For the second year in a row, the top spot at American Gem Trade Association’s (AGTA’s) Spectrum Awards went to cut gemstones.
Ruben Bindra of B & B Fine Gems took home Best of Show with a suite of round, brilliant Russian demantoid garnets (24.67 ctw).
Last year, Best of Show went to Allen Kleiman of A. Kleiman & Co., for his suite of Paraiba tourmaline (58.07 ctw) ‘Nautilus’ shell carvings.
“What a spectacular collection of winners,” said AGTA CEO Douglas K. Hucker.
“The AGTA Spectrum Awards always showcases the best, most innovative, and the most exciting evolutions in the design and coloured gemstone industry, and this year was certainly no exception. Unquestionably, the quality of gemstones and metals in the craftsmanship was elevated this year in all the entries we received, and that was evident in the choices our expert judges made.”
The awards celebrate the use of gemstones in several categories, including Bridal, Business/Day Wear, and Classical. Entries are judged on the basis of overall beauty and wearability, innovative design, and effective use of materials. The quality of gemstones and workmanship, consumer appeal, and the ability to create a positive impression of natural coloured gemstones are also part of the judging process.
The competition was held in New York on July 23 and 24. Gail Brett-Levine of National Association of Jewelry Appraisers (NAJA); Diane Garmendia of 33 Jewels at El Paseo; Jay Mednikow of J.H. Mednikow & Co.; Victor Velyan of Victor-Christy Studios; and Lew Wackler of Lew Wackler Gem Co., served as judges.
The awards will be presented during the 2017 AGTA GemFair Tucson held Jan. 31 to Feb. 5 at the Tucson Convention Center in Arizona. Winning entries will on display during the show; award winners will be recognized during the AGTA Spectrum Awards Gala on Feb. 4.
Best of Show
Ruben Bindra, B & B Fine Gems ““ Suite of round, brilliant Russian demantoid garnets (24.67 ctw).
Best Use of Colour
Derek Katzenbach, Katzenbach Designs ““ 14-karat white gold ring, featuring a 4.97-carat bicoloured tourmaline accented with tsavorite garnets, tourmalines, and diamonds (.69 ctw).
Best Use of Pearls
Judy Evans, Oliver & Espig Gallery of Fine Arts ““ Platinum pendant, featuring a 13.44-mm golden South Sea cultured pearl accented with diamonds.
Best Use of Platinum and Colour
Kathy Kinev, Jewel Creations, Inc. ““ Platinum ‘St. Chapelle’ ring, featuring rubies, sapphires, tsavorite garnets, and blue and white diamonds.
Fashion Forward
Lorenzo Chavez, Geogem-USA ““ Platinum and 18-karat yellow and rose gold ‘Gift from the Abyss’ pendant, featuring a 124.73-carat carved kunzite accented with blue zircons and diamonds (.82 ctw).
Bridal Wear
First Place and Platinum Honours ““ Ricardo Basta, E. Eichberg, Inc. ““ Platinum ‘Royal Blue’ ring, featuring a 12-carat blue sapphire accented with diamonds (2.59 ctw). The ring features a detachable 18-karat yellow gold ‘Quilt’ jacket, featuring turquoise accented with diamonds (.43 ctw) and tsavorite garnets (.16 ctw).
Second Place ““ Alexia Connellan, Alexia Connellan Luxury Jewelry ““ Platinum ‘Regency Earrings,’ featuring mint tourmalines (8.63 ctw) accented with diamonds (2.50 ctw).
Third Place ““ Caroline Chartouni, Caroline C ““ 18-karat white gold earrings, featuring red spinels accented with diamonds.
Honorable Mention ““ Jessica Neiwert, Jessica Nei ““ 18-karat rose gold ‘Snow Blossom’ convertible earrings, featuring lavender chalcedony (13.50 ctw) accented with moonstones (1.66 ctw), pink sapphires (.41 ctw), amethysts (.29 ctw), and diamonds (.54 ctw).
Honorable Mention ““ Samuel Sulimanov, Samuel Sylvio Designs ““ 18-karat white gold earrings, featuring Paraiba tourmalines (3.0 ctw) accented with Paraiba tourmaline melee (.68 ctw) and diamonds.
Manufacturing Honours ““ Dennis deJonghe, deJonghe Original Jewelry ““ Platinum ring, featuring a 2.20-carat aquamarine accented with diamonds (.40 ctw).
GEM DIVA Award ““ Heena Chheda Shah, Real Gems, Inc. ““ 18-karat white gold ‘Rosalyn’ earrings, featuring eight pear-shape emeralds (15.89 ctw) accented with fancy and round diamonds (3.49 ctw).
Business/Day Wear
First Place ““ Ricardo Basta, E. Eichberg, Inc. ““ 18-karat yellow gold and platinum ‘Honey’ ring, featuring a 13.58-carat heliodor accented with sapphires (.82 ctw) and diamonds (.96 ctw).
Second Place ““ T. Foster & Co. Fine Jewelers, T. Foster & Co. Fine Jewelers ““ 18-karat yellow gold and platinum ring, featuring a 22.93-carat orange sapphire accented with diamonds.
