Winners have been named in the 2014 AGTA Spectrum Awards\u2122 competition hosted by the American Gem Trade Association. This year marks the 30th anniversary of the competition.<\/span>

The competition was judged October 19-20 in New York, NY. Judges for the 2014 competition were retailer, Jennifer McCurry from Marissa Collections, fashion and beauty editor, Jennie Ma from The Knot, jewelry designer Barbara Heinrich from Barbara Heinrich Studio, lapidarist John Hatleberg, and manufacturer Jose Hess.<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n

<\/b><\/span><\/div>\n
CUTTING EDGE AWARDS<\/b><\/span>

<\/b><\/span>AGTA Cutting Edge Awards\u2122 honor excellence and creativity in lapidary arts, including natural colored gemstones and cultured pearls, carvings, and other gem materials.<\/span>

<\/span><\/div>\n

Classic Cut Gemstones<\/span><\/b><\/span><\/div>\n
\n

Classic Gemstone – 1st Place<\/b><\/span><\/div>\n
Sailesh Lakhi, Sparkles and Colors USA, Inc. – 20.98 ct. octagonal, step-cut unheated yellow Sapphire.<\/i><\/p>\n
Classic Gemstone – 2nd Place<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n
David Nassi, 100% Natural, Ltd. – 24.69 ct. cushion cut pink Sapphire.<\/p>\n
Classic Gemstone – 3rd Place<\/b><\/span><\/div>\n
Jeffrey Bilgore, Jeffrey Bilgore, LLC – 38.60 ct. sugar loaf cabochon-cut unheated Sapphire.<\/p>\n
Classic Gemstone – Honorable Mention<\/b><\/span><\/div>\n
Sailesh Lakhi, Sparkles and Colors USA, Inc. – 35.93 ct. octagonal, step-cut unheated yellow Sapphire.<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/p>\n
All Other Faceted<\/span><\/b><\/span><\/div>\n

<\/span><\/b><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n

All Other Faceted – 1st Place<\/b><\/span><\/div>\n
Mikola Kukharuk, Nomad’s – 20.42 ct. square, cushion-cut natural tsavorite Garnet.<\/span><\/p>\n
<\/a>All Other Faceted – 2nd Place<\/b><\/span>
John Dyer, John Dyer & Co. – 14.44 ct. regal radiant-cut “Lilac” pink Topaz.<\/p>\n
All Other Faceted – 3rd Place<\/b><\/span>
Ben Kho, Kho International, Inc. – 7.63 ct. starburst-cut Sphalerite.<\/p>\n
All Other Faceted – Honorable Mention<\/b><\/span>
David Nassi, 100% Natural, Ltd. – 21.97 ct. cushion cut red Spinel.<\/p>\n
Phenomenal Gemstones<\/span><\/b><\/span>

<\/b><\/span>
<\/b><\/span><\/div>\n
\n
Phenomenal – 1st Place<\/b><\/span><\/div>\n
Robyn Dufty, DuftyWeis Opals, Inc. – 36.10 cabochon-cut Opal titled “Aurora Borealis in the Night Sky”.<\/p>\n
Phenomenal – 2nd Place<\/b><\/span>
Ralph Wobito, The Courtney Collection – 88.49 ct. color-change Czarite.<\/span>

<\/span><\/p>\n
<\/a><\/div>\n

<\/span>
<\/span><\/p>\n
Phenomenal – 3rd Place<\/b><\/span>
Jean-Noel Soni, Top Notch Faceting – 24.12 ct. color-change Garnet.<\/p>\n
Pairs and Suites<\/span><\/b><\/span>

<\/b><\/span>
<\/b><\/span><\/div>\n
\n
Pairs and Suites – 1st Place<\/b><\/span><\/div>\n
Ai Van Pham, Gem & Gold Creations – Bi-color Amethyst suite titled “Purple Champagne” (114.15 ctw.).<\/p>\n
Pairs and Suites – 2nd Place<\/b><\/span>
Nandu Nichani, Temple Trading Co. – Graduated blue Moonstone cabochon suite (124.15 ctw.).<\/p>\n
Pairs and Suites – 3rd Place<\/b><\/span>
Ben Kho, Kho International, Inc. – Suite of multi-colored princess-cut Beryl (122.39 ctw.).<\/p>\n
Pairs and Suites – Honorable Mention<\/b><\/span>
Mikola Kukharuk, Nomad’s – 16-piece suite of Aquamarines (106.35 ctw.).<\/span>

