Winners have been named in the 2006 AGTA Spectrum Awards competition hosted by the American Gem Trade Association.

Judges reviewed 456 submissions of jewelry and lapidary designs for the competition. Winners were selected in the following categories:

SPECTRUM AWARDS

Best of Show
Samuel Getz , Samuel Getz Private Jewelers, Coral Gables, Fla.; “Caribbean Dream Suite.” Platinum necklace and earring suite featuring Aquamarine, tsavorite garnet, chrysoberyl (22.74 cts.) and diamonds (8.41 cts.).

Best Use Of Color
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.), 194 yellow diamonds (1.21 cts.), and 21 white diamonds (0.18 ct.). The chain features 32 tsavorite garnets (0.22 ct.) and 32 rubies (0.20 ct.).

FASHION FORWARD HONORS
Fashion Forward Honors – Men’s Division: Avi Raz, A & Z Peals, Inc., Los Angeles; Rubber cord necklace featuring a 14k white gold geometrical diamond shaped pendant set with an 11-12 mm natural colored Tahitian cultured pearl.

Fashion Forward Honors – Women’s Division: Devta Doolan, Devta Doolan Jewelry, Portland, Maine; “Black and Gold” necklace featuring 22k yellow gold and hammered and chiseled black Onyx (360.0 cts.).

Bridal Wear
First Place – Bridal Division: Robert Peliccia, J. R. Dunn Jewellers, Light House Point, Fla.; Platinum ring featuring a 1.51 cts. Paraiba tourmaline, six tycoon diamonds (1.34 cts.) and 109 brilliant cut diamonds (0.43 ct.).

Second Place – Bridal Division: Garo Demirjian, Demirjian Jewelry Design, Phoenix, Ariz.; 18k white gold drop earrings featuring two pink 10 mm South Sea cultured pearls and diamonds (1.46 cts.).

Third Place – Bridal Division: Brenda J. Warburton, Austin & Warburton, Ann Arbor, Mich.; 18k white gold necklace featuring a 2.43 cts. pink sapphire, a 1.16 cts. alexandrite, a 0.91 ct. yellow sapphire and diamonds (2.94 cts.).

Honorable Mention – Bridal Division: 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.), accented with 263 brilliant cut diamonds (1.14 cts.).

Business Wear
First Place – Business/Day Wear Division: Jack Demerjian, J. Demere Designs, Livonia, Mich.; 18k yellow and white gold pendant featuring an 8.80 cts. green tourmaline, two rhodolite garnets (1.92 cts.), 194 yellow diamonds (1.21 cts.), and 21 white diamonds (0.18 ct.). The chain features 32 tsavorite garnets (0.22 ct.) and 32 rubies (0.20 ct.).

Second Place – Business/Day Wear Division: Troels D. Larsen, Jacobus Goldsmiths, Laguna Beach, Calif.; 18k yellow gold pendant featuring a 10.23 cts. emerald cut tourmaline and two trillion cut rubellite tourmalines (1.45 cts.).

Third Place – Business/Day Wear Division: Mark Schneider, Schneider Design Studio, Long Beach, Calif.; 18k yellow and white gold pendant featuring a 35.13 cts. black drusy onyx, a 12.72 ct. bubble cut rutilated quartz and mandarin garnet (7.52 cts.). Accented with white and yellow diamonds (1.31 cts.).

Manufacturing Honors – Business/Day Wear Division: Khai Le, Charles Koll Jewellers, San Diego; Platinum and 18k yellow gold earrings featuring two pink sapphires (2.09 cts.), two tsavorite garnets (0.48 ct.) and 48 diamonds (0.40 ct.).

Casual Wear
First Place – Casual Division: Darius Brasky, Paul C. Lirot Jewelers, Madison, Conn.; 18k yellow and white gold pin/pendant featuring a 9.01 cts. green tourmaline and 56 diamonds (1.92 cts.).

Second Place – Casual Division: Dalan Hargrave, GemStarz, Spring Branch, Texas; 14k white and yellow gold 4-way reversible pendant featuring a 30.0 cts. ametrine, square cabochon garnets and diamond tucked black jade—accented with green and white diamonds.