Third Place ““ Zoltan David, Zoltan David, LLC ““ Palladium and 22-karat yellow gold ring, featuring a 4.12-carat danburite accented with blue sapphires (.42 ctw).
Honorable Mention ““ Shuang Feng, Fon Shon Jewellery Art & Design ““ 14-karat white gold with 18-karat rose gold-plated ring, featuring an oval morganite accented with diamonds.
Honorable Mention ““ Patrick King, Jewelsmith ““ 14-karat white and yellow gold pendant, featuring a 31.94-carat lemon quartz accented with a 2.96-carat opal and diamonds (.15 ctw).
Manufacturing Honours ““ Llyn Strong, Llyn Strong Fine Art Jewelry ““ 18-karat yellow gold earrings, featuring bezel-set rubies (1.56 ctw).
Platinum Honours ““ John Ford, Lightning Ridge Collection by John Ford ““ Platinum ‘Mirror’ ring, featuring a 3.65-carat black opal accented with diamonds (.69 ctw).
Entry Platinum Innovation ““ Jill Maurer, Jill Maurer ““ Platinum ‘Verge’ ring, featuring an 11.19-carat golden zircon accented with natural-colour diamonds (1.23 ctw).
GEM DIVA Award ““ Naomi Sarna, Naomi Sarna Designs ““ 18-karat palladium white gold ‘Confetti Heart’ ring, featuring multicoloured diamonds, sapphires, rubies, and amethysts.
Classical
First Place ““ Niveet Nagpal, Omi Gems, Inc. ““ 18-karat rose gold ring, featuring a 4.01-carat cushion-cut pink spinel accented with spinel melee (.52 ctw), diamond melee (.82 ctw), and a .01-carat alexandrite.
Second Place ““ Niveet Nagpal, Omi Gems, Inc. ““ Platinum and black rhodium ring, featuring three alexandrites (6.99 ctw) accented with alexandrite melee (1.64 ctw) and diamonds (.91 ctw).
Third Place ““ Alexia Connellan, Alexia Connellan Luxury Jewelry ““ 18-karat rose gold ‘Spiral Earrings,’ featuring morganites (9.50 ctw) accented with Akoya cultured pearls (8.02 ctw), sapphires (1.08 ctw), and diamonds (.85 ctw).
Honorable Mention and Entry Platinum Innovation ““ Lindsay Jane, Lindsay Jane Designs ““ Platinum ring, featuring a 7.77-carat moonstone accented with purple and blue sapphires (.97 ctw) and diamonds (.52 ctw).
Honorable Mention and GEM DIVA Award “’ Heena Chheda Shah, Real Gems, Inc. ““ 18-karat white gold ‘Bridget’ ring, featuring a 3.08-carat oval ruby accented with round rubies (.31 ctw) and round and pear diamonds (3.87 ctw).
Manufacturing Honours ““ Dominique Israileff, ASBA USA, Inc. ““ 14-karat rose gold pendant, featuring a 13-mm Tahitian cultured pearl accented with diamonds (.37 ctw).
Platinum Honours ““ Zoltan David, Zoltan David, LLC ““ Platinum pendant, featuring a 35.63-carat marquise moonstone cabochon set in blue patina bronze on a strand of cabochon moonstones (18.20 ctw) and diamonds (1.20 ctw).
Evening Wear
First Place ““ David Gross, David Gross Group ““ Platinum necklace, featuring 21 unheated Mozambique rubies (29.33 ctw) accented with diamonds (21.61 ctw).
Second Place ““ Phillip Dismuke, Jewelsmith ““ 18-karat yellow gold and platinum ring, featuring a 13.53-carat black opal accented with sapphires (1.01 ctw) and diamonds (.07 ctw).
Third Place ““ Robert Pelliccia, J.R. Dunn Jewelers ““ 18-karat yellow and white gold pendant, featuring a 23.94-carat boulder opal accented with blue and pink sapphires (.58 ctw) and diamonds (.92 ctw) on a black diamond bead necklace.
Honorable Mention ““ Erica Courtney, Erica Courtney, Inc. ““ 18-karat yellow gold ‘Easter Egg’ ring, featuring a 7.46-carat Paraiba tourmaline accented with Paraiba tourmalines (1.09 ctw) and diamonds (2.45 ctw).
Honorable Mention ““ Sinork Agdere, Lord Jewelry ““ 18-karat yellow gold and platinum ‘Ballerina’ ring, featuring a 65-carat, specialty-cut lemon citrine accented with diamonds and enamel.
Manufacturing Honours ““ Llyn Strong, Llyn Strong Fine Art Jewelry ““ 18-karat rose gold ‘Calla Lily’ ring, featuring a 5.17-carat, rose-cut green tourmaline accented with diamonds (.03 ctw).
Platinum Honours ““ John Ford, Lightning Ridge Collection by John Ford ““ Platinum ‘Electric Blue’ necklace, featuring black opal (197 ctw) accented with diamonds (6.27 ctw).
GEM DIVA Award ““ Alexia Connellan, Alexia Connellan Luxury Jewelry ““ Platinum ‘The Fringe Earrings’, featuring bicoloured tourmalines (20.32 ctw) accented with diamonds (1.50 ctw).
