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AGTA Announces 2018 Spectrum Awards Winners | August 15, 2018 (0 comments)
Dallas, TX--The American Gem Trade Association has announced the winners of its 2018 AGTA Spectrum Awards. The competition was held August 4-5 in New York. The 2018 judges included Darryl Alexander, Alexander's Jewelers; Randy Coffin, Coffin & Trout Jewellers, Inc.; Andre Hahn, Vielle Jewelers, LLC; Peiter Hye, Pieter Andries Jewelers; and Dallas Prince, Dallas Prince & Company.
“It is one of the most important endeavors AGTA pursues in its mission to spread the gospel of color," said Douglas K. Hucker, AGTA CEO. This year boasted what Hucker called a perfect trifecta of components: judges with strong resumes and strong personalities, a wave of young, risk-taking new designers and first-time entrants, and the growing breadth of material entered. The winners are:
Best of Show (left): Joseph Ambalu, Amba Gem Corp.: Platinum and 18K yellow gold ring featuring a 7.16 ct. untreated Russian emerald accented with diamonds. This piece also won first place in the Classical division.
Best Use of Color (below left): Ricardo Basta, E. Eichberg, Inc.: 18K yellow gold "Phoenix Rising" necklace featuring mandarin garnets, Paraiba tourmalines, sapphires, fire opals, tsavorite garnets and turquoise.
Best Use of Pearls (above right): Avi Raz, A & Z Pearls, Inc.: Necklace featuring 15-18mm multicolored natural baroque freshwater pearls accented with 14K rose, yellow and rhodium gold beads.
Best Use of Platinum and Color (below left): Deirdre Featherstone, Featherstone Design: Platinum "Wonder Woman" cuff featuring aquamarines, tanzanites, blue zircons, lavender spinels, tourmalines, and star-set diamonds.
Best Use of Platinum Crown (above right): John Haynes, Schmitt Jewelers: Platinum "Solar Blossom" ring featuring a 14.73 ct. orange zircon accented with tsavorite garnets and diamonds.
Fashion Forward: Patrick King, Jewelsmith, Inc.: 14K white and rose gold pendant featuring a 13.31 ct. sapphire accented with sapphires and diamonds:
First place category winners were:
Bridal Wear: Zoltan David, Zoltan David: 22k and 18k rose gold necklace featuring a 46.12 ct. opal accented with a 3.60 ct. round opal and blue sapphires:
Business/Day Wear: Erica Courtney, Erica Courtney, Inc.: 18K yellow gold "Emerald City" necklace featuring a 105.99 ct. pear-shaped emerald accented with diamonds:
Classical (shown top of page): Niveet Nagpal, Omi Privé: Platinum ring featuring a 10.23 ct. cuprian tourmaline accented with diamonds, Paraiba tourmalines, and alexandrite.
Evening Wear: Gross & Currens, David Gross Group: Platinum ring featuring a 20.26 ct. cushion-cut unheated yellow sapphire accented with diamonds:
Men's Wear: Zoltan David, Zoltan David: Steel and 24k gold ring featuring a 25.53 ct. blue zircon:
For the full list of second and third place and honorable mention category winners, plus the Cutting Edge awards for lapidary arts, click here.
Dalan Hargrave, GemStarz Jewelry - "Frog Prince" featuring Sunstone (160 ctw.) accented with sapphires, diamonds, opals, black jade, green jade, chalcedony, calcite and 14k yellow gold won first place in the Carving category award in the Cutting Edge competition for lapidary arts.