Joseph Ambalu of Amba Gem Corp.’s platinum and 18-karat yellow gold ring featuring a 7.16-carat untreated Russian emerald accented with diamonds won this year’s “Best of Show” honors in the AGTA Spectrum awards.
New York—It was time for a piece of finished jewelry to shine at the AGTA Spectrum Awards.
A platinum and 18-karat gold ring from Amba Gem Corp. set with a 7.16-carat emerald received “Best of Show” honors in this year’s competition.
For the past three years, it has been a Cutting Edge entry taking top honors in the jewelry design contest, with an unbelievable pair of neon blue tourmalines winning Best of Show last year.
The American Gem Trade Association’s annual competition was held in New York on Aug. 4 and 5. This year’s panel of judges featured Darryl Alexander of Alexander’s Jewelers, Randy Coffin of Coffin & Trout Jewellers Inc., Andre Hahn of Vielle Jewelers, Peiter Hye of Pieter Andries Jewelers, and Dallas Prince of Dallas Prince & Company.
An Editors’ Day followed the two days of judging, with press and influencers spending the day examining all the entries in a sunlit loft in the city’s West Village/Highline neighborhood.
The AGTA said it had more than 400 entries this year. CEO Doug Hucker said they saw a wave of new designers and first-time entrants, with more than a dozen of the awards in 2018 going to first-time winners.
There also was an increase in the breadth of material entered, he said, including more loose gemstones submitted in all categories of the Cutting Edge division.
“As someone who has nurtured a lifelong love affair with colored gemstones and pearls, the AGTA Spectrum Awards judging week is unbridled pleasure. It feeds my color jones and it is one of the most important endeavors AGTA pursues in its mission to spread the gospel of color,” Hucker said.
Winners of the 2018 AGTA Spectrum Awards are as follows.
“Best of” Category Best of Show: Joseph Ambalu, Amba Gem Corp. Best Use of Color: Ricardo Basta, E. Eichberg Inc. Best Use of Pearls: Avi Raz, A & Z Pearls, Inc. Best Use of Platinum and Color: Deirdre Featherstone, Featherstone Design Best Use of Platinum Crown: John Haynes, Schmitt Jewelers Fashion Forward: Patrick King, Jewelsmith Inc.
LOOK: All the AGTA Spectrum ‘Best Of’ Winners
Best Use of Color. Ricardo Basta of E. Eichberg, Inc.’s 18-karat yellow gold “Phoenix Rising” necklace featuring mandarin garnet (28.04 total carats) accented with paraiba tourmaline (1.55 total carats), sapphire (4.68 total carats), ruby (3.17 total carats), fire opal (1.35 carats), tsavorite Garnets (.02 carats) and a 0.77-carat turquoise
Best Use of Pearls. Avi Raz of A & Z Pearls, Inc.’s necklace featuring 15 mm to 18 mm multicolored natural baroque freshwater pearls accented with 14-karat rose, yellow and rhodium gold beads
Best Use of Platinum and Color. Deirdre Featherstone of Featherstone Design’s platinum “Wonder Woman” cuff featuring 4.54 carats of aquamarine, 2.44 carats of tanzanite, 1.60 carats of blue zircon, 0.46 carats of lavender spinel, 0.68 carats of tourmaline and 2.64-carats of star-set diamonds
Best Use of Platinum Crown. John Haynes of Schmitt Jewelers’ platinum “Solar Blossom” ring featuring a 14.73-carat orange zircon accented with tsavorite garnet (0.67 total carats) and 0.65-carats of diamond
Fashion Forward. Patrick King of Jewelsmith Inc.’s 14-karat white and rose gold pendant featuring a 13.31-carat sapphire accented with 0.98-carats of sapphire and 2.91 carats of diamond
Bridal Wear First Place: Zoltan David, Zoltan David Second Place: Ricardo Basta, E. Eichberg Inc. Third Place: Niveet Nagpal, Somewhere In The Rainbow Honorable Mention: Heath London, Heath London Jewelry Manufacturing Honors: Niveet Nagpal, Omi Prive Platinum Honors: Michael Endlich, Pave Fine Jewelry Entry Platinum Innovation: Michael Jakubowski, Gem Fanatic WJA Gem Diva Award: Beatrix Laura Jewels LLC, B & W Jewels
Place: Erica Courtney, Erica Courtney Inc. Second Place: Niveet Nagpal, Omi Prive Third Place: Beatrix Laura Jewels LLC, B & W Jewels Honorable Mention: Bella Campbell, Campbellian Collection/BHI Manufacturing Honors: Michael Tope, Raintree LLC Platinum Honors: John Ford, Lightning Ridge Collection by John Ford Entry Platinum Innovation: Joseph A. Murawski, Joden World Resources LLC WJA Gem Diva Award: Belle Brooke Barer, Belle Brooke
Classical First Place: Niveet Nagpal, Omi Prive Second Place: Joseph Ambalu, Amba Gem Corp. Third Place: Swapna Pinnamaneni, Dream Choice Jewelry Honorable Mention: John Ford, Lightning Ridge Collection by John Ford Manufacturing Honors and WJA Gem Diva Award: Lindsay Jane, Lindsay Jane Designs Platinum Honors: Benjamin Javaheri, Uneek Jewelry Inc.
