AGTA Announces Spectrum Award Winners

RAPAPORT... The American Gem Trade Association (AGTA) has revealed thewinners of its 2019 Spectrum Awards, covering 14 categories from bridal to men's jewelry."When we see the entries coming into our office and those submitted during our New York City drop-off program, there's always a lot of speculation about how the judges will respond to each piece," said AGTA CEO Douglas Hucker. "After all of these years, one thing is certain and that is that there is no way we can anticipate the dynamics that will develop within the panel, nor the pieces they will ultimately select after hours of contemplation and discourse." There were a number of first-time winners this year, Hucker noted. The judges were John Carter of Jack Lewis Fine Jewelers, Paula Crevoshay of Mellika Company/Crevoshay, Myriam Galli of Gemveto Jewelry Company, Brett Kosnar of Kosnar Gem, and Naomi Sarna of Naomi Sarna Designs. The critics viewed the entries at a display in New York earlier this month before making their decisions.The 2019 winners are as follows:David Nassi, of New York-based 100% Natural, won the Best ofShow award and an AGTA Cutting Edge Award for a cushion-cut, 30.19-carat,untreated Tanzanian red spinel. The Best Use of Color award went to David White of AucoinHart Jewelers for his 18-karat yellow- and white-gold cufflinks featuring sapphires,and accented with diamonds and tsavorite garnets. Chris Faber, of Stuller, collected the Best Use of Pearlsaward for a pair of 18-karat rose- and white-gold cufflinks featuring South Seacultured pearls accented with black diamonds and rubies. The accolade for Best Use of Platinum and Color went toRoland Krainz of Krainz Creations, for his platinum Emergence bracelet containingsapphires, emeralds, rubies and diamonds, set on a stingray cuff. The Best Use of a Platinum Crown prize went to Heena Shah ofValani, for her platinum Nova ring set with a hexagon, 7.17-carat emeraldaccented with kite-shaped emeralds and diamonds. Adam Neeley of Adam Neeley Fine Art Jewelry took home theFashion Forward honor for purple titanium, 14-karat white-gold and greenVeraGold Aria earrings featuring indicolite tourmalines accented with tsavoritegarnets and diamonds. In the Bridal division, Bella Campbell, of CampbellianCollection/BHI, won first place for an 18-karat white-gold bracelet set withrainbow moonstones, blue sapphires and diamonds. Ricardo Basta of E. Eichberg claimed the top spot in theBusiness/Day Wear category for his 18-karat yellow-gold Karma Chameleon ring containinga 15.27-carat tourmaline accented with sapphires, tsavorite garnets, rubies andspessartite garnets. The Classical division top honor went to Jeffrey Bilgore fora platinum bracelet featuring a 3-carat Russian demantoid garnet center stoneaccented with Russian demantoid garnets and diamonds. The winner in the Evening Wear category was Tanja Schuetz of DuftyWeis Opals for her 18-karat white-gold necklace containing a 49.80-carat boulder opal accented with blue sapphires, tsavorite garnets and diamonds. David White took home the first prize award in the Men's Wear category for a pair of 18-karat yellow- and white-gold cufflinks sporting sapphires accented with diamonds and tsavorite garnets. In the AGTA Cutting Edge Awards, the top prize for the Carving division went to Meg Berry of Fallbrook Gem & Mineral Society for a 69-carat carved rubellite tourmaline, called Himalaya Rose. David Nassi also took the first-place honor in the Classic Gemstone category for his emerald-cut, 7.34-carat untreated Zambian emerald. Mark Gronlund nabbed the top prize for Innovative Faceting, for his 119.65-carat specialty-cut aquamarine, called Beyond. Image: A 119.65-carat aquamarine, which won first place for Innovative Faceting. (American Gem Trade Association)