AGTA Announces 2017 Spectrum and Cutting Edge Award Winners



The American Gem Trade Association announced the winners of its annual and well-respected contest this week

The competition was held in New York City on July 23 and 24, and winners announced on July 25. Entries were judged on the basis of overall beauty and wearability, innovation in design, effective use of materials, quality of gemstones and workmanship, broad consumer appeal, and the potential to generate positive publicity for natural colored gemstones.

Judges included Gail Brett Levine of the National Association of Jewelry Appraisers, Diane Garmendia of 33 Jewels at El Paseo, Jay Mednikow of J.H. Mednikow & Co., Victor Velyan of Victor-Christy Design Studio, and Lew Wackler of Lew Wackler.

The awards are widely regarded as a showcase of some of the most exciting colored gemstone designs in the market. Winners are listed below.

 

Winners of the AGTA Spectrum Awards

Best of Category

Best of Show

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Ruben Bindra, B & B Fine Gems, suite of 24.67 cts. t.w. round, brilliant Russian demantoid garnets

Color

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Derek Katzenbach, Katzenbach Designs, ring in 14K white gold with a 4.97 ct. bicolored tourmaline with tsavorite garnets, tourmalines, and diamonds

Pearls

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Judy Evans, Oliver & Espig Gallery of Fine Arts, pendant in platinum with a 13.44 mm golden South Sea cultured pearl with diamonds

Platinum and Color

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Kathy Kinev, Jewel Creations, Inc., St. Chapelle ring in platinum with rubies, sapphires, tsavorite garnets, and blue and white diamonds

Fashion Forward

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Lorenzo Chavez, Geogem-USA, Gift from the Abyss pendant in platinum and 18k yellow and rose gold with 124.73 ct. carved kunzite with blue zircons and diamonds

 

Bridal Wear Category

1st Place and Platinum Honors

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Ricardo Basta, E. Eichberg, Inc., Convertible Royal Blue ring in platinum and 18k yellow gold with a 12 ct. blue sapphire and diamonds, turquoise, and tsavorite garnets

2nd Place

Alexia Connellan, Alexia Connellan Luxury Jewelry, Regency earrings in platinum with mint tourmalines and diamonds

3rd Place

Caroline Chartouni, Caroline C, earrings in 18K white gold with red spinels and diamonds

Honorable Mention

Jessica Neiwert, Jessica Nei, Snow Blossom convertible earrings in 18k rose gold with 13.5 cts. t.w. lavender chalcedony and moonstones, pink sapphires, amethysts, and diamonds

Honorable Mention

Samuel Sulimanov, Samuel Sylvio Designs, earrings in 18k white gold with 3 cts. t.w. Paraiba tourmalines, Paraiba tourmaline melee, and diamonds

Manufacturing Honors

Dennis deJonghe, deJonghe Original Jewelry, ring in platinum with 2.2 ct. aquamarine and diamonds

Entry Platinum Innovation

William Travis, William Travis Jewelry, band in platinum band with blue sapphires and cognac and colorless diamonds

GEM DIVA Award

Heena Chheda Shah, Real Gems, Inc., Rosalyn earrings in 18k white gold with 15.89 cts. t.w. pear-shape emeralds and fancy and round diamonds 

 

Business/Day Wear Category

1st Place

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Ricardo Basta, E. Eichberg, Inc., Honey ring in 18k yellow gold and platinum with 13.58 ct. heliodor and sapphires and diamonds

2nd Place

T. Foster & Co. Fine Jewelers, Ring in 18k yellow gold and platinum with 22.93 ct. orange sapphire and diamonds

3rd Place

Zoltan David, Zoltan David, LLC, ring in palladium and 22k yellow gold with a 4.12 ct. danburite and blue sapphires

Honorable Mention

Shuang Feng, Fon Shon Jewellery Art & Design, ring in 14k white and 18k rose gold with an oval morganite and diamonds

Honorable Mention

Patrick King, Jewelsmith, pendant in 14k white and yellow gold with 31.94 ct. lemon quartz, a 2.96 ct. opal, and diamonds

Manufacturing Honors

Llyn Strong, Llyn Strong Fine Art Jewelry, earrings in 18k yellow gold with featuring 1.56 cts. t.w. bezel-set rubies

