A 4.71-carat Paraiba tourmaline ring by Leon Mege led the pack at the American Gem Trade Association’s (AGTA’s) Spectrum Awards.
Set in platinum and accented with French-cut diamonds (1.31 ctw), the piece garnered Best of Show at the design competition, which is now in its 31st year.
“We were thrilled with the variety of entries at this year’s AGTA Spectrum Awards competition,” said Douglas K. Hucker, the association’s chief executive officer (CEO). “I did not envy the decisions our judges had to make, yet I was pleased to see how carefully they deliberated over each and every decision, resulting in this year’s amazing list of winners.”
The judging panel comprised Jerrold Green of Reginald C. Miller; Myriam Gumuchian of Gumuchian; Joseph Mardkha of ColorMasters; Tim McClelland of McTiegue & McClellan; Larry Pelzel of Neiman Marcus; and Jeffrey Post of the Smithsonian Institution.
The awards will be presented during the 2015 AGTA GemFair held Feb. 3 to 8 at the Tucson Convention Center. Winning entries will be displayed during the show and AGTA Spectrum Awards recipients will be recognized during the AGTA Dinner Dance and Awards Gala.
The winners of the Spectrum Awards ‘Best of’ categories are:
Best of Show
Leon Mege, Leon Mege, Inc. – Platinum ring featuring a 4.71-carat Paraiba tourmaline accented with French-cut diamonds (1.31 ctw).
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Best Use of Colour
Paula Crevoshay, Crevoshay – 18-karat yellow gold ‘The Venus Bracelet’ featuring freshwater baroque cultured pearls (91.43 ctw) accented with pink and green tourmalines (29.32 ctw).
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Best Use of Platinum and Colour
Deirdre Featherstone, Featherstone Design – Platinum ‘Anemone’ earrings featuring tanzanites (5.37 ctw) accented with blue zircons (2.88 ctw), purple sapphires (3.72 ctw), tsavorite garnets (1.67 ctw), indigo tourmalines (.40 ctw) Paraiba tourmalines (.26 ctw), and diamonds (.16 ctw).
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Best Use of Pearls
Naomi Sarna, Naomi Sarna Designs – 18-karat rose gold necklace featuring white cultured pearls accented with pink diamonds.
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Fashion Forward
Ion Ionescu, Ionescu Design, Inc. – 18-karat yellow gold ring featuring a 36-carat turquoise accented with a 9.2-mm Tahitian silver cultured pearl, Paraiba tourmalines (.32 ctw), and diamonds (.43 ctw).
The category winners are:
Bridal Wear, Sponsored by The Knot:
Bridal Wear – 1st Place
Deirdre Featherstone, Featherstone Design – Platinum ‘Anemone’ earrings featuring tanzanites (5.37 ctw) accented with blue zircons (2.88 ctw), purple sapphires (3.72 ctw), tsavorite garnets (1.67 ctw), indigo tourmalines (.40 ctw) Paraiba tourmalines (.26 ctw), and diamonds (.16 ctw).
Bridal Wear – 2nd Place and Manufacturing Honours
Laurence Bruyninckx, Laurence Bruyninckx – 18-karat rose and white gold ring featuring a .80-carat golden beryl accented with orange citrines, orange sapphires, and diamonds.
Bridal Wear – 3rd Place and Platinum Honours
Michael Endlich, Pave Fine Jewelry – Platinum earrings featuring diamond slices (7.07 ctw) accented with diamonds (.67 ctw).
Bridal Wear – Platinum Honours
Michael Endlich, Pave Fine Jewelry – Platinum earrings featuring diamond slices (7.07 ctw) accented with diamonds (.67 ctw).
Bridal Wear – Entry Platinum Innovation
Susan Drake, Spectrum Art & Jewelry – Platinum ‘Tilt-A-Whirl’ ring featuring a 2.06-carat tanzanite accented with diamonds (1.63 ctw).
Bridal Wear – Gem Diva Award
Suzanne Kalandjian, Suzanne Kalan – 18-karat white gold necklace featuring a 30-mm white topaz accented with white diamonds (3.70 ctw).
Bridal Wear – Manufacturing Honours
Laurence Bruyninckx, Laurence Bruyninckx – 18-karat rose and white gold ring featuring a .80-carat golden beryl accented with orange citrines, orange sapphires, and diamonds.
Bridal Wear – Honourable Mention
Bella Campbell, Campbellian – Platinum earrings featuring aquamarines (5.61 ctw) and grossular garnets (3.51 ctw) accented with diamonds (.56 ctw).
Business/Day Wear:
Business/Day Wear – 1st Place
Jennifer Rabe Morin, Gregore Joailliers – 18-karat rose gold ring featuring carved turquoise (29.0 ctw) accented with amethyst cabochons (14 ctw).