Third Place – Casual Division: Jack Demerjian, J. Demere Designs, Livonia, Mich.; 18k yellow and white gold pendant featuring an 11 mm golden cultured pearl, a 3.95 cts. green tourmaline, 66 yellow diamonds (0.52 ct.) and white diamonds (0.40 ct.).

Manufacturing Honors – Casual Division: Cornelis Hollander, Cornelis Hollander Designs, Inc., Scottsdale, Ariz; 16″ Chinese freshwater cultured pearl necklace with an 18k white gold pendant. Necklace features white to orange Chinese freshwater cultured pearls (4 mm-8.5 mm). Pendant features an 8.5 mm orange Chinese freshwater cultured pearl, an 11 mm white cultured pearl and diamonds (.07 ct.).

Evening Wear
First Place – Evening Division: Thomas Dailing, Thomas Dailing Designs, Stevens Point, Wisc.; 18k yellow and white gold pendant featuring a 3.70 cts. red tourmaline and diamonds (1.12cts.).

First Place – Evening Division: Samuel Getz, Samuel Getz Private Jewelers, Coral Gables, Fla.; “Caribbean Dream Suite.” Platinum necklace and earring suite featuring aquamarine, tsavorite garnet, chrysoberyl (22.74 cts.), and diamonds (8.41 cts.).

Third Place – Evening Division: Frederic Sage, Frederic Sage, Great Neck, N.Y.; 18k white gold “Deco Drop” necklace featuring an 18.67 cts. peridot and diamond (3.56 cts.) pendant.

Manufacturing Honors- Evening Division: Bayot Heer, Jewels by Design, Calgary, AB, Canada; “Grand Slalom”; Platinum drop, hand crafted earrings featuring a rainbow suite of claw set straight-sided triangle cut Sapphires (7.0 cts.) accented with bezel set diamonds (0.72 ct.).

Men’s Wear
First Place – Men’s Division: Mark Schneider, Schneider Design Studio, Long Beach, Calif.; 18k white gold ring featuring an 11.48 ct. tanzanite, blue sapphires (1.70 cts.) and yellow diamonds (.43 ct.).

Second Place – Men’s Division: Gregore Morin, Gregore Joailliers, Santa Barbara, Calif.; “Bombay Sapphire.” 18k white and yellow gold martini pin featuring a 22.50 cts. aquamarine, 0.14 ct. peridot, 0.02 ct. pink sapphire and diamonds.

Third Place – Men’s Division: Garo Demirjian, Demirjian Jewelry Design, Phoenix, Ariz.; 18k yellow and white gold ring featuring a 1.02 cts. sapphire and diamonds (.64 ct.).

CUTTING EDGE AWARDS

Best of Show
Allen Kleiman, A. Kleiman & Co., Boulder, Colo.; 5.02 cts. oval cut ruby.

Open Category – Classic Gemstone Division First Place – Classic Gemstone Division: Allen Kleiman, A. Kleiman & Co., Boulder, Colo.; 5.02 cts. oval cut ruby.

Second Place – Classic Gemstone Division: Joseph Ambalu, Amba Gem Corp., New York; 5.20 cts. emerald cut pink sapphire.

Third Place – Classic Gemstone Division: Joseph Ambalu, Amba Gem Corp., New York; 14.33 cts. oval cut blue sapphire.

Honorable Mention – Classic Gemstone Division: Philip Zahm, Philip Zahm & Associates, Aptos, Calif.; 20.14 cts. emerald radiant cut yellow Sapphire.

Open Category – All Other Faceted Gemstones Division First Place – All Other Faceted Gemstones Division: Brent Malgarin, ARINI, Kent, Wash.; 39.09 cts. oval mixed cut kunzite.

Second Place – All Other Faceted Gemstones Division: John Dyer, Precious Gemstones Co., Eau Claire, Wisc.; 119.60 cts. fancy radiant cushion cut morganite.

Third Place – All Other Faceted Gemstones Division: Philip Zahm, Philip Zahm & Associates, Aptos, Calif.; 9.69 cts. trilliant cut tourmaline.