Platinum Honors

John Ford, Lightning Ridge Collection by John Ford, Mirror ring in platinum with 3.65 ct. black opal and diamonds

Entry Platinum Innovation

Jill Maurer, Jill Maurer, Verge ring in platinum with 11.19 ct. golden zircon and natural colored diamonds

GEM DIVA Award

Naomi Sarna, Naomi Sarna Designs, Confetti Heart ring in 18k palladium white gold with multicolored diamonds, sapphires, rubies, and amethysts

 

Classical Category

1st Place

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Niveet Nagpal, Omi Gems, ring in 18k rose gold with 4.01 ct. cushion-cut pink spinel, .01 ct. alexandrite, spinel and diamond melee

2nd Place

Niveet Nagpal, Omi Gems, ring in platinum and black rhodium with 6.99 cts. t.w. alexandrites, alexandrite melee, and diamonds

3rd Place

Alexia Connellan, Alexia Connellan Luxury Jewelry, Spiral earrings in 18k rose gold with 9.5 cts. t.w. morganites and akoya cultured pearls, sapphires, and diamonds

Honorable Mention and Entry Platinum Innovation

Lindsay Jane, Lindsay Jane Designs, ring in platinum with 7.77 ct. moonstone and purple and blue sapphires and diamonds

Honorable Mention and GEM DIVA Award

Heena Chheda Shah, Real Gems, Inc., Bridget ring in 18k white gold with 3.08 ct. oval-shape ruby with round rubies and round- and pear-shape diamonds

Manufacturing Honors

Dominique Israileff, Asba USA, pendant in 14k rose gold with a 13 mm Tahitian pearl and diamonds

Platinum Honors

Zoltan David, Zoltan David, pendant in platinum with 35.63 ct. marquis-shape moonstone in a blue patina bronze on a strand of 18.2 cts. t.w. moonstones and 1.2 cts. t.w. diamonds

 

Evening Wear Category

1st Place

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David Gross, David Gross Group, necklace in platinum with 29.33 cts. t.w. unheated Mozambique rubies and 21.61 cts. t.w. diamonds

2nd Place

Phillip Dismuke, Jewelsmith, ring in 18k yellow gold and platinum with 13.53 ct. black opal with sapphires and diamonds

3rd Place

Robert Pelliccia, J.R. Dunn Jewelers, pendant in 18k yellow and white gold with a 23.94 ct. boulder opal with blue and pink sapphires and diamonds on a black diamond bead necklace

Honorable Mention

Erica Courtney, Erica Courtney, Easter Egg ring in 18k yellow gold with 7.46 ct. Paraiba tourmaline, Paraiba tourmalines, and diamonds

Honorable Mention

Sinork Agdere, Lord Jewelry, Ballerina ring in 18k yellow gold and platinum with a 65 ct. specialty-cut lemon citrine with diamonds and enamel

Manufacturing Honors

Llyn Strong, Llyn Strong Fine Art Jewelry, Calla Lily ring in 18k rose gold with 5.17 ct. rose-cut green tourmaline and diamonds

Platinum Honors

John Ford, Lightning Ridge Collection by John Ford, Electric Blue necklace in platinum with 197 ct. black opal and diamonds

GEM DIVA Award

Alexia Connellan, Alexia Connellan Luxury Jewelry, Fringe earrings in platinum with 20.32 cts. t.w. bicolored tourmalines and diamonds

 

Men’s Wear Category

1st Place and Platinum Honors

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Mark Schneider, Mark Schneider Design, Ring in platinum and 18k yellow gold with a 8.76 ct. maw sit sit and black, colorless, and yellow diamonds, and tsavorite garnets

2nd Place

William Travis, William Travis Jewelry, Ring in silver and 18k yellow gold with 17.67 ct. carved lapis lazuli scarab beetle and orange sapphires

3rd Place

Craig Slavens, Studio 247 Fine Jewelry, Ring in carbon fiber, platinum, and 18k rose gold with 4.52 ct. unheated padparadscha sapphire and diamonds

Honorable Mention

William Travis, William Travis Jewelry, band in platinum with blue sapphires and cognac and colorless diamonds

 

