Two Canadian jewellers and a gemstone cutter are winners at the 2016 American Gem Trade Association (AGTA).
Andrew Costen of Costen Catbalue in Vancouver took home Best Use of Platinum and Colour for his platinum ‘Symphony of Colour’ bracelet. The piece features a 3.85-carat green tourmaline, a 4.88-carat yellow zircon, a 4.68-carat indicolite tourmaline, and a 3.52-carat rubellite tourmaline accented with diamonds (.70 ctw).
In the Men’s Wear category, Jewellery Business bench tips columnist, Llyn L. Strelau of Calgary, won second place for his ‘Paddle Your Own Canoe’ reversible cufflinks, with 18-karat yellow and 19-karat white gold, carved black onyx, and rock crystal. The cufflinks are accented with black and white South Sea keshi pearls and diamonds (.24 ctw).
And in the Cutting Edge Awards category, Ralph Wobito of Wobito Gems in Stouffville, Ont., won for a perfume bottle, featuring colourless topaz (109.61 ctw) and diaspore (36.78 ctw).
Now in its 32nd year, 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.
“It is very rewarding to see the continued growth in enthusiasm for our AGTA Spectrum Awards,” said chief executive officer (CEO), Douglas K. Hucker.
“This year we had 492 entries, among the largest number ever. Clearly, the level of sophistication amongst the design community with respect to colour is constantly evolving and the willingness of our designers to push boundaries was evident in this competition. We had a virtual whirlwind of inspiring colours, colour combinations, shapes, and textures. Kudos to our hardworking and incredibly capable team of judges, who truly make this competition what it is!”
The judging panel comprised:
• Ronald W. Arends of Aires Jewelers;
• Stephen M. Avery of Stephen M. Avery, Inc.;
• Deirdre Featherstone of Featherstone Design;
• Lauren Kulchinksy-Levison of MayFair Rocks; and
• Aron Suna of Suna Bros.
Stay tuned to our February 2016 issue for a complete look at the winning pieces.
The winners of the Spectrum Awards ‘Best of’ categories are:
Best of Show
Allen Kleiman, A. Kleiman & Co. Suite of Paraiba tourmaline (58.07 ctw) ‘Nautilus’ shell carvings.
Best Use of Colour
Bella Campbell, Campbellian. 18-karat yellow gold earrings, featuring blue-green tourmaline (17.05 ctw) accented with emeralds (4.14 ctw).
Best Use of Platinum and Colour
Andrew Costen, Costen Catbalue. Platinum ‘Symphony of Colour’ bracelet, featuring a 3.85-carat green tourmaline, a 4.88-carat yellow zircon, a 4.68-carat indicolite tourmaline, and a 3.52-carat rubellite tourmaline accented with diamonds (.70 ctw).
Best Use of Pearls
Naomi Sarna, Naomi Sarna Designs. Strand of freshwater baroque cultured pearls with 18-karat white gold and diamonds and a freshwater baroque cultured pearl pendant.
Best Use of Silver and Colour
William Travis Kukovich, William Travis Jewelry. Oxidized silver and mixed gold pendant, featuring a 4.74-carat brown diamond accented with rose-cut diamonds (.40 ctw).
Fashion Forward
Brian Cook, Nature’s Geometry. 24-karat yellow gold ‘Wheel of Light’ numinous pendant, featuring an 825-carat quartz, Paraiba tourmaline, Hauyn, ruby, spessartite garnet, golden rutilated quartz, and fire agate beads.
The category winners are:
Bridal Wear (Sponsored by The Knot)
First Place – Tony Nemyer, Grimball Jewelers. Platinum and 18-karat yellow gold ring, featuring a 3.55-carat round purple spinel accented with diamonds (.86 ctw).
Second Place – Laurence Bruyninckx. 18-karat white gold earrings, featuring blue topaz, mint tourmaline, and diamond tops with interchangeable dangles with diamonds or mint tourmalines, blue topaz, and diamonds.
Third Place – Caroline Chartouni, Caroline C. 18-karat white gold earrings, featuring Paraiba tourmalines (12.07 ctw) accented with diamonds (10.62 ctw).
Entry Platinum Innovation – Michael Endlich, Pavé Fine Jewelry. Platinum ‘Sweetness’ ring, featuring a 1.65-carat lavender oval sapphire accented with diamonds (.06 ctw).
Gem Diva Award – Erica Courtney. Platinum ‘Champagne Bubble’ wedding ring set, featuring a 5.54-carat blue sapphire cabochon accented with round blue sapphires (1.0 ctw) and diamonds (2.58 ctw).
Manufacturing Honours – Michael Jakubowski, Gem Fanatic. 14-karat white and rose gold ring, featuring a 2.58-carat unheated pink sapphire accented with white and pink diamonds (.81 ctw).
Platinum Honours – Kathy Kinev, Jewel Creations, Inc. Platinum ‘Chartres’ ring, featuring a 4.65-carat blue zircon accented with diamonds (.73 ctw).
