 ct. golden beryl. Second place: Dalan Hargrave, Spring Branch, Texas, 29.60 ct. tricolor ametrine. Carving creates 3-D illusion of a table, vase and flowers suspended within the gemstone. Third Place: John Dyer, Eau Claire, Wis., Sea Beauty featuring a 26.40 ct. aquamarine.

Combination—First place: Larry Woods, Jewels From the Woods, Blanco, Texas, Four Directions Oval, featuring a 26.19 ct. golden beryl. Second place: Dalan Hargrave, Dust Devil Mining Co., Plush, Ore., Super Nova featuring a 62.00 ct. free-form, combination-cut bicolor sunstone. Third place: Michael M. Dyber, Ledge Art Studio, Rumney, N.H., 81.64 ct. carved and faceted amethyst.

SPECTRUM AWARD WINNERS

Fashion Forward Honors—Men's: Avi Raz, A & Z Pearls Inc., Los Angeles, rubber cord necklace featuring a 14k white gold geometrical diamond-shape pendant set with an 11 mm–12 mm natural colored Tahitian cultured pearl.

Fashion Forward Honors—Women's: Devta Doolan, Devta Doolan Jewelry, Portland, Maine, “Black and Gold” necklace featuring 22k yellow gold and hammered and chiseled black onyx (360.00 cts t.w.).

Bridal Wear—First place: Robert Peliccia, J.R. Dunn Jewellers, Light House Point, Fla., platinum ring featuring a 1.51 ct. Paraiba tourmaline, six Tycoon diamonds (1.34 cts. t.w.) and 109 brilliant-cut diamonds (0.43 cts. t.w.). Second place: Garo Demirjian, Demirjian Jewelry Design, Phoenix, 18k white gold drop earrings featuring two pink 10 mm South Sea cultured pearls and diamonds (1.46 cts. t.w.). Third place: Brenda J. Warburton, Austin & Warburton, Ann Arbor, Mich., 18k white gold necklace featuring a 2.43 ct. pink sapphire, a 1.16 ct. alexandrite, a 0.91 ct. yellow sapphire and diamonds (2.94 cts. t.w.). Honorable mention: Robert Peliccia, J.R. Dunn Jewellers, Light House Point, Fla., platinum ring featuring a 5.30 ct. oval blue sapphire and two oval brilliant-cut diamonds (1.68 cts. t.w.) accented with 263 brilliant cut diamonds (1.14 cts. t.w.).

Business / Day Wear—First place: Jack Demerjian, J. Demere Designs, Livonia, Mich., 18k yellow and white gold pendant featuring an 8.80 ct. green tourmaline, two rhodolite garnets (1.92 cts. t.w.), 194 yellow diamonds (1.21 cts. t.w.), and 21 white diamonds (0.18 cts. t.w.). The chain features 32 tsavorite garnets (0.22 cts. t.w.) and 32 rubies (0.20 cts. t.w.) (Also won Best Use of Color.) Second place: Troels D. Larsen, Jacobus Goldsmiths, Laguna Beach, Calif., 18k yellow gold pendant featuring a 10.23 ct. emerald-cut tourmaline and two trillion-cut rubellite tourmalines (1.45 cts. t.w.). Third place: Mark Schneider, Schneider Design Studio, Long Beach, Calif., 18k yellow and white gold pendant featuring a 35.13 ct. black drusy onyx, a 12.72 ct. bubble cut rutilated quartz, and mandarin garnet (7.52 cts. t.w.). Accented with white and yellow diamonds (1.31 cts. t.w.). Manufacturing honors: Khai Le, Charles Koll Jewelers, San Diego, platinum and 18k yellow gold earrings featuring two pink sapphires (2.09 cts. t.w.), two tsavorite garnets (0.48 cts. t.w.), and 48 diamonds (0.40 cts. t.w.).

Casual Wear—First place: Darius Brasky, Paul C. Lirot Jewelers, Madison, Conn., 18k yellow and white gold pin/pendant featuring a 9.01 ct. green tourmaline and 56 diamonds (1.92 cts. t.w.). Second place: Dalan Hargrave, GemStarz, Spring Branch, Texas, 14k white and yellow gold four-way reversible pendant featuring a 30.00 ct. ametrine, square cabochon garnets, and diamond tucked black jade. Accented with green diamonds and white diamonds. Third place: Jack Demerjian, J. Demere Designs, Livonia, Mich., 18k yellow and white gold pendant featuring an 11 mm golden cultured pearl, a 3.95 ct. green tourmaline, 66 yellow diamonds (0.52 cts. t.w.), and white diamonds (0.40 cts. t.w.).

Manufacturing honors—Cornelis Hollander, Cornelis Hollander Designs, Inc., Scottsdale, Ariz., 16 inch white to orange Chinese freshwater cultured pearl necklace (4 mm–8.5 mm) with an 18k gold pendant. Pendant features an 8.5 mm orange Chinese freshwater cultured pearl, an 11 mm white cultured pearl, and diamonds (.07 cts. t.w.).

Evening Wear—First place: Thomas Dailing, Thomas Dailing Designs, Stevens Point. Wis., 18k yellow and white gold pendant featuring a 3.70 ct. red tourmaline and diamonds (1.12 cts. t.w.). First place tie: Samuel Getz, Samuel Getz Private Jewelers & Designers, Coral Gables, Fla., Caribbean Dream Suite. Platinum necklace and earring suite featuring aquamarine, tsavorite garnet, chrysoberyl (22.74 cts. t.w.) and diamonds (8.41 cts. t.w.) (Also won Best of Show.) Third place: Frederic Sage, Frederic Sage, Great Neck, N.Y., 18k white gold Deco Drop necklace featuring an 18.67 ct. peridot and diamonds (3.56 cts. t.w.) pendant. Manufacturing honors: Bayot Heer, Jewels by Design, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, Grand Slalom. Platinum drop, handcrafted earrings featuring a rainbow suite of claw-set straight-sided triangle-cut sapphires (7.00 cts. t.w.) accented with bezel set diamonds (0.72 cts. t.w.).

Men's Wear—First place: Mark Schneider, Schneider Design Studio, Long Beach, Calif., 18k white gold ring featuring an 11.48 ct. tanzanite, blue sapphires (1.70 cts. t.w.), and yellow diamonds (0.43 cts. t.w.). Second place: Gregore Morin, Gregore Joailliers, Santa Barbara, Calif., Bombay Sapphire, 18k white and yellow gold martini pin featuring a 22.50 ct. aquamarine, 0.14 ct. peridot, 0.02 ct. pink sapphire and diamonds. Third place: Garo Demirjian, Demirjian Jewelry Design, Phoenix, 18k yellow and white gold ring featuring a 1.02 ct. sapphire and diamonds (0.64 cts. t.w.).

Gems on the Edge

AGTA's Cutting Edge Awards honor excellence and creativity in the lapidary arts, including natural colored gemstones and cultured pearls, carvings, other gem materials, and objects of art, done in North America. Categories included: Open Category, Classic Gemstone Division; Open Category, All Other Faceted Gemstones Division; Open Category, Phenomenal Gemstones Division; Pairs & Suites; Faceting; Carving; Combination; and Objects of Art. This year's Cutting Edge competition drew 112 entries, with the Best in Show for this competition awarded to Allen Kleiman, A. Kleiman & Co., Boulder, Colo., for a 5.02 ct. oval-cut ruby.