2014 AGTA Spectrum Awards - the Highlights

Post by Christine Webb

The Tucson show that we love best is the AGTA GemFair - and that is where the Smithsonian displays an exhibit from the National Gem Collection each year - so we're slightly partial!  But most importantly, the AGTA presents the Spectrum and Cutting Edge Awards to the fabulous artists who create the jewelry and the cutters who facet and carve the gemstones. Here are some of the award winners that we were swooning over!  To see all of the award winning pieces, check out the AGTA website at http://agta.org/awards/index.html

 Best of Show - James Currens, platinum ring with cabochon emerald and diamonds

Evening Wear/Platinum Honors - Howard Donsky, earrings featuring tanzanite, emerald, moonstone and diamonds

 Evening Wear/2nd place - Caroline Chartuni, white gold earrings featuring Paraiba tourmalines, emeralds, tanzanites and diamonds

Business Day Wear/3rd place - Gregore Morin, white gold earrings featuring jade, carved chrysoprase and diamonds

Evening Wear/Manufacturing Honors - Hector Hassey, Tahitian peals, diamonds in white gold

Business Day Wear/1st Place - Jonathan Lee Rutledge, gold necklace with 

opal doublets and diamonds

Best Use of Platinum and Color - Deirdre Featherstone, platinum earrings featuring blue and lavender spinels accented with multi-colored sapphires, garnets, tourmalines and diamonds

Evening Wear/3rd Place - Gwennie by Michael John, white gold ring featuring a 

diamond polar bear with opal icebergs.  These opals are AMAZING!

Business Day Wear/Gem Diva Award - Annie Fensterstock, gold locket featuring boulder opal 

with white, pink, and yellow diamonds

Classical/Gem Diva Award - Erica Courtney, gold ring featuring alexandrite with diamonds

Classical/Platinum Honors - John Ford, platinum ring featuring black opal with diamonds

Evening Wear/2nd Place Fashion Forward - Lydia Courteille, white gold seahorse ring 

with opal, garnets, sapphires and amethysts

Bridal/1st Place - Anil Maloo, white gold earrings with cultured pearls and diamonds

 Bridal/Honorable Mention - Cynthia Bach, platinum earrings with aquamarines, 

seed pearls and diamonds

Bridal/Platinum Honors - Bella Campbell, platinum earrings featuring rubies and diamonds

Best Use of Color - Erica Courtney, gold earrings featuring boulder opals, fire opals, 

orange sapphires and Paraiba tourmalines

Evening Wear/Honorable Mention - Kerri Halpern, white gold earrings with 

black rhodium plating featuring morganites and diamonds

Bridal/Gem Diva Award - Deirdre Featherstone, platinum earrings featuring 

moonstones, diamonds and Tahitian pearls

Men's Wear/1st Place - Mark Schneider, gold pin featuring carved black jade accented with diamonds, rubies and yellow & cognac colored diamonds

Objects of Art/Honorable Mention - Naomi Sarna, topaz carving with silver base

Pairs & Suites/1st Place - AiVan Pham, bi-color amethyst suite 

 Objects of Art/1st Place - Dalan Hargrave, sculpture featuring sunstone, black jade, 

varasite and black, yellow and white diamonds

Carving/2nd Place - Darryl Alexander, 61ct carved sunstone

We just selected a few of the award winning pieces that really caught our attention - but there are others to see on the AGTA website - all stunning and truly amazing.  So do take a look!