Prize-winning jewelry designs, gemstone carvings, and design renderings from some of the world’s most prestigious jewelry competitions will be amassed in a new exhibition at the Gemological Institute of America’s world headquarters in Carlsbad, Calif. that will open to the public Nov. 11.

Titled, “Best of the Best,” the exhibit will feature award-winning pieces representing internationally celebrated competitions such as the American Gem Trade Association’s (AGTA) Spectrum, Cutting Edge, and Platinum Honors Awards; the DeBeers Diamond International Award; the Swarovski Signity World Facet Awards; the Perles de Tahiti Tahitian Pearl Trophy; and the Women’s Jewelry Association (WJA) Diva Awards. Catch a glimpse of the display at the Institute’s Mikimoto Rotunda.

The exhibit applauds prominent award-winning gem and jewelry artists. Michael Dyber, Glenn Lehrer, G.G., Holly Croft, G.G., Paula Crovoshay, Barbara M. Berk, G.G., and Mark Schneider are just a few of the highlighted artists.

The featured competitions are some of the world’s most impressive jewelry design contests attracting talented jewelry designers from around the globe. For example, Swarovski premiered its Signity World Facet Awards in 2002 with a theme of “Sea of Lights,” and more than 2500 entries were received. The entire collection of finalist and winning designs in both the Exclusive and Brilliant categories will be on display at GIA’s “Best of the Best” exhibit.

The annual AGTA Spectrum Awards celebrates natural colored gemstone & cultured pearl jewelry designs in numerous divisions. AGTA’s Cutting Edge Awards, which honor the lapidary arts, feature unique gemstone carvings and cuts. Additionally Platinum Guild International USA (PGI-USA), which formerly held the International Platinum Guild Design Awards, recently partnered with AGTA to form a Platinum Honors competition to promote the use of platinum in jewelry. Spectacular winning and finalist pieces from these contests will be put on view, including an intricately weaved platinum necklace made of 4.30 carats of natural blue faceted sapphires from Walde Binder, G.G., whose design won the 2002 Business Platinum Honors Award.

“There are a million factors that contribute to making a winning design,” says artist Art Guyon of International Gem Mart, who has won two AGTA Cutting Edge Awards and a Spectrum Award, all of which will be at GIA’s exhibition. “It’s a very long process and usually occurs over several years.”

“This exhibit is an amazing display of superlative workmanship in jewelry and gems. It is the first exhibit at GIA that features award-winning jewelry and gems, and we are very excited about it,” adds GIA Museum Director Elise Misiorowski. “Many of these extraordinary artists are GIA graduates, and to see them succeed in the international competition arena is an inspiration for students, newcomers and designers alike; with that we are especially thrilled.”

The “Best of the Best” exhibition will be on display in the Mikimoto Rotunda of GIA’s world headquarters in Carlsbad, Calif. through April 2003. It is free and open to the public Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., except when the Institute is closed for holidays.

JCK