This year, the American Gem Trade Association will celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Spectrum Awards competition. To celebrate this momentous occasion the AGTA has planned a variety of events to get the competition on the fashion forefront.
The competition will be held in New York City during the month of October. The AGTA has planned a gala to kick off the festivities. The guest list includes the nation’s top fashion and accessory editors, stylists, society columnists, and other fashion divas. Every piece entered in the Spectrum Awards competition, which includes the Cutting Edge Awards, Manufacturing Honors, and Platinum Honors, will be on display at the gala.
“This year, we plan to give the fashion elite an exciting glimpse into the Spectrum Awards competition,” says Douglas K. Hucker, Executive Director of the AGTA. “They will have the opportunity of a lifetime previewing every piece entered into the competition before the judging occurs. They will discover the true treasures and works of art that highlight the beauty of natural colored gemstones and natural pearls in this competition,”
Additionally, the AGTA has enlisted a prestigious list of industry experts to objectively evaluate and judge the competition this year. The judges for the 2004 competition include Alan Friedman, Alan Friedman Co., Beverly Hills, CA; John Hardy, John Hardy Collection, New York & Bali; John Hatleburg, John Hatleburg, New York; Michael Ridding, Silverhorn, Santa Barbara, CA; Mark Schneider, Schneider Design Studio, Long Beach, CA; and Carrie Soucy, JCK magazine.
The AGTA Spectrum Awards competition, created in 1984, honors, recognizes, and promotes North American designers and lapidaries whose work utilizes natural colored gemstones and cultured pearls. It is a true contest of workmanship, creativity and innovation and the winners no doubt set the standards of excellence for our entire industry.
The panel of judges will evaluate entries on the basis of:
Spectrum Awards
* Overall beauty and wearability
* Innovative design
* Effective use of materials
* Quality of gemstones
* Quality of workmanship
* Broad-base consumer appeal
* High potential to generate positive publicity for natural colored gemstones
Spectrum Award categories include Bridal Wear, Business /Day Wear, Casual Wear, Evening Wear and Men’s Wear.
Cutting Edge Awards
* Overall beauty
* Quality and technique of lapidary work
* Quality and rarity of the gem material
Cutting Edge Award categories include:
(A) Open Category
1. Classic gemstone – Limited to outstanding examples of ruby, emerald and sapphire with traditional gemstone cutting techniques.
2. All other faceted gemstones – Open to outstanding examples of any gemstone that is faceted with traditional gemstone cutting techniques.
3. Phenomenal gemstones – Open to outstanding examples of any phenomenal gemstone (stars, cat’s eyes, opals, etc.) with traditional gemstone cutting techniques.
(B) Pairs & Suites – Two or more gemstones to be judged as a set.
(C) Faceting – Innovative flat faceting.
(D) Carving – Carving of any natural gem material in any style.
(E) Combination – A gemstone design incorporating two or more lapidary techniques, including concave faceting.
(F) Objects of Art – Carvings, bowls, sculpture, intarsia, etc. of gem materials not intended to be worn. These may or may not incorporate metal, wood or other non-gem materials as base, frame, or decorative component.
To enter the competition, complete an entry form and return it with your piece(s) along with the entry fee(s) by September 22. The winners will receive their award(s) at the AGTA Dinner Dance and Awards Gala on February 7, 2004, at the AGTA Tucson GemFair in Tucson, AZ.
For complete Spectrum Awards information and entry form, visit our website at www.agta.org or contact us at (800) 972-1162 or email the AGTA at info@agta.org.
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