Above: David Trout's ring of golden South Sea pearl and diamonds in 18K gold and platinum won first place in the Men's division.

All photos by John Parrish, courtesy AGTA.

Best of Show was awarded to this piece by Dalan Hargrave of Gemstarz: Genesis 1:16, a sunstone carving with diamonds and moldavite.

The American Gem Trade Association (AGTA) celebrated the 20th anniversary of its Spectrum and Cutting Edge Awards in style, moving the judging to New York City with a cocktail reception that allowed the fashion community and consumer press the opportunity to see the jewels in style.

The 2004 AGTA Spectrum Awards were divided into five jewelry categories: Bridal, Business/Day, Casual, Evening, and Men's. Although listed here separately, the Cutting Edge Awards — which celebrate excellence in gemstone cutting — are considered a division of the Spectrum Awards. The Cutting Edge Awards are divided into the Open Category, which has three sub-categories; Pairs and Suites; Faceting; Carving; Combination; and Objects of Art. The Open Category is open to any lapidary, regardless of where they live; all other entrants must be from North America.

Best Use of Color award went to this necklace by Stephen G. Wright, which features aquamarine, topaz, citrine, rubellite tourmaline, and diamonds in 18K gold and platinum.

Entries were judged on the basis of overall beauty and wearability, innovative design, effective use of materials, quality of gemstones and workmanship, broad-base consumer appeal, and potential to generate positive publicity for natural colored gemstones. The judges were: Alan Friedman, Alan Friedman Co.; John Hatleberg, Big Gems; Michael Ridding, Silverhorn; Mark Schneider, Schneider Design Studio; and Carrie Soucy, Luxury International, JCK, and Facets magazines.

2004 Spectrum Award Winners

Best Use of Color:
Stephen G. Wright of American Jewelry Artworks for his necklace featuring a 21.25-ct. aquamarine, a 10.7-ct. topaz, a 10.1-ct. citrine and a 9.05-ct. rubellite tourmaline in 18K yellow gold and platinum, accented with diamonds.

Bridal:

	2nd Place, Bridal
1st Place, Bridal
Bridal Manufacturing Honors

First Place: Safdie Basta of E. Eichberg Inc. for a platinum ring featuring a 12.65-ct. orange garnet accented with diamonds (1.20 ct. tw); Second Place: Barbara M. Berk of Barbara Berk Designs for her platinum set Streamers pendant featuring three white cultured South Sea pearls suspended from a white silk ribbon; Third Place: Lee Charles Buckingham of Neiman Marcus for his earrings featuring two white and two yellow South Sea pearls in 18K yellow gold and platinum, accented with diamonds (.20 ct. tw); Manufacturing Honors: Yaroslav Shukel of Aurora Studio for a platinum and 18K rose gold ring featuring a 1.64 ct. peach diamond with an accompanying platinum wedding band.

Business/Day:

1st Place, Business	2nd Place, Business
3rd Place, Business	Business Manufacturing Honors

First Place: Jack Demerjian of J. Demere Designs for his pendant featuring a 12.52 ct. bicolor citrine, 67 yellow diamonds (1.40 ct. tw), and 67 white diamonds (1.43 ct. tw) in 18K yellow gold and white gold; Second Place: Llyn Strelau of Jewels by Design for her necklace in platinum with 18K yellow and white gold and stainless steel, with indicolite tourmalines (6.42 ct. tw), a South Sea black pearl, and a .10ct. diamond; Third Place: Yaroslav Shukel of Aurora Studio for a platinum and 18K rose gold earrings featuring purple sapphires (3.54 ct. tw) and pink sapphires (.18 ct. tw); Manufacturing Honors: Scott Keating of Scott Keating Design for his 18K white gold hoop earrings featuring two white natural South Sea pearls accented with eight diamonds (.20 ct. tw).

Casual:

1st Place, Casual	2nd Place, Casual
3rd Place, Casual	Casual Manufacturing Honors

First Place: Lisa Nolta of Gabrielle Ferrar for her necklace featuring a 13.5 mm yellow South Sea pearl and 114 Ceylon yellow sapphires in 18K gold and platinum; Second Place: Garo Demirjian of Demirjian Jewelry Design for a 18K white and rose gold bangle bracelet with a 13 mm black Tahitian pearl, multicolor sapphires (3.57 ct. tw), and diamonds (.84 ct. tw); Third Place: Marya Dabrowski of Marya Dabrowski Inc. for earrings featuring amethyst, pink tourmaline, peridot, tanzanite, and apatite in 18K yellow gold; Manufacturing Honors: Jane Wullbrandt of Jane Wullbrandt Designs, Inc. for her 18K white and rose gold ring featuring a 1.68 ct aquamarine and yellow sapphires (.13 ct. tw) and pink sapphires (.31 ct. tw); Honorable Mentions: Safdie Basta of E. Eichberg Inc. for her 18K yellow gold and platinum ring featuring a 15.61 ct. emerald cabochon accented with blue sapphires (.93 ct. tw), rubies (.33 ct. tw), and yellow and white diamonds (1.26 ct. tw) and Mark Loren of Mark Loren Designs Inc. for his 14K yellow gold earrings featuring matched bicolor tourmalines (6.98 ct. tw).