<\/span>
Innovative Faceting<\/span><\/b><\/span><\/div>\n
\n

<\/span><\/div>\n

Innovative Faceting – 1st Place<\/span><\/div>\n
Stephen Avery, Stephen M. Avery – 32.68 ct. “Tsunami” Aquamarine.<\/span>

<\/span><\/p>\n
<\/a><\/div>\n

<\/span><\/div>\n

Innovative Faceting – 2nd Place<\/b><\/span>
John Dyer, John Dyer & Co. – 10.22 ct. custom-cut, with an “inverse” pavilion Tanzanite, titled “Tanzanian Royal.”<\/span>

<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\n
<\/a><\/div>\n

<\/b><\/span><\/div>\n
Innovative Faceting – 3rd Place<\/b><\/span>
John Dyer, Somewhere in the Rainbow – 86.53 ct. “SunKissed2” star-brite cut Citrine.<\/p>\n
Carving<\/span><\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/b><\/span><\/div>\n
<\/b><\/span><\/div>\nCarving – 1st Place<\/b><\/span><\/div>\n
Naomi Sarna, Naomi Sarna Designs – Amethyst carving with silver base.<\/p>\n
Carving – 2nd Place<\/b><\/span>
Darryl Alexander, Nirinjan – 61.00 ct. “Loves Flame” carved Sunstone.<\/span>

<\/span>
<\/span><\/p>\n
<\/a><\/div>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n
Carving – 3rd Place<\/b><\/span>
Darryl Alexander, Sunstone Butte Mining Co. – 93.5 ct. “Candy Twist” carved Sunstone.<\/p>\n
Objects of Art<\/span><\/b><\/span>

<\/span><\/b><\/span>
<\/span><\/b><\/span><\/div>\n
\n
\n
Objects of Art – 1st Place<\/b><\/span><\/div>\nDalan Hargrave, Dust Devil Mining – “Friendship” sculpture featuring Sunstone (57 ctw.), black Jade, Varasite and black, yellow and white Diamonds.<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
<\/a><\/div>\n

<\/span><\/div>\n
Objects of Art – 2nd Place<\/b><\/span><\/div>\nLeon Mege, Leon Mege, Inc. – 18K gold and sterling silver “Maestro” gramophone ring featuring interchangeable records made of ebony wood with yellow Sapphires, Rubies, black and white Diamonds.<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/p>\n
Objects of Art – 3rd Place<\/b><\/div>\n
<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n
John Caro, Jewelry by Design – “Sparkling Pagoda” carving features 48.76 ct. Quartz with Mother of Pearl and 45.97 ct. drusy Agate, and 40.27 ct. white Jadeite accented with Moonstones (2.46 ctw.), white Diamonds (.38 ctw.), yellow Diamonds (.21 ctw.), and Emerald (.04 ctw.).<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/p>\n
Objects of Art – Honorable Mention<\/b><\/div>\n
<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n
Naomi Sarna, Naomi Sarna Designs – Topaz carving with silver base.<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/div>\n

<\/span>
<\/b><\/span><\/div>\n
<\/span><\/a><\/div>\n

<\/span><\/div>\n

<\/span><\/div>\n
This year’s AGTA Spectrum Awards\u2122 will be presented during the 2014 AGTA GemFair\u2122 Tucson to be held February 4 – 9 at the Tucson Convention Center in Tucson, Arizona. Winning entries will be displayed during the show and AGTA Spectrum Awards\u2122 recipients will be recognized during the AGTA Dinner Dance and Awards Gala. The event starts at 7:00 pm Saturday, February 8. Tickets for the gala are $100 and cocktail attire is encouraged.<\/span><\/div>\n

<\/span><\/div>\n
AGTA Spectrum Awards\u2122 entries were judged on the basis of overall beauty and wearability, innovative design, effective use of materials, quality of gemstones, quality of workmanship, broad-base consumer appeal and potential to generate positive publicity for natural colored gemstones.<\/span>

<\/span>AGTA Cutting Edge Awards\u2122 honor excellence and creativity in lapidary arts, including natural colored gemstones and cultured pearls, carvings, and other gem materials.<\/span><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Winners have been named in the 2014 AGTA Spectrum Awards™ competition hosted by the American Gem Trade Association. This year marks the 30th anniversary of the competition.<\/span><\/p>\n
The competition was judged October 19-20 in New York, NY. Judges for the 2014 competition were retailer, Jennifer McCurry from Marissa Collections, fashion and beauty editor, Jennie Ma from The Knot, jewelry designer Barbara Heinrich from Barbara Heinrich Studio, lapidarist John Hatleberg, and manufacturer Jose Hess.<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n

