This is the last chance for jewelry designers to enter the 2004 AGTA Spectrum Awards competition. The AGTA is celebrating the 20th Anniversary of the Spectrum Awards in New York City and is accepting submissions until Sept. 22.

The AGTA has planned several special events to celebrate Spectrum’s anniversary. A cocktail reception will be held before the competition giving North America’s leading designers the opportunity to debut their newest collections to the fashion community and the world’s consumer and trade press including editors, stylists and society columnists. Every piece entered in the Spectrum Awards competition, which includes the Cutting Edge Awards, Manufacturing Honors, and Platinum Honors, will be on display.

Hailed as North America’s premier colored gemstone jewelry design competition, the AGTA Spectrum Awards is renowned for its artistic excellence and remarkable display of style. The Spectrum Awards competition also includes the AGTA Cutting Edge Awards, Manufacturing Honors, and Platinum Honors.

Entries in the Spectrum Awards will be evaluated by a panel of distinguished industry judges on the basis of overall beauty, 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. Spectrum Award categories include Bridal, Business/Day, Casual, Men’s and Evening Wear.

Manufacturing Honors recognize outstanding use of colored gemstones and cultured pearls in jewelry appropriate to be manufactured in production quantities.

PGI Platinum Honors recognize innovative jewelry designs incorporating a minimum of 75% of the designs metal(s) in either 90% or 95% platinum. Entries meeting these requirements will automatically be qualified for “Platinum Honors” judging by the Platinum Guild International USA.

AGTA Cutting Edge Awards honor excellence and creativity of the lapidary arts, including natural colored gemstones and cultured pearls, carvings, other gem materials and objects of art in North America.

Judges for the 2004 competition include Alan Friedman, Alan Friedman Co., Beverly Hills, Calif.; John Hatleberg, Big Gems, New York; Michael Ridding, Silverhorn, Santa Barbara, Calif.; Mark Schneider, Schneider Design Studio, Long Beach, Calif.; and Carrie Soucy, JCK magazine, King of Prussia, Pa.

For complete Spectrum and Cutting Edge information and entry form, contact the contact AGTA at (800) 972-1162; e-mail: info@agta.org, or visit AGTA Web site at www.agta.org.

JCK