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| Best of Show winner from Todd Reed. Photography by Sandro Art & Photography |
The American Gem Trade Association unveiled its 2012 Spectrum Award winners Monday in Manhattan. Scores of jewelry and fashion journalists had the opportunity to view not only the winners, but the hundreds of entries to what is considered by many to be the most respected and prestigious creative award for the jewelry design industry.
Launched in 1984 by the American Gem Trade Association, the awards honor, recognize and promote designers whose work uses natural colored gemstones and cultured pearls in finished fine jewelry design. All of the jewelry designers in the competition used colored gemstones and cultured pearls in their work.
What follows is list of the winners along with photographs when available. The AGTA was able to get some professional quality photographs taken and some of the other photographs were taken by me (a few poorly done, I apologize in advance) at the event.
BEST OF CATEGORY WINNERS:
Best of Show
Todd Reed, Todd Reed, Inc.
Palladium and 22K yellow gold locket featuring blue Moonstones, grey Diamonds (24.51 ctw.), blue sapphires (17.34 ctw.) and white diamonds (5.10 ctw.) opening to reveal a 76.03 ct. Moldavite Buddha (top photo).
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| Photography by Sandro Art & Photography |
Deirdre Featherstone, Featherstone Design
Platinum earrings featuring removable Opal enhancers (15.64 ctw.) accented with blue zircons (3.27 ctw.), tanzanites (3.53 ctw.), paraiba tourmalines (.40 ctw.) and diamonds (5.79 ctw.).
Michael Endlich, Pave Fine Jewelry
Platinum ring featuring a 19.05 ct. cushion-cut aquamarine with pave-set diamonds (0.41 ctw.).
Dennis de Jonghe - Dennis de Jonghe
Palladium pendant featuring a 16.39 ct. aquamarine accented with a 2.09 ct. Moonstone, diamonds (.26 ctw.) and pearls.
Best Use of PearlsAnil Maloo, Baggins, Inc.
18K white gold and black rhodium plated earrings encrusted with light cognac diamonds (8.16 ctw.) and 13.3mm cultured South Seas pearls.
Belle Brooke Barer, Belle Brooke Designs, Inc.
Oxidized sterling necklace featuring an approximately 30 ct. blue chalcedony cabochon accented with diamonds (.55 ctw.).
Category Winners
Bridal Wear Category
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| Photography by Robert Weldon |
Maria Canale, Richard Krementz Gemstones - Platinum "Lace" ring featuring a 4.10 ct. blue sapphire accented with diamonds (.77 ctw.).
Second Place
Erica Courtney, Erica Courtney – 18k yellow gold earrings featuring diaspore (2.99 ctw.), demantoid Garnets (2.71 ctw.) and Diamonds (2.81 ctw.).
Third Place
Craig Slavens, AuRTWORK Jewelry - Platinum and 18k yellow gold pendant featuring a 3.92 ct. rose-cut black diamond accented with black and white diamond melee (.52 ctw.) on an 18k white gold chain set with black and white Diamonds (0.71 ctw.).
Bridal Wear - Platinum Honors
James Currens, J.W. Currens, Inc. - Platinum ring featuring a 16.80 ct. sugarloaf ruby accented with diamonds (4.54 ctw.).
Bridal Wear - Entry Platinum Innovation
Mark Schneider, Mark Schneider Design - Platinum ring featuring a 1.81 ct. round blue sapphire accented with white diamonds (.14 ctw.).
Bridal Wear - Palladium Prestige Award
Mirjam Butz-Brown, Adorn Gallery - Palladium and 14k yellow gold earrings featuring quartz and mother-of-pearl accented with diamonds (.16 ctw.) with detachable mirror-cut amethyst drops (21.50 ctw.).
Bridal Wear - Manufacturing Honors
Mark Schneider, Mark Schneider Design - Platinum earrings featuring 12mm black Tahitian Pearls and 8mm cultured freshwater pearls accented with white diamonds (0.99 ctw.) and black Diamonds (.53 ctw.).
Bridal Wear - Honorable Mention
Leonard McCue, L.A.M. Goldsmiths - Platinum "Hearts and Arrows" ring featuring a 19-ct. pear-shaped moonstone accented with diamonds (2.37 ctw.).
