Cutting Edge Awards 2014 Winners Announced

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.

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.

CUTTING EDGE AWARDS

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

Classic Cut Gemstones

Classic Gemstone – 1st Place

Sailesh Lakhi, Sparkles and Colors USA, Inc. – 20.98 ct. octagonal, step-cut unheated yellow Sapphire.

Classic Gemstone – 2nd Place

David Nassi, 100% Natural, Ltd. – 24.69 ct. cushion cut pink Sapphire.

Classic Gemstone – 3rd Place

Jeffrey Bilgore, Jeffrey Bilgore, LLC – 38.60 ct. sugar loaf cabochon-cut unheated Sapphire.

Classic Gemstone – Honorable Mention

Sailesh Lakhi, Sparkles and Colors USA, Inc. – 35.93 ct. octagonal, step-cut unheated yellow Sapphire.

All Other Faceted

All Other Faceted – 1st Place

Mikola Kukharuk, Nomad’s – 20.42 ct. square, cushion-cut natural tsavorite Garnet.

All Other Faceted – 2nd Place
John Dyer, John Dyer & Co. – 14.44 ct. regal radiant-cut “Lilac” pink Topaz.

All Other Faceted – 3rd Place
Ben Kho, Kho International, Inc. – 7.63 ct. starburst-cut Sphalerite.

All Other Faceted – Honorable Mention
David Nassi, 100% Natural, Ltd. – 21.97 ct. cushion cut red Spinel.

Phenomenal Gemstones

Phenomenal – 1st Place

Robyn Dufty, DuftyWeis Opals, Inc. – 36.10 cabochon-cut Opal titled “Aurora Borealis in the Night Sky”.

Phenomenal – 2nd Place
Ralph Wobito, The Courtney Collection – 88.49 ct. color-change Czarite.

Phenomenal – 3rd Place
Jean-Noel Soni, Top Notch Faceting – 24.12 ct. color-change Garnet.

Pairs and Suites

Pairs and Suites – 1st Place

Ai Van Pham, Gem & Gold Creations – Bi-color Amethyst suite titled “Purple Champagne” (114.15 ctw.).

Pairs and Suites – 2nd Place
Nandu Nichani, Temple Trading Co. – Graduated blue Moonstone cabochon suite (124.15 ctw.).

Pairs and Suites – 3rd Place
Ben Kho, Kho International, Inc. – Suite of multi-colored princess-cut Beryl (122.39 ctw.).

Pairs and Suites – Honorable Mention
Mikola Kukharuk, Nomad’s – 16-piece suite of Aquamarines (106.35 ctw.).

Innovative Faceting

Innovative Faceting – 1st Place

Stephen Avery, Stephen M. Avery – 32.68 ct. “Tsunami” Aquamarine.

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

Innovative Faceting – 3rd Place
John Dyer, Somewhere in the Rainbow – 86.53 ct. “SunKissed2” star-brite cut Citrine.

Carving

Carving – 1st Place

Naomi Sarna, Naomi Sarna Designs – Amethyst carving with silver base.

Carving – 2nd Place
Darryl Alexander, Nirinjan – 61.00 ct. “Loves Flame” carved Sunstone.

Carving – 3rd Place
Darryl Alexander, Sunstone Butte Mining Co. – 93.5 ct. “Candy Twist” carved Sunstone.

Objects of Art

Objects of Art – 1st Place

Dalan Hargrave, Dust Devil Mining – “Friendship” sculpture featuring Sunstone (57 ctw.), black Jade, Varasite and black, yellow and white Diamonds.

Objects of Art – 2nd Place

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.

Objects of Art – 3rd Place

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.).

Objects of Art – Honorable Mention

Naomi Sarna, Naomi Sarna Designs – Topaz carving with silver base.

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.

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.

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