Open Category – Phenomenal Gemstones Division First Place – Phenomenal Gemstones Division: Allen Kleiman, A. Kleiman & Co., Boulder, Colo.; 4.46 cts. oval cut alexandrite.

Second Place – Phenomenal Gemstones Division: Joseph Ambalu, Amba Gem Corp., New York; 5.49 cts. star ruby.

Pairs and Suites Division
First Place – Pairs and Suites Division: Ben Kho, Kho International, Decatur, Ga.; Three antique cushion cut rhodochrosites (13.75 cts.).

Second Place – Pairs and Suites Division: Douglas Mays, Wild & Petsch USA, Camas, Wash.; Matched pair of marquise cut red Spinels (9.75 cts.).

Third Place – Pairs and Suites Division: Joseph Ambalu, Amba Gem Corp., New York; Pair of cushion cut pink Sapphires (6.69 cts.).

Honorable Mention – Pairs and Suites Division: Thomas Trozzo, Trozzo, Culpeper, Va.; “Angels” featuring two aquamarines (22.0 cts. and 18.81 cts.) and two citrines (34.07 cts. and 38.10 cts.). aquamarine fits inside citrine.

Faceting Division
First Place – Faceting Division: John Dyer, Precious Gemstones Co., Eau Claire, Wisc.; 114.48 cts. long tritop trillion cut morganite.

Second Place – Faceting: Ben Kho, Kho International, Decatur, Ga.; 68.05 cts. fancy cushion cut aquamarine.

Third Place – Faceting: John Dyer, Precious Gemstones Co., Eau Claire, Wisc.; 11.04 cts. modified Barion shield cut tsavorite Garnet.

Carving Division
First Place – Carving Division: Larry Woods, Jewels From The Woods, Blanco, Texas; “Abstract Organic Carving” featuring a 49.72 cts. green tourmaline.

Second Place – Carving Division: Dalan Hargrave, GemStarz, Spring Branch, Texas; 29.60 cts. tricolor ametrine. Carving creates 3-D illusion of a table, vase and flowers suspended within the gemstone.

Third Place – Carving Division: John Dyer, Precious Gemstones Co., Eau Claire, Wisc.; “Sea Beauty” featuring a 26.40 cts. aquamarine.

Combination Division
First Place – Combination Division: Larry Woods, Jewels From The Woods, Blanco, Texas; “Four Directions Oval” featuring a 26.19 cts. golden beryl.

Second Place – Combination Division: Dalan Hargrave, Dust Devil Mining Co., Plush, Ore.; “Super Nova” featuring a 62.0 cts. free form, combination cut bicolor sunstone.

Third Place – Combination Division: Michael M. Dyber, Ledge Art Studio, Rumney, N.H.; 81.64 cts. hand carved and faceted amethyst.

The competition was held Oct. 3-5th in Carlsbad, Calif., at the GIA campus. Judges were Robert Ackermann, Gemological Institute of America; Ricardo Basta, E. Eichberg Jewelers; Larry McCoy, Larry McCoy; Jack Seibert, Jack Seibert Goldsmith & Jeweler; and Tom Stacy, Soap Opera Digest.

Entries in the AGTA Spectrum Awards were judged on the basis of overall beauty and 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 included Bridal, Business/Day, Casual, Evening and Men’s wear.

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. 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.

All designs that qualified for the Spectrum Awards competition were considered for Manufacturing Honors. This award celebrates outstanding use of colored gemstones and cultured pearls in jewelry appropriate to be manufactured in production quantities.

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.

The Spectrum Awards will be presented during the 2006 AGTA GemFair Tucson, Feb. 1-6, 2006, at the Tucson Convention Center in Tucson, Arizona. Winning entries will be displayed during the show and AGTA Spectrum Awards recipients will be recognized at the Opening Night Reception and Awards Gala to be held Feb. 1 at the Tucson Convention Center’s Leo Rich Theatre. The reception is free to anyone in the industry and a RSVP is not required.

For more information on the 2006 AGTA GemFair Tucson or the opening night Reception and Awards Gala, call (800) 972-1162 or visit the AGTA Web site at www.agta.org.

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