<\/b><\/span><\/div>\n
CUTTING EDGE AWARDS<\/b><\/span>

<\/b><\/span>AGTA Cutting Edge Awards™ honor excellence and creativity in lapidary arts, including natural colored gemstones and cultured pearls, carvings, and other gem materials.<\/span>

<\/span><\/div>\n

Classic Cut Gemstones<\/span><\/b><\/span><\/div>\n
\n

Classic Gemstone – 1st Place<\/b><\/span><\/div>\n
Sailesh Lakhi, Sparkles and Colors USA, Inc. – 20.98 ct. octagonal, step-cut unheated yellow Sapphire.<\/i><\/p>\n
Classic Gemstone – 2nd Place<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n
David Nassi, 100% Natural, Ltd. – 24.69 ct. cushion cut pink Sapphire.<\/p>\n
Classic Gemstone – 3rd Place<\/b><\/span><\/div>\n
Jeffrey Bilgore, Jeffrey Bilgore, LLC – 38.60 ct. sugar loaf cabochon-cut unheated Sapphire.<\/p>\n
Classic Gemstone – Honorable Mention<\/b><\/span><\/div>\n
Sailesh Lakhi, Sparkles and Colors USA, Inc. – 35.93 ct. octagonal, step-cut unheated yellow Sapphire.<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/p>\n
All Other Faceted<\/span><\/b><\/span><\/div>\n

<\/span><\/b><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n

All Other Faceted – 1st Place<\/b><\/span><\/div>\n
Mikola Kukharuk, Nomad’s – 20.42 ct. square, cushion-cut natural tsavorite Garnet.<\/span><\/p>\n
<\/a>All Other Faceted – 2nd Place<\/b><\/span>
John Dyer, John Dyer & Co. – 14.44 ct. regal radiant-cut “Lilac” pink Topaz.<\/p>\n
All Other Faceted – 3rd Place<\/b><\/span>
Ben Kho, Kho International, Inc. – 7.63 ct. starburst-cut Sphalerite.<\/p>\n
All Other Faceted – Honorable Mention<\/b><\/span>
David Nassi, 100% Natural, Ltd. – 21.97 ct. cushion cut red Spinel.<\/p>\n
Phenomenal Gemstones<\/span><\/b><\/span>

<\/b><\/span>
<\/b><\/span><\/div>\n
\n
Phenomenal – 1st Place<\/b><\/span><\/div>\n
Robyn Dufty, DuftyWeis Opals, Inc. – 36.10 cabochon-cut Opal titled “Aurora Borealis in the Night Sky”.<\/p>\n
Phenomenal – 2nd Place<\/b><\/span>
Ralph Wobito, The Courtney Collection – 88.49 ct. color-change Czarite.<\/span>

<\/span><\/p>\n
<\/a><\/div>\n

<\/span>
<\/span><\/p>\n
Phenomenal – 3rd Place<\/b><\/span>
Jean-Noel Soni, Top Notch Faceting – 24.12 ct. color-change Garnet.<\/p>\n
Pairs and Suites<\/span><\/b><\/span>

<\/b><\/span>
<\/b><\/span><\/div>\n
\n
Pairs and Suites – 1st Place<\/b><\/span><\/div>\n
Ai Van Pham, Gem & Gold Creations – Bi-color Amethyst suite titled “Purple Champagne” (114.15 ctw.).<\/p>\n
Pairs and Suites – 2nd Place<\/b><\/span>
Nandu Nichani, Temple Trading Co. – Graduated blue Moonstone cabochon suite (124.15 ctw.).<\/p>\n
Pairs and Suites – 3rd Place<\/b><\/span>
Ben Kho, Kho International, Inc. – Suite of multi-colored princess-cut Beryl (122.39 ctw.).<\/p>\n
Pairs and Suites – Honorable Mention<\/b><\/span>
Mikola Kukharuk, Nomad’s – 16-piece suite of Aquamarines (106.35 ctw.).<\/span>

<\/span>
Innovative Faceting<\/span><\/b><\/span><\/div>\n
\n

<\/span><\/div>\n

Innovative Faceting – 1st Place<\/span><\/div>\n
Stephen Avery, Stephen M. Avery – 32.68 ct. “Tsunami” Aquamarine.<\/span>