Evening Wear First Place: Gross & Currens, David Gross Group Second Place: Susan Helmich, Somewhere In the Rainbow Third Place: Zoltan David, Somewhere In The Rainbow Honorable Mention: Erica Courtney, Erica Courtney, Inc. Honorable Mention: Helen Kim Currens, J.W. Currens Inc. Manufacturing Honors: Erica Courtney, Erica Courtney Inc. Platinum Honors: Paul Klecka, Somewhere In the Rainbow Entry Platinum Innovation: Jacob Wosinski, Jacob Raymond Custom Jewelry WJA Gem Diva Award: Gina Ferranti, GiGi Ferranti
Men's Wear First Place: Zoltan David, Zoltan David Second Place: Mark Schneider, Mark Schneider Design Third Place: Pheap Lorn-Canossi, Phenomenon Jewels Honorable Mention: Klaus Kutter, A Jour Jewelry Manufacturing Honors: Adam Neeley, Adam Neeley Fine Art Jewelry Platinum Honors: Niveet Nagpal, Omi Prive
LOOK: All the AGTA Spectrum Entries That Won First Place
Bridal Wear, First Place. Zoltan David’s 22-karat and 18-karat rose gold necklace featuring a 46.12-carat opal accented with a 3.60-carat round opal and blue sapphire (2.40 total carats)
Business/Day Wear, First Place. Erica Courtney’s 18-karat yellow gold “Emerald City” necklace featuring a 105.99-carat pear-shaped emerald accented with 4.42 carats of diamonds
Classical, First Place. Niveet Nagpal of Omi Prive’s platinum ring featuring a 10.23-carat cuprian tourmaline accented with 2.57 carats of diamond, 1.54 carats of paraiba tourmaline and a 0.01-carat alexandrite
Evening Wear, First Place. Gross & Currens of the David Gross Group’s platinum ring featuring a 20.26-carat cushion-cut unheated yellow sapphire accented with 3.60 carats of diamond
Men’s Wear, First Place. Zoltan David’s steel and 24-karat gold ring featuring a 25.5-carat blue zircon
The winners for the Cutting Edge Awards are as follows.
All Other Faceted First Place: Mikola Kukharuk, Nomad’s Second Place: Joseph Ambalu, Amba Gem Corp. Third Place: Christopher Wolfsberg, Fox Tail Gallery Honorable Mention: Jose Rocha, Jewelry Television
Carving First Place: Dalan Hargrave, GemStarz Jewelry Second Place: Swapna Pinnamaneni, Dream Choice Jewelry Third Place: Dalan Hargrave, GemStarz Jewelry
Classic Gemstone First Place: Kenneth Blount, 100% Natural Ltd. Second Place: Joseph Ambalu, Amba Gem Corp. Third Place: Allen Kleiman, A. Kleiman & Co.
Innovative Faceting First Place: Mark Gronlund, Mark Gronlund Second Place: Dalan Hargrave, GemStarz Jewelry Third Place: John Dyer, Somewhere In the Rainbow Honorable Mention: Christopher Wolfsberg, Nirinjan
Objects of Art First Place: Nicolai Medvedev, Impressions in Stone Second Place: Somewhere In The Rainbow Third Place: Somewhere In The Rainbow
Pairs & Suites First Place: Stephen M. Avery, Stephen M. Avery Second Place: Sean P Sweeney, Razzcal Enterprises LLC Third Place: Mikola Kukharuk, Nomad’s Honorable Mention: Alexander Arnoldi, Arnoldi International
Phenomenal First Place: Joel Price, Joel Price Second Place: Robyn Dufty, DuftyWeis Opals Inc. Third Place: Robert Shapiro, Robert Shapiro
LOOK: All the AGTA Spectrum Cutting Edge Winners
All Other Faceted, First Place. Mikola Kukharuk of Nomad’s 80.25-carat oval tsavorite garnet
Carving, First Place. Dalan Hargrave of GemStarz Jewelry’s “Frog Prince” featuring 160 carats of sunstone, accented with sapphire, diamond, opal, black jade, green jade, chalcedony, calcite and 14-karat yellow gold
Classic Gemstone, First Place. Kenneth Blount of 100% Natural Ltd.’s 91.36-carat unheated yellow Ceylon sapphire
Innovative Faceting, First Place. Mark Gronlund’s 96.30-carat round spiral brilliant-cut blue topaz
Objects of Art, First Place. Nicolai Medvedev of Impressions in Stone’s Intarsia box with a vaulted lid. Materials used include malachite, turquoise, malachite/azurite, sugelite, lapis lazuli, opal, cultured pearl, emerald and diamond.
Pairs & Suites, First Place. Stephen M. Avery’s pair of indicolite tourmaline (41.45 total carats)
Phenomenal, First Place. Joel Price’s 34.63-carat oval harlequin opal
Brecken Branstratoris the senior editor, gemstones at National Jeweler, covering sourcing, pricing and other developments in the colored stone sector.