Savour Silver Award – Hisano Shepherd, little h. Sterling silver cufflinks, featuring sliced 12 x 13-mm Tahitian baroque pearls accented with black diamonds (2.0 ctw).
Business/Day Wear
First Place – Ricardo Basta, E. Eichberg, Inc. 18-karat yellow gold ‘Enchanted Frog’ ring, featuring carnelian, tsavorite garnets, and diamonds (.18 ctw).
Second Place – Heath London, Heath London Jewelry. 18-karat white gold earrings, featuring rock crystal quartz (31.18 ctw) and rubellite tourmaline (11.34 ctw) accented with diamonds (.91 ctw).
Third Place – Kim Hurlbert-Sarosi, Sarosi by Timeless Gems. 18-karat yellow gold ring, featuring a 16.10-carat Imperial topaz accented with diamonds (.56 ctw).
Entry Platinum Innovation – Heena Chheda-Shah, Valani. Platinum ‘Rival’ ring, featuring two pear-shape blue sapphires (1.10 ctw) accented with diamonds (.27 ctw).
Gem Diva Award – Gurmit Kaur Campbell, SRW. 18-karat yellow gold ‘Betwixt and Between’ ring, featuring a South Sea cultured pearl accented with diamonds.
Honourable Mention – Heath London, Heath London Jewelry. 18-karat yellow gold ‘Rajasthani Dreams’ earrings, featuring Paraiba tourmaline (24.51 ctw) and pink tourmaline (16.20 ctw) accented with diamonds (.34 ctw).
Manufacturing Honours – Stuller, Inc. Platinum ring, featuring an 18-mm pear-shape topaz.
Platinum Honours – Michael Endlich, Pavé Fine Jewelry. Platinum ‘Moon Beam’ ring, featuring a 3.58-carat moonstone cabochon accented with diamonds (.30 ctw).
Savour Silver Award – Elizabeth Garvin, Elizabeth Garvin Fine. Oxidized sterling silver and 18-karat yellow gold ‘Cyclone’ cuff, featuring aquamarine and heliodor (52.0 ctw) in asymmetrical mirror cuts.
Classical
First Place – Brent Malgarin, Elegant Gems, Ltd. Platinum necklace, featuring a 12.63-mm natural pearl and a 15.22-mm natural pearl accented with a 4.64-carat blue zircon and diamonds (1.05 ctw).
Second Place – Lindsay Jane, Ambassador Gems. Platinum ring, featuring a 6.26-carat Padparadscha sapphire accented with orange and pink sapphires (.31 ctw) and diamonds (1.01 ctw).
Third Place – Gil, Gil International. Platinum ring, featuring a 3.24-carat alexandrite accented with diamonds (1.11 ctw).
Entry Platinum Innovation – Lorenzo Chavez, Geogem-USA. Platinum and 18-karat yellow gold ‘Big Sky’ pendant, featuring carved black jade and a 5.63-carat free-form faceted sapphire accented with diamonds (1.06 ctw).
Gem Diva Award – Naomi Sarna, Naomi Sarna Designs. 18-karat white gold petal brooch, featuring white, yellow, pink, brown, and green diamonds accented with amethysts and multicoloured sapphires.
Honourable Mention – Josette Patterson, Mark Patterson. 18-karat white gold ‘Aura’ earrings, featuring pear-shape rubellite tourmaline (12.69 ctw) accented with diamonds (.86 ctw).
Platinum Honours – Wick & Greene Jewelers. Platinum fleur de lis pendant/pin, featuring an unheated 2.66-carat oval blue sapphire.
Savour Silver Award – William Travis Kukovich, William Travis Jewelry. Oxidized silver and 18-karat yellow gold ring, featuring a 14.36-carat prehnite cabochon.
Evening Wear
First Place – Claudia Kretchmer, Somewhere in the Rainbow. Platinum and 24-karat crystallized gold ‘RockStar2’ pendant, featuring a 37.31-carat colour-shift blue zircon accented with diamonds (1.95 ctw).
Second Place – Ricardo Basta, E. Eichberg, Inc. 18-karat rose gold ring, featuring a 10.41-carat rubellite tourmaline accented with diamonds (.23 ctw) and ruby melee (.05 ctw).
Third Place – Randy Coffin, Somewhere in the Rainbow. Platinum ring, featuring a 17.76-carat bicolour tourmaline accented with pink sapphires (.38 ctw), Paraiba tourmaline (.29 ctw), and diamonds (.13 ctw).
Gem Diva Award – Lisa Linhardt, Linhardt Design. Oxidized sterling silver ‘Tempest’ sculptural duster ring, featuring yellow sapphires.
Honourable Mention – Alexia Connellan. 18-karat rose gold ‘Victoria’ bracelet, featuring a 16.06-carat purple-pink tourmaline accented with diamonds and purple tourmaline.
