The Winning Designs From AGTA’s 2018 Spectrum Awards

The American Gem Trade Association (AGTA) has announced the winners of its 2018 design competition, the AGTA Spectrum Awards.

The competition was held Aug. 4–5 in New York City and is widely considered one of the top design competitions for jewelry featuring colored gems, cultured pearls, and loose gems.

The 2018 panel of judges included Darryl Alexander of Alexander’s Jewelers; Randy Coffin of Coffin & Trout Jewellers; Andre Hahn of Vielle Jeweler; Pieter Hye of Pieter Andries Jewelers; and Dallas Prince of Dallas Prince Designs.

“As someone who has nurtured a lifelong love affair with colored gemstones and pearls, the AGTA Spectrum Awards judging week is unbridled pleasure,” said Douglas K. Hucker, CEO of AGTA in a statement. “It feeds my color jones, and it is one of the most important endeavors AGTA pursues in its mission to spread the gospel of color.”

More than 400 designers entered the competition this year, among them “a wave of new designers and first-time entrants—young people with fresh perspectives that were willing to embrace creative risk in their work,” said Hucker.

The competition also saw an increase in the loose gemstones and gem-cutting categories.

 Below are the designs that ultimately took home AGTA’s top honors.

AGTA Best of Show 2018
Best of Show: Joseph Ambalu of the Amba Gem Corp. for this platinum and 18k yellow gold ring featuring a 7.16 ct. untreated Russian emerald accented with diamonds

 

AGTA Spectrum 2018 Best Use of Color
Best Use of Color: Ricardo Basta of E. Eichberg for this 18k yellow gold Phoenix Rising necklace featuring Mandarin garnets (28.04 cts. t.w.) accented with Paraiba tourmalines (1.55 cts. t.w.), sapphires (4.68 cts. t.w.), rubies (3.17 cts. t.w.), fire opals (1.35 cts. t.w.), tsavorite garnets (0.02 cts. t.w.), and a 0.77 ct. turquoise
AGTA Spectrum 2018 Best Use of Pearl
Best Use of Pearls: Avi Raz of A & Z Pearls for this necklace featuring 15–18 mm multicolored natural baroque freshwater pearls accented with 14k rose, yellow, and rhodium gold beads
AGTA Spectrum Awards 2018 Best Bridal
Best Bridal Design: Zoltan David of Zoltan David for this 22k and 18k rose gold necklace featuring a 46.12 ct. opal accented with a 3.6 ct. round opal and blue sapphires (2.4 cts. t.w.)
AGTA Spectrum 2018 winner classical
Best Classical (above and top): Niveet Nagpal of Omi Privé for this platinum ring featuring a 10.23 ct. cuprian tourmaline accented with diamonds (2.57 cts. t.w.), Paraiba tourmaline (1.54 cts t.w.), and a 0.01 ct. alexandrite
AGTA Spectrum 2018 Best Mens
Best Men’s: Zoltan David of Zoltan David for this steel and 24k gold ring featuring a 25.53 ct. blue zircon
AGTA Spectrum Awards 2018 Evening Wear winner
Best Evening Wear: Gross & Currens of the David Gross Group for this platinum ring featuring a 20.26 ct. cushion-cut unheated yellow sapphire accented with diamonds (3.6 cts. t.w.)
AGTA Spectrum Awards Erica Courtney 2018
Best Business/Daywear: Erica Courtney of Erica Courtney for this 18k yellow gold Emerald City necklace featuring a 105.99 ct. pear-shape emerald accented with diamonds (4.42 cts t.w.)
AGTA SPECTRUM Awards 2018 Fashion winner
Best Fashion Forward: Patrick King of Jewelsmith for this 14k white and rose gold pendant featuring a 13.31 ct. sapphire accented with sapphires (0.98 cts. t.w.) and diamonds (2.91 cts. t.w.)
AGTA Spectrum Awards Platinum Crown winner 2018
Best Use of Platinum Crown: John Haynes of Schmitt Jewelers for this platinum Solar Blossom ring featuring a 14.73 ct. orange zircon accented with tsavorite garnets (0.67 cts. t.w.) and diamonds (0.65 cts. t.w.)

(All images courtesy of AGTA)

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