Business/Day Wear – 2nd Place
Elizabeth Garvin, Elizabeth Garvin Fine – 18-karat gold and sterling silver ‘Jewel’ ring featuring a 24.6-carat green quartz accented with diamonds (.23 ctw).
Business/Day Wear – 3rd Place
Heath London, Heath London Jewelry – 18-karat yellow gold and copper ‘In the Swim’ earrings featuring Paraiba tourmalines (7.11 ctw) accented with pink tourmalines (2.23 ctw) and diamonds (.80 ctw).
Business/Day Wear – Platinum Honours
Phillip Dismuke, Jewelsmith – Platinum ‘Blooming’ ring featuring a 21.40-carat opal accented with spessartite garnets (1.35 ctw) and diamonds.
Business/Day Wear – Gem Diva Award
Elizabeth Garvin, Elizabeth Garvin Fine – 18-karat gold and sterling silver ‘Jewel’ ring featuring a 24.6-carat green quartz accented with diamonds (.23 ctw).
Business/Day Wear – Manufacturing Honours
Ryan Roberts, Ryan Roberts, Ltd. – 18-karat yellow gold ring featuring a 11.25-carat chrysocolla accented with tsavorite garnets (.56 ctw) and diamonds (.62 ctw).
Classical:
Classical – 1st Place
Leon Mege, Leon Mege, Inc. – Platinum ring featuring a 4.71-carat Paraiba tourmaline accented with French-cut diamonds (1.31 ctw).
Classical – 2nd Place
Heena Chheda, Real Gems, Inc. – 18-karat white gold ‘Ophion’s Treasure’ ring featuring emeralds (6.74 ctw) accented with diamonds (2.19 ctw).
Classical – 3rd Place
Evelyn Huang, China Art & Fine Jewelry, Inc. – 18-karat yellow and white gold ‘Midnight Kiss’ ring featuring a 5.76-carat unheated blue sapphire accented with white and yellow diamonds (1.18 ctw), blue sapphires (.91 ctw), and tsavorite garnets (.79 ctw).
Classical – Platinum Honours
Rex McClure, Sohn & McClure Jewelers – Platinum ring featuring a 4.16-carat emerald accented with white diamond baguettes (1.20 ctw) and yellow diamonds (.21 ctw).
Classical – Entry Platinum Innovation
Mimi Favre, Mimi Favre Studio – Platinum ‘Etude d’Vert’ earrings featuring tapered drops of shades of green tourmalines (15.50 ctw).
Classical – Gem Diva Award
Caroline Chartuni, Caroline C – 18-karat white gold ‘Astra’ ring featuring a 24.16-carat star sapphire accented with diamonds (8.08 ctw).
Classical – Manufacturing Honours
Deirdre Featherstone, Featherstone Design – Platinum ring featuring a 5.81-carat green sapphire accented with diamonds (3.87 ctw).
Evening Wear:
Evening Wear – 1st Place
Maria Canale, Suna Bros. Inc. – Platinum and 20-karat pink gold bracelet featuring multi-coloured natural spinels (44.31 ctw) accented with white diamonds (6.80 ctw) and pink diamonds (1.00 ctw).
Evening Wear – 2nd Place
Erica Courtney, Erica Courtney, Inc. – 18-karat yellow gold ‘Milky Way’ earrings featuring opal drops (46.06 ctw) accented with diamonds (1.98 ctw) and Paraiba tourmalines (2.03 ctw).
Evening Wear – 3rd Place
Gil, Gil Int’l – Platinum ring featuring a 6.50-carat alexandrite accented with diamonds.
Evening Wear – Platinum Honours
Cara Becker Lichtenstein, My Blue Heaven – Platinum bracelet featuring multicoloured tourmalines (7.26 ctw) accented with diamonds (1.29 ctw).
Evening Wear – Gem Diva Award
Maria Canale, Suna Bros. Inc. – Platinum and 20-karat pink gold bracelet featuring multi-coloured natural spinels (44.31 ctw) accented with white diamonds (6.80 ctw) and pink diamonds (1.00 ctw).
Evening Wear – Manufacturing Honours
Linda Quinn, Linda Quinn Designs ““ 14-karat white gold ring featuring a 6.11-carat pink tourmaline accented with diamonds (1.24 ctw).
Evening Wear – Honourable Mention
Wendy Brandes, Wendy Brandes Jewelry – 18-karat pink gold ‘Pink Elephant & Tipsy Writer Maneater’ ring featuring a pink sapphire elephant (2.0 ctw) accented with a ruby and brown and white diamonds (2.23 ctw).
Men’s Wear:
Men’s Wear – 1st Place
Dawn Muscio, D. Muscio Fine Jewelry Studio – 18-karat red gold and stainless steel ‘Pink2’ cufflinks featuring pillow-cut morganites (8.74 ctw) accented with rubies (.87 ctw) and diamonds (.60 ctw).