Manufacturing Honours – Troels D. Larsen, Troels D. Larsen Jewelry. 18-karat yellow and white gold necklace, featuring a 10.75-carat trillion-cut tanzanite and 23 round tanzanites (27.80 ctw) accented with diamonds (2.75 ctw).
Platinum Honours – Eddie Sakamoto, Somewhere in the Rainbow. Platinum ‘Ice-Ice Baby’ bracelet, featuring a 24.15-carat tanzanite accented with diamonds (6.50 ctw).
Savour Silver Award – Priyanka Murthy, Arya Esha. Sterling silver ring, featuring a 16.6-carat blue topaz accented with diamonds (.70 ctw).
Men’s Wear
First Place – Mark Schneider, Mark Schneider Design. Platinum and 18-karat yellow gold ring, featuring a 5.42-carat peridot and a pair of spessartite garnets (3.66 ctw) accented with tsavorite garnets (.75 ctw), white diamonds (.38 ctw), and a .16-carat yellow diamond.
Second Place – Llyn L. Strelau, Jewels by Design. 18-karat yellow and 19-karat white gold ‘Paddle Your Own Canoe’ reversible cufflinks, featuring carved black onyx and rock crystal accented with black and white South Sea keshi pearls and diamonds (.24 ctw).
Third Place – Mark Schneider, Mark Schneider Design. Sterling silver men’s ring, featuring a 7.98-carat free-form fire opal accented with tsavorite garnets (.66 ctw), coloured diamonds (.14 ctw), and white diamonds (.06 ctw).
Manufacturing Honours – Craig Slavens, Studio 247 Fine Jewelry. 18-karat yellow gold and platinum ring, featuring a 7.29-carat unheated Sri Lankan colour-change violet-blue sapphire accented with diamonds (.93 ctw).
Platinum Honours – David Hines, Nvit Blanche. Platinum with 18-karat white gold ‘Cobra’ ring, featuring alexandrite (.25 ctw).
Savour Silver Award – William Travis Kukovich, William Travis Jewelry. Oxidized silver and 18-karat yellow and rose gold ring, featuring a 20.98-carat golden sheen sapphire.
Cutting Edge Awards
All Other Faceted
First Place – John Dyer, John Dyer & Co. 21.96-carat multi-faceted cushion-cut Imperial topaz.
Second Place – Hemant Phophaliya, A G Color, Inc. 40.58-carat round checkerboard tanzanite.
Third Place – Darrell Jang. 42.39-carat cut-corner octagon tourmaline.
Carving
First Place – Allen Kleiman, A. Kleiman & Co. Suite of Paraiba tourmaline (58.07 ctw) Nautilus shell carvings.
Second Place – Glenn Lehrer, Lehrer Designs, Inc. 48.86-carat ‘Soul Angel’ opal carving.
Third Place ““ Rodney Rahmani, Brilliant Stars. 67.11-carat carved unheated Burmese sapphire.
Honourable Mention – Glenn Lehrer, Lehrer Designs, Inc. 53.57-carat ‘Georgia’s Dream’ transparent gem silica chrysocolla carving.
Classic Gemstone
First Place – Joseph Ambalu, Amba Gem Corp. 8.06-carat unheated Burmese sapphire.
Second Place – David Nassi, 100% Natural, Ltd. 22.73-carat unheated yellow sapphire from Sri Lanka.
Third Place -Sailesh Lakhi, Sparkles and Colors USA, Inc. 13.28-carat unheated Burmese royal blue Sapphire.
Innovative Faceting
First Place – Dalan Hargrave, Sunstone Butte Mining. 63.63-carat ‘Celestial City’ Sunstone carving.
Second Place – Dalan Hargrave, B. Harju. 22.45-carat herringbone-cut tourmaline.
Third Place – John Dyer, John Dyer & Co. – 120.98-carat ‘New Era’ tanzanite cut with inverse facets.
Objects of Art
First Place – Ziad H. Noshie, Almaza Jewelers. The ‘Hanging Panda’ featuring mother-of-pearl with 18-karat rose gold. The panda is made of 18-karat white gold with black and white diamonds (3.69 ctw). The bamboo is made of white diamonds (.20 ctw) and tsavorite garnets (.28 ctw). It sits on a silver stand.
Second Place – Ralph Wobito, Wobito Gems, Ltd. Perfume bottle featuring colourless topaz (109.61 ctw) and diaspore (36.78 ctw).
Pairs & Suites
First Place – Allen Kleiman, A. Kleiman & Co. Unheated oval morganite from Madagascar.
Second Place – Mikola Kukharuk, Nomad’s. Suite of vintage pear-cut grossular mint garnets (50.26 ctw).
Third Place – Ajay Bansal, Best in Gems. Pair of matched pear-shape cabochon opals (84.63 ctw).
Phenomenal
First Place – Robert Shapiro. Pair of black opals (33.40 ctw).
Second Place – Sailesh Lakhi, Sparkles and Colors USA, Inc. 14.93-carat moonstone.
Third Place – Steve Wallner, Westview Gems. 5.29-carat green-blue colour-shift sapphire.