<\/span><\/p>\n
<\/a><\/div>\n

<\/span><\/div>\n

Innovative Faceting – 2nd Place<\/b><\/span>
John Dyer, John Dyer & Co. – 10.22 ct. custom-cut, with an “inverse” pavilion Tanzanite, titled “Tanzanian Royal.”<\/span>

<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\n
<\/a><\/div>\n

<\/b><\/span><\/div>\n
Innovative Faceting – 3rd Place<\/b><\/span>
John Dyer, Somewhere in the Rainbow – 86.53 ct. “SunKissed2” star-brite cut Citrine.<\/p>\n
Carving<\/span><\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/b><\/span><\/div>\n

<\/b><\/span><\/div>\nCarving – 1st Place<\/b><\/span><\/div>\n
Naomi Sarna, Naomi Sarna Designs – Amethyst carving with silver base.<\/p>\n
Carving – 2nd Place<\/b><\/span>
Darryl Alexander, Nirinjan – 61.00 ct. “Loves Flame” carved Sunstone.<\/span>

<\/span>
<\/span><\/p>\n
<\/a><\/div>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n
Carving – 3rd Place<\/b><\/span>
Darryl Alexander, Sunstone Butte Mining Co. – 93.5 ct. “Candy Twist” carved Sunstone.<\/p>\n
Objects of Art<\/span><\/b><\/span>

<\/span><\/b><\/span>
<\/span><\/b><\/span><\/div>\n
\n
\n
Objects of Art – 1st Place<\/b><\/span><\/div>\nDalan Hargrave, Dust Devil Mining – “Friendship” sculpture featuring Sunstone (57 ctw.), black Jade, Varasite and black, yellow and white Diamonds.<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
<\/a><\/div>\n

<\/span><\/div>\n
Objects of Art – 2nd Place<\/b><\/span><\/div>\n
Leon Mege, Leon Mege, Inc. – 18K gold and sterling silver “Maestro” gramophone ring featuring interchangeable records made of ebony wood with yellow Sapphires, Rubies, black and white Diamonds.<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/p>\n
Objects of Art – 3rd Place<\/b><\/div>\n
<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n
John Caro, Jewelry by Design – “Sparkling Pagoda” carving features 48.76 ct. Quartz with Mother of Pearl and 45.97 ct. drusy Agate, and 40.27 ct. white Jadeite accented with Moonstones (2.46 ctw.), white Diamonds (.38 ctw.), yellow Diamonds (.21 ctw.), and Emerald (.04 ctw.).<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/p>\n
Objects of Art – Honorable Mention<\/b><\/div>\n
<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n
Naomi Sarna, Naomi Sarna Designs – Topaz carving with silver base.<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/div>\n

<\/span>
<\/b><\/span><\/div>\n
<\/span><\/a><\/div>\n

<\/span><\/div>\n

<\/span><\/div>\n
This year’s AGTA Spectrum Awards™ will be presented during the 2014 AGTA GemFair™ Tucson to be held February 4 – 9 at the Tucson Convention Center in Tucson, Arizona. Winning entries will be displayed during the show and AGTA Spectrum Awards™ recipients will be recognized during the AGTA Dinner Dance and Awards Gala. The event starts at 7:00 pm Saturday, February 8. Tickets for the gala are $100 and cocktail attire is encouraged.<\/span><\/div>\n

<\/span><\/div>\n
AGTA Spectrum Awards™ entries were judged on the basis of overall beauty and wearability, innovative design, effective use of materials, quality of gemstones, quality of workmanship, broad-base consumer appeal and potential to generate positive publicity for natural colored gemstones.<\/span>

<\/span>AGTA Cutting Edge Awards™ honor excellence and creativity in lapidary arts, including natural colored gemstones and cultured pearls, carvings, and other gem materials.<\/span><\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":102,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[12,9,215,216,213,218,214,212,217,219,16],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/userblogs.ganoksin.com\/tucsongemshow\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/610"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/userblogs.ganoksin.com\/tucsongemshow\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/userblogs.ganoksin.com\/tucsongemshow\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/userblogs.ganoksin.com\/tucsongemshow\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/102"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/userblogs.ganoksin.com\/tucsongemshow\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=610"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/userblogs.ganoksin.com\/tucsongemshow\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/610\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/userblogs.ganoksin.com\/tucsongemshow\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=610"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/userblogs.ganoksin.com\/tucsongemshow\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=610"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/userblogs.ganoksin.com\/tucsongemshow\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=610"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}