Cutting Edge Awards

All Other Faceted Category

1st Place

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Jeffrey R. Hapeman, Earth’s Treasury, 42.47 ct. brilliant square cushion-specialty-cut apatite

2nd Place

Mikola Kukharuk, Nomad’s, 12.44 ct. square cushion tsavorite garnet

3rd Place

Ambassador Gems, Ambassador Gems, 24.12 ct. cushion-cut blue zircon

Honorable Mention

Hemant Phophaliya, A G Color, 48.62 ct. sugarloaf tanzanite

 

Carving Category

1st Place

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Naomi Sarna, Naomi Sarna Designs, 297 ct. hand-carved ametrine

2nd Place

John Dyer, John Dyer & Co., 53.63 ct. Sydney Symphony aquamarine 

3rd Place

Meg Berry, Mega Gem, 21.7 ct. Rooster pyrope garnet

Honorable Mention

Naomi Sarna, Naomi Sarna Designs, 1,375 ct. rutilated quartz 

 

Classic Gemstones Category

1st Place

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Ruben Bindra, B & B Fine Gems, 10.11 ct. Sri Lankan cushion-cut orange sapphire

2nd Place

Allen Kleiman, A. Kleiman & Co., 20.03 ct. unheated emerald-cut yellow sapphire

3rd Place

Allen Kleiman, A. Kleiman & Co., 15.01 ct. emerald-cut blue sapphire

Honorable Mention

Ruben Bindra, B & B Fine Gems, 7.22 ct. cushion-cut padparadscha sapphire

 

Innovative Faceting Category

1st Place

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John Dyer, John Dyer & Co., 80.29 ct. specialty-cut ametrine

Innovative Faceting, 2nd Place

John Dyer, John Dyer & Co., 175.37 ct. Mozambique Sunset deep concave cushion-cut morganite

3rd Place

Ryan Joseph Anderson, Ryan Joseph Gems, 89.41 ct. Efflorescence amethyst

Honorable Mention

Glenn Lehrer, Lehrer Designs, 30.79 ct. danburite and 1.03 ct. ruby entitled KaleidosCut—when placed together, they create an eight-pointed star in the danburite.

 

Objects of Art Category

Honorable Mention

Brenda Smith, Brenda Smith Jewelry, Light My Fire object of art featuring 250 cts. t.w. opalized wood with a 75 ct. hand-carved sunstone flame, 40 ct. hand-carved Mexican fire opal, and diamonds

Honorable Mention

Neda Behnam, Samuel B. Collection, Stallion statue in 18k yellow gold with champagne diamonds, tsavorite garnets, and mother-of-pearl on an onyx base

 

Pairs and Suites Category

1st Place and Best of Show

Ruben Bindra, B & B Fine Gems, suite of 24.67 cts. t.w. round, brilliant Russian demantoid garnets

2nd Place

Allen Kleiman, A. Kleiman & Co., suite of 18.77 cts. t.w. pear-shape unheated Mozambique rubies

3rd Place

Ben Kho, Kho International, suite of 17.26 cts. t.w. round rhodochrosite

Honorable Mention

Allen Kleiman, A. Kleiman & Co., earring suite of 17.23 cts. t.w. unheated oval-shape pink and purple sapphires

 

Phenomenal Category

1st Place

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Gil, Gil International, 5.56 ct. untreated alexandrite

2nd Place

Robert Shapiro, Robert Shapiro, 10.05 ct. oval-shape boulder opal

3rd Place

Manu Nichani, Blue Moon Enterprises, 19.07 ct. royal blue rectangular, cushion-cut moonstone

Honorable Mention

Robyn Dufty, DuftyWeis Opals, 103.80 ct. cabochon boulder opal

Entries will be displayed at the Spectrum Awards ceremony and black tie gala, which will take place on Saturday, Feb. 4, 2017, during the AGTA GemFair Tucson. GemFair occurs at the Tucson Convention Center in Tucson, Ariz., from Jan. 31 to Feb. 5. Tickets to the gala can be purchased for $100 each from AGTA.

Contest sponsors included The Knot for the Bridal Wear division, the Platinum Guild International for Platinum Honors, and the Women’s Jewelry Association for its GEM DIVA recognition.

For more information about AGTA or the awards, call 800-972?1162 or visit agta.org.

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