Evening:

1st Place, Evening	2nd Place, Evening
3rd Place, Evening	Evening Manufacturing Honors

First Place: George Kocsis of Spectrum Gems Inc. for his platinum earrings featuring rubellite tourmalines (53.25 ct. tw) accented with diamonds; Second Place: Zoltan David of Zoltan David Precious Metal Art for a platinum and 24K gold ring featuring a 10.85 ct. rubellite tourmaline accented with diamonds (.45 ct. tw); Third Place: Jack Demerjian of J. Demere Designs for his 18K yellow and white gold pendant featuring a 14.75 ct. bicolor tourmaline, 111 pink sapphires (2.40 ct. tw) and 111 blue sapphires (2.33 ct. tw) accented with diamonds (1.72 ct. tw); Manufacturing Honors: Philip H. Stone of Hyde Park Jewelers for his bracelet featuring Tahitian pearls (8.5mm) accented with multicolor sapphires (5.56 ct. tw) and diamonds (.60 ct. tw) in 18K white and yellow gold; Honorable Mention: Anita Dickey of Simplisity Co. for Snow White, 18K white gold earrings featuring two white South Sea pearls mounted on a setting of diamonds (6.58 ct. tw) accented with white feathers.

Men's:

2nd Place, Men's	3rd Place, Men's
Honorable Mention, Men's	Men's Manufacturing Honors

First Place: David Trout of Coffin & Trout for his platinum and 18K yellow gold ring featuring an 11.4 mm golden South Sea cultured pearl accented with diamonds (1.50 ct. tw); Second Place: Helen Shved of Helen Shved for her 18K white gold ring featuring a 6.98 ct. rough diamond accented with yellow diamonds (.80 ct. tw) and white diamonds (.60 ct. tw); Third Place: William S. Holman of William S. Holman Design Group Inc. for his 18K yellow gold men's cufflinks with two 1.25 ct. blue sapphires set in center stones of blue-dyed agate with 24K deposit on crystals; Manufacturing Honors: William Richey of William Richey Designs for his 22K and 18K yellow gold cufflinks featuring amethyst (.30 ct. tw); Honorable Mention: Lee Charles Buckingham of Neiman Marcus for his 18K yellow gold cufflinks featuring two citrines (14.32 ct. tw) accented with 18 diamonds (1.08 ct. tw).

2004 Cutting Edge Awards

Best of Show:
Dalan Hargrave of Gemstarz for Genesis 1:16, a sunstone carving with diamonds and moldavite, 91 ct. tw.

Open Category — Classic Gemstone:

1st Place	2nd Place

First Place: Allen Kleiman of A. Kleiman and Co. for his 11.91 ct. cushion cut natural pink sapphire; Second Place: Michael Arnstein of Walter Arnstein Inc. for his 43.79 ct. unheated yellow sapphire; Third Place: Joseph Ambalu of Amba Gem Corp. for his 7.15 ct. cushion blue natural sapphire; Honorable Mention: Joseph Ambalu of Amba Gem Corp. for his 5.38 ct. emerald cut pink sapphire.

Open Category — All Other Faceted Gemstones:

1st Place	2nd Place

First Place: Ben Kho of Kho International Ltd. for his 13.96 ct. trillion cut natural rhodochrosite; Second Place: Darrell Jang of Darrell Jang for a 13.21 ct. cushion cut neon green Afghani tourmaline; Third Place: Hemant Phophaliya of A.G. Color Inc. for a 23.58 ct. oval cut tanzanite cabochon.

Open Category — Phenomenal Gemstones:

1st Place	2nd Place

First Place: Jeffrey Bilgore of Jeffrey Bilgore L.L.C. for his 15.29 ct. natural cat's eye chrysoberyl; Second Place: David Cohen of Rafco International Gem Corp. for his 2.26 ct. Burmese star ruby; Third Place: Allen Kleiman of A. Kleiman & Co. for his 5.04 ct. oval natural Brazilian alexandrite.

Faceting:

1st Place	2nd Place

First Place: John Dyer of Precious Gemstones Co. for his 31.66 ct. modified, super trillion cut natural aquamarine; Second Place: Arthur Lee Anderson of Arthur Lee Anderson/ GemArts for Vin Cut, a 20.92 ct. citrine; Third Place: David Brackna of David Brackna of Gemcutter for his 30.38 ct. striated horizon cut amethyst; Honorable Mention: Bobbie Lorett of Originals by Bobbie for a 7.40 ct. checker fan cut tanzanite.