Bridal Wear - Honorable Mention
Yehouda Saketkhou, Yael Designs - 18K white gold "Baroness" earrings featuring trillion-cut tanzanites (10.15 ctw.) accented with diamonds (5.29 ctw.).
Business/Day Wear Category
First Place
Belle Brooke Barer, Belle Brooke Designs, Inc. - Oxidized sterling necklace featuring an approximately 30 ct. blue chalcedony cabochon accented with Diamonds (.55 ctw.).
Second Place
Michele Mercaldo, Michele Mercaldo Contemporary Jewelry - Palladium ring featuring a 2.64 ct. pink sapphire accented with diamonds (.17 ctw.).
Third Place
Heather Moore, Heather B. Moore, Inc. – 14k yellow gold "I Love You More than the Moon, the Stars and theSun" necklace featuring a 54.70 ct. rubellite tourmaline cabochon accented with Diamonds (3.50 ctw.).
Business/Day Wear - Platinum Honors
Leon Mege, Leon Mege, Inc. - Platinum ring featuring a 16.76 ct. paraiba tourmaline cabochon accented with antique cushion-cut diamonds and diamond melee (3.10 ctw.).
Business/Day Wear - Entry Platinum Innovation
Susan Drake, Spectrum Art & Jewelry - Platinum and yellow gold ring featuring a 1.08 ct. emerald-cut red spinel accented with diamonds (.18 ctw.).
Business/Day Wear - Palladium Prestige Award
Dawn Muscio, D. Muscio Designs - Palladium and 14K rose gold "Isis" ring featuring a 19.98 ct. buff-top chrysocolla accented with peridots (.36 ctw.) and diamonds (.11 ctw.).
Business/Day Wear - Manufacturing Honors
Norman Turgeon, Turgeon-Raine Jewellers – 18k rose gold earrings featuring "passion-flower"-cut amethysts (6.92 ctw.) accented with chrome tourmalines (.34 ctw.) and diamonds (.40 ctw.).
Business/Day Wear - Honorable Mention
Pamela Froman - Pamela Froman Fine Jewelry – 18k yellow and pink gold "Crushed Frame" ring featuring a 14.11 ct. opal accented with diamond pave (.32 ctw.).
Business/Day Wear - Honorable Mention
Sylva Yepremian, Sylva & Cie. - 18K yellow gold necklace featuring a cross pendant of trapiche emeralds (54.65 ctw.) accented with diamonds (2.5 ctw.).
Classical Category:
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| Photography by Sandro Art & Photography |
James Currens, J.W. Currens, Inc. - Platinum ring featuring a 14.25 ct. unheated ruby cabochon accented with diamonds (7.97 ctw.).
Second Place
Ashok Sancheti, Pioneer Gems - Platinum earrings featuring emerald cabochon drops (18.45 ctw.) accented with emeralds (18.21 ctw.) and diamonds (4.81 ctw.).
Third Place
Jeffrey Bilgore, Jeffrey Bilgore, LLC - Platinum pendant featuring an 11.80 ct. pear-shaped morganite accented with fancy-colored and white Diamonds (7.09 ctw.).
Classical - Platinum Honors
Erica Courtney, Erica Courtney - Platinum ring featuring an 11.19 ct. imperial pink topaz accented with diamonds.
Classical - Entry Platinum Innovation
Steph Farber, LeRoy Jewelers - Platinum "Waterfall" pendant featuring a 16.9 ct. carved rutilated quartz and three rainbow moonstones accented with diamonds (.25 ctw.).
Classical - Palladium Prestige Award
Dennis de Jonghe, Dennis de Jonghe - Palladium ring featuring a 16.5mm white South Seas pearl accented with round diamonds (.71 ctw.).
Classical - Manufacturing Honors
Ricardo Basta, E. Eichberg, Inc. – 18k yellow gold and platinum tri-color eternity set bands featuring rubies (0.34 ctw.), tsavorite garnets (0.28 ctw.) and sapphires (0.21 ctw.).
Classical - Honorable Mention
Frank Caballero, Frank Caballero – 18k white and yellow gold ring featuring a 9.11 ct. round madeira citrine accented with white round diamonds (.62 ctw.).