Men’s Wear – 2nd Place
Mark Schneider, Mark Schneider Design – Platinum ring featuring a 16.73-carat tourmaline accented with yellow diamonds (.67 ctw) and tsavorite garnets (1.02 ctw).
Men’s Wear – 3rd Place
Michael Kanners, Michael Kanners – 18-karat blackened gold cufflinks featuring tanzanites (20.06 ctw) accented with tsavorite garnet (6.5 ctw).
Men’s Wear – Platinum Honours
Naomi Sarna, Naomi Sarna Designs – Platinum ‘His and His’ rings featuring brown natural diamonds (5.68 ctw).
Men’s Wear – Honourable Mention
William Travis, William Travis Jewelry – 18-karat yellow gold and sterling silver ring featuring a 13.17-carat citrine.
Cutting Edge Awards
Classic Cut Gemstones:
Classic Gemstone – 1st Place
Allen Kleiman, A. Kleiman & Co. – 20.24-carat emerald-cut unheated yellow sapphire.
Classic Gemstone – 2nd Place
Joseph Ambalu, Amba Gem Corp. – 19.06-carat brilliant, step-cut unheated blue sapphire.
Classic Gemstone – 3rd Place
Joseph Ambalu, Amba Gem Corp. – 5-carat oval pink sapphire.
Classic Gemstone – Honourable Mention
Alan Hackman, Intercolor – 38.06-carat blue sapphire.
All Other Faceted:
All Other Faceted – 1st Place
Hemant Phophaliya, AG Color, Inc. – 43.96-carat oval cabochon tanzanite.
All Other Faceted – 2nd Place
Mikola Kukharuk, Nomad’s – 12.99-carat oval mint grossular garnet.
All Other Faceted – 3rd Place
Mikola Kukharuk, Nomad’s – 28.21-carat Imperial topaz.
All Other Faceted – Honourable Mention
Mikola Kukharuk, Nomad’s – 115.48-carat emerald-cut heliodor.
Phenomenal Gemstones:
Phenomenal – 1st Place
Robert Shapiro, Robert Shapiro – Natural split pair of boulder opals (60.50 ctw).
Pairs and Suites:
Pairs & Suites – 1st Place
Dalan Hargrave, Dust Devil Mining – Rhodolite garnet suite (138.49 ctw).
Pairs & Suites – 2nd Place
Mikola Kukharuk, Nomad’s – Pair of Imperial topaz (70.14 ctw).
Pairs & Suites – 3rd Place
Hemant Phophaliya, A G Color, Inc. – Fancy pear-shaped tanzanites (15.86 ctw).
Pairs & Suites – Honourable Mention
Allen Kleiman, A. Kleiman & Co. – Suite of pear-shape unheated yellow sapphires (57.73 ctw).
Innovative Faceting:
Innovative Faceting – 1st Place
John Dyer, John Dyer & Co. – 63.19-carat fancy round curprian tourmaline.
Innovative Faceting – 2nd Place
John Dyer, John Dyer & Co. – 67.92-carat swirling ‘Nebula’ ametrine.
Innovative Faceting – 3rd Place
John Dyer, John Dyer & Co. – 19.43-carat ‘Royal Velvet’ tanzanite.
Carving:
Carving – 1st Place
Naomi Sarna, Naomi Sarna Designs – ‘Rose de France’ amethyst carving (1015 ctw).
Carving – 2nd Place
Bernie Benavidez, Master Jewelers – ‘The Eye of Genesis’ opal carving (260 ctw).
Carving – 3rd Place
Darryl Alexander, Nirinjan – 102-carat specialty-cut sunstone.
Objects of Art:
Objects of Art – 1st Place
Robyn Dufty, DuftyWeis opals, Inc. – Black chalcedony perfume bottle with a carved Mexican fire opal flower stopper (42.30 ctw) accented with 18-karat yellow gold.
Objects of Art – 2nd Place
Darryl Alexander, Somewhere In The Rainbow – 18-karat yellow gold and sterling silver ‘Doctor’s Orders’ featuring black jade accented with crystal opal and mammoth ivory.
Objects of Art – 3rd Place
Alishan Halebian, Alishan – 18-karat yellow gold and oxidized sterling silver letter opener/dagger featuring fossil walrus ivory accented with rubies (6.09 ctw), sapphires (3.98 ctw), white diamonds (.15 ctw), and black diamonds (.75 ctw).
Objects of Art – Honourable Mention
Adam Ramseyer, Ramstar Designs – Sterling silver and 14-karat gold spacecraft pendant with docking station featuring a 30-carat fantasy-cut ametrine accented with tourmalines, emeralds, alexandrites, lazulites, tsavorite garnets, amethysts, diamonds, and sapphires.