Carving Division:

2nd Place	3rd Place

First Place: Dalan Hargrave of Gemstarz for Genesis 1:16, a sunstone carving with diamonds and moldavite (91.0 ct. tw); Second Place: Michael M. Dyber of Ledge Art Studio for his 142.88 ct. ametrine that uses polished and frosted areas to play light and images against each other; Third Place: Dalan Hargrave of Dust Devil Mining for a 7.0 ct. spirographic cut, bicolor sunstone.

Combination:

1st Place	2nd Place
3rd Place	Honorable Mention

First Place: Andrew Gulij of Gemfix for Aquarium, a 59.63 ct. aquamarine utilizing gem-intrusion to insert lapis, sugilite, coral, tiger eye, turquoise, and malachite into the aquamarine; Second Place: Larry Woods of Jewels From The Woods for his 32.25 ct. spessartite garnet medicine wheel; Third Place: Larry C. Winn of AJS Enterprises Inc. for his 53.52 ct. combination cut green Mozambique aquamarine; Honorable Mentions: Dalan Hargrave of Gemstarz for a 75.0 ct. ametrine and Michael Edwards of Sunstones & Such for his mixed cut, orange-red sunstone.

Pairs and Suites:

1st Place	2nd Place

First Place: Matt Casteen of Matt Casteen for his suite featuring a 4.30 ct. pink tourmaline, a 7.92 ct. blue-green tourmaline, and a 4.49 ct. pink tourmaline; Second Place: Larry Woods of Jewels From The Woods for his 11 piece Spessartite garnet (32.25 ct. tw) suite; Third Place: John Dyer of Precious Gemstones Co. for Dreamscapes, a suite featuring pink and green tourmaline (12.48 ct. tw); Honorable Mention: Andrew Gulij of Gemfix for Timeless, a pair featuring citrine bonded to mother of pearl, black onyx, and Australian opal (103.57 ct. tw).

Objects of Art:

1st Place	2nd Place

First Place: Ralph Wobito of Wobito Gems Ltd. for his 18K yellow gold perfume bottle carved from yellow beryl; Second Place: Philip E. Louer Jr. of North American Gem Carvers for his Intasia box featuring gold and quartz malachite, azurite, sugilite, rhodochrosite, turquoise, opal, lapis, and fossilized wood.

2004 Platinum Honors Winners

Bridal:
Jack Abraham of Precious Gem Resources, Inc. for his platinum necklace and earring suite featuring pink sapphires (51.06 ct. tw) and diamonds (32.40 ct. tw); John T. Haynes of John T. Haynes, Inc. for his platinum ring featuring a 3.58 ct. Paraiba tourmaline accented with diamonds; Jeffrey Bilgore of Jeffrey Bilgore LLC for his 18K yellow gold and platinum ring featuring a 12.36 ct. pink sapphire accented with diamonds.

Business/Day:
Marie Scarpa of Marie Scarpa Designs for her platinum and 18K yellow gold brooch featuring a 2.54 ct. tourmaline accented with sapphires, garnets, tourmaline, ruby, Mexican opal, aquamarine, peridot, amethyst, tanzanite, and topaz; David Humphrey of David Humphrey Fine Jewels for Love Birds Poolside, a platinum and 18K yellow gold ring featuring a 4.32 ct. aquamarine accented with diamonds (.29 ct. tw); Peter Lees of Peter Lees Jewelry for Neo Deco, a platinum pendant featuring an 11.19 ct. blue zircon accented with 40 diamonds (.22 ct. tw).

Casual:
Janet T. Tzou of Baby Doll Gems for her platinum Teddy Bear ring featuring a 6.40 ct. pink tourmaline accented with diamonds (.15 ct. tw); Philip Dismuke of Jewelsmith, Inc. for his platinum necklace with a carved black onyx disc, a 5.53 ct. Spessartite garnet and a .14 ct. diamond as well as a platinum and 18K yellow gold ring with a 3.10 ct. Demantoid garnet and diamonds.

Evening:
Alishan Halebian of Halebian for Calypso, a platinum pin/pendant featuring a 31.21 ct. aquamarine accented with blue sapphires (.80 ct. tw) and diamonds (.55 ct. tw); Sandra Muller of Lila Gems Inc. for her platinum ring featuring a white baroque keshi Tahitian pearl accented with diamonds (1.52 ct. tw); Samuel Getz of Samuel Getz Private Jewelers and Designers for his platinum and 18K white gold snowflake brooch featuring a 77.30 ct. aquamarine and accented with six aquamarines (.71 ct. tw) and diamonds (11.21 ct. tw).

Men's:
Mirjam Butz-Brown of Mirjam Butz-Brown Jewels for a platinum pendant featuring a 6.75 ct. blue sapphire accented with diamonds (.12 ct. tw); Burdett A. Milkins of BAM Designs by Burdett for a platinum tied tuxedo fly set with four button covers, cufflinks, and a lapel pin featuring nine yellow sapphires, two tsavorite garnets and three red spinels; Lee Charles Buckingham of Neiman Marcus for his platinum and 22K yellow gold men's ring featuring a 4.41 ct. green diamond.