Classical - Honorable Mention
Christo Kiffer, Sissy's Log Cabin - Platinum art-deco ring featuring a 4.84 ct. oval black opal cabochon accented with Emeralds (1.0 ctw.), blue sapphire melee (.88 ctw.) and diamonds (.93 ctw.).
Evening Wear Category
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| Photography by Sandro Art & Photography |
Ion Ionescu, Ionescu Design, Inc. - Palladium and black rhodium "Pillow for Dreaming" ring featuring a 36 ct. carved labradorite accented with paraiba tourmalines (1.50 ctw.).
Second Place
Adam Neeley, Adam Neeley Fine Art Jewelry – 14k black rhodium-plated white gold ring featuring an 11.54 ct. peridot accented with blue sapphires (12.01 ctw.).
Third Place
Robert Pelliccia, J.R. Dunn Jewelers – 18k white gold dangle earrings featuring natural blue jade accented with sapphires (6.76 ctw.) and diamonds (1.18 ctw.).
Evelyn Clothier, Evelyn Clothier Jewelry - Platinum butterfly brooch featuring brown diamond slices (104.42 ctw.) accented with a 5.06 ct. brown diamond and white diamonds (3.04 ctw.).
Evening Wear - Palladium Prestige Award
Naomi Sarna, Naomi Sarna Designs - Palladium ring featuring a 35.0 ct. carved topaz accented with diamonds (.63 ctw.).
Evening Wear - Manufacturing Honors
Yehouda Saketkhou, Yael Designs – 18k white gold "Lave" ring featuring a 5.49 ct. Mexican fire opal accented with diamonds (0.90 ctw.).
Evening Wear - Honorable Mention
Colette Steckel, Colette Jewelry – 18k blackened yellow gold pendant featuring a 6.03 ct. blue checkerboard moonstone accented with diamonds (3.59 ctw.).
Evening Wear - Honorable Mention
Michael Hezar, Michael John IMAGE - 18K white gold bracelet featuring aquamarines (37.0 ctw.) and diamonds (9.75 ctw.).
Evening Wear - Honorable Mention
Lawrence Gordon, Aspire Designs, Ltd. - 18K white gold ring featuring a 17.62 ct. moonstone cabochon accented with blue sapphires (2.28 ctw.) and diamonds (1.59 ctw.).
Men's Wear Category
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| Photography by Sandro Art & Photography |
Mark Schneider, Mark Schneider Design - Platinum engraved ring featuring channel-set ruby melee (0.59 ctw.) and yellow Diamonds (0.115 ctw.).
Second Place
Ryan Roberts, Ryan Roberts, Ltd. – 18k yellow gold and platinum ring featuring a 6.42 ct. indicolite tourmaline and a 0.59 ct. tsavorite garnet accented with diamonds (.19 ctw.).
Third Place
Llyn Strelau, Jewels by Design – 19k white gold "Green Arrow" cufflinks featuring bezel-set black onyx and Gibeon meteorite carvings centered by tsavorite garnets (.90 ctw.) and accented with black Diamonds (0.15 ctw.).
Men's Wear - Platinum Honors
Mark Schneider, Mark Schneider Design - Platinum ring featuring a 15 ct. shield-cut rubellite tourmaline accented with white diamonds (0.90 ctw.) and yellow diamonds (0.22 ctw.).
Men's Wear - Palladium Prestige Award
Evelyn Huang, evelynH. Jewelry, Inc. - Palladium "Zultan" ring featuring a 12.54 ct. color-change diaspore accented with radiant-cut diamonds (.43 ctw.).
Men's Wear - Manufacturing Honors
Ashleigh Branstetter, Ashleigh Branstetter - Sterling silver cufflinks featuring 10mm grey Tahitian pearls and round blue sapphires (1.34 ctw.).
Men's Wear - Honorable Mention
Link Wachler, Link Wachler Designs - Silver and 14k rose gold "Eye to Eye" ring featuring the fish versus the worm. The ring has a 4.5mm Pearl and is accented with sapphires (.38 ctw.), rubies (.22 ctw.) and emeralds (.07 ctw.).
Men's Wear - Honorable Mention
Matt Conable, William Henry - Pocketknife with wave damascus blade. Frame is carved 22K yellow gold over sterling silver inlaid with fossil walrus Ivory accented with rubies on the button lock and thumb stud.