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
Ruben Bindra, B & B Fine Gems, suite of 24.67 cts. t.w. round, brilliant Russian demantoid garnets
Color
Derek Katzenbach, Katzenbach Designs, ring in 14K white gold with a 4.97 ct. bicolored tourmaline with tsavorite garnets, tourmalines, and diamonds
Pearls
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
Kathy Kinev, Jewel Creations, Inc., St. Chapelle ring in platinum with rubies, sapphires, tsavorite garnets, and blue and white diamonds
Fashion Forward
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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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