Men’s Wear
First Place and Platinum Honours ““ Mark Schneider, Mark Schneider Design ““ Platinum and 18-karat yellow gold ring, featuring an 8.76-carat maw sit sit (jade-albite) accented with black, white, and yellow diamonds (2.27 ctw) and tsavorite garnets (.93 ctw).
Second Place ““ William Travis, William Travis Jewelry ““ Silver and 18-karat yellow gold ring, featuring a 17.67-carat, carved lapis lazuli scarab beetle accented with orange sapphires (.96 ctw).
Third Place ““ Craig Slavens, Studio 247 Fine Jewelry ““ Carbon fibre, platinum, and 18-karat rose gold ring, featuring a 4.52-carat unheated Padparadscha sapphire accented with diamonds (.39 ctw).
Honorable Mention and Entry Platinum Innovation ““ William Travis, William Travis Jewelry ““ Platinum band, featuring blue sapphires (.54 ctw), cognac diamonds (.18 ctw), and colourless diamonds (.18 ctw).
Cutting Edge
All Other Faceted
First Place ““ Jeffrey R. Hapeman, Earth’s Treasury LLC ““ 42.47-carat brilliant square cushion specialty-cut apatite.
Second Place ““ Mikola Kukharuk, Nomad’s ““ 12.44-carat square cushion tsavorite garnet.
Third Place ““ Ambassador Gems, Ambassador Gems ““ 24.12-carat cushion-cut blue zircon.
Honorable Mention ““ Hemant Phophaliya, A G Color, Inc. ““ 48.62-carat sugarloaf tanzanite.
Carving
First Place ““ Naomi Sarna, Naomi Sarna Designs ““ Hand-carved ametrine (297 ctw).
Second Place ““ John Dyer, John Dyer & Co. ““ Aquamarine carving titled ‘Sydney Symphony’ (53.63 ctw).
Third Place ““ Meg Berry, Mega Gem ““ 21.70-carat pyrope garnet titled ‘Rooster.’
Honorable Mention ““ Naomi Sarna, Naomi Sarna Designs ““ Rutilated quartz carving (1375 ctw).
Classic Gemstone
First Place ““ Ruben Bindra, B & B Fine Gems ““ 10.11-carat Sri Lankan cushion-cut orange sapphire.
Second Place ““ Allen Kleiman, A. Kleiman & Co. ““ 20.03-carat unheated emerald-cut yellow sapphire.
Third Place ““ Allen Kleiman, A. Kleiman & Co. ““ 15.01-carat emerald-cut blue sapphire.
Honorable Mention ““ Ruben Bindra, B & B Fine Gems ““ 7.22-carat cushion-cut Padparadscha sapphire.
Innovative Faceting
First Place ““ John Dyer, John Dyer & Co. ““ 80.29-carat specialty-cut ametrine.
Second Place ““ John Dyer, John Dyer & Co. ““ 175.37-carat deep concave cushion-cut morganite titled ‘Mozambique Sunset.’
Third Place ““ Ryan Joseph Anderson, Ryan Joseph Gems ““ 89.41-carat amethyst titled ‘Efflorescence.’
Honorable Mention ““ Glenn Wm. Lehrer, Lehrer Designs, Inc. ““ 30.79-carat danburite and a 1.03-carat ruby titled ‘KaleidosCut.’ When placed together, they create an eight-point star in the danburite.
Objects of Art
Honorable Mention ““ Brenda Smith, Brenda Smith Jewelry ““ ‘Light My Fire’ object of art, featuring opalized wood (250 ctw) accented with a hand-carved 75-carat sunstone flame, 40-carat hand-carved Mexican fire opal, and diamonds (.20 ctw).
Honorable Mention ““ Neda Behnam, Samuel B. Collection ““ 18-karat yellow gold ‘Stallion’ statue, featuring champagne diamonds (7.81 ctw) accented with tsavorite garnets and mother-of-pearl on an onyx base.
Pairs & Suites
First Place and Best of Show ““ Ruben Bindra, B & B Fine Gems ““ Suite of round, brilliant Russian demantoid garnets (24.67 ctw).
Second Place ““ Allen Kleiman, A. Kleiman & Co. ““ Suite of pear-shape unheated Mozambique rubies (18.77 ctw).
Third Place ““ Ben Kho, Kho International, Ltd. ““ Suite of round rhodochrosite (17.26 ctw).
Honorable Mention ““ Allen Kleiman, A. Kleiman & Co. ““ Earring suite of oval pink and purple (unheated) sapphires (17.23 ctw).
Phenomenal
First Place ““ Gil, Gil Int’l ““ 5.56-carat untreated alexandrite.
Second Place ““ Robert Shapiro, Robert Shapiro ““ 10.05-carat oval boulder opal.
Third Place ““ Manu Nichani, Blue Moon Ent. ““ 19.07-carat royal blue rectangular, cushion-cut moonstone.
Honorable Mention ““ Robyn Dufty, DuftyWeis Opals, Inc. ““ 103.80-carat cabochon boulder opal.
