Winners of the 2010 AGTA Spectrum Awards were announced on October 26 in New York. The annual design competition honoring the best in colored gemstone and pearl designs is organized by the American Gem Trade Association, the not-for-profit trade association for the gemstone industry.

Trends in this year’s Spectrum competition include flower rings, more use of classic gems, in particular emerald, cabochon cuts, green gems, and blackened metals.

2010 Spectrum Awards Winners List

Best of Show (tie) and 1st place Evening Wear: James Currens, J.W. Currens, New York for the “Empress” ring featuring a 15.58 carat pear-shaped moonstone accented with color-change garnets, moonstones, and diamonds in platinum and silver.

Best of Show (tie) and 3rd place Evening Wear: James Currens, J.W. Currens, New York for “The Quiet Moment” brooch featuring 66.15 carats of emeralds accented with rose-cut and fancy-color diamonds in 18k gold, platinum and silver.

Best Use of Color and 1st place Classical: Lilly Fitzgerald, Lilly Fitzgerald/Goldsmith, Spencer, MA, for a multi-color sapphire necklace set in 22k gold.

Best Use of Platinum and Color: Tracy Janule, Custom Jewelry and Wax Creations, Gilbert, Arizona, for aquamarine and peridot ring in platinum.

Best Use of Pearls: Graham Edney, Graham Edney, Santa Barbara, CA, for freshwater pearl and fancy-color diamond earrings in platinum.

Fashion Forward: Victor Velyan, Victor Velyan, Los Angeles, CA, for a star ruby and fancy-color diamond cuff bracelet in 24k gold and silver with a brown patina.

Bridal Wear

Bridal Wear, 1st place: Maria Canale, Suna Brothers, New York, for pink topaz and diamond earrings in 18k gold.

Bridal Wear, 2nd place: Samuel Getz, Samuel Getz Designs, Miami, for mint-green grossular garnet and diamond ring in 18k gold.

Bridal Wear, 3rd place: Evelyn Clothier, Evelyn Clothier Jewelry, New York, for white agate and pink diamond earrings in 18k rose gold.

Bridal Wear, Honorable Mention: Richard Krementz Gemstones, Springfield, NJ, for peridot and diamond pendant in platinum and 18k gold.

Bridal Wear, Manufacturing Honors: Ryan Roberts, Ryan Roberts Ltd, Chimayo, NM,  for violet spinel and diamond ring in platinum.

Bridal Wear, Platinum Honors: Evelyn Clothier, New York, for moonstone and diamond earrings in platinum.

Business/Day Wear

Business/Day Wear, 1st place: Ariane Zurcher, Ariane Zurcher Designs, Long Island City, NY for a 18k gold bracelet set with cabochon pink topaz, mandarin garnet,  paraiba tourmaline, tourmaline, aquamarine, and pink sapphire.

Business/Day Wear, 2nd place: Ashleigh Branstetter, Ashleigh Branstetter, New Orleans, chalcedony and diamond slice earrings in 18k gold.

Business/Day Wear, 3rd place: Michael Endlich, Pave Fine Jewelry, Oakland, CA, green tourmaline and diamond ring in 22k gold.

Business/Day Wear, Honorable mention: Susan Sadler, Susan Sadlet Fine Jewelry, Tulsa, OK, Sonnoran Sunrise and vintage bakelite bracelet with 18k gold and diamonds.

Business/Day Wear, Manufacturing Honors: Michael Endlich, Pave Fine Jewelry, Oakland, CA, rainbow moonstone ring in 18k rose gold.

Business/Day Wear, Platinum Honors: James Currens, J.W. Currens, New York for “Orbit” pink spinel and orange spessartite garnet ring in platinum.

Classical

Classical, Best Use of Color and 1st place: Lilly Fitzgerald, Lilly Fitzgerald/Goldsmith, Spencer, MA, for a multi-color sapphire necklace set in 22k gold.

Classical, 2nd place: Leon Mege, Leon Mege, New York for Paraiba tourmaline ring in platinum and blackened silver.

Classical, 3rd place: James Currens, J.W. Currens, New York for a Platinum bracelet featuring natural Rubies (19.88 ctw.) and Diamonds (12.78 ctw.).

Classical, Honorable Mention: Lilly Fitzgerald, Lilly Fitzgerald 1 Goldsmith, Spencer, MA, 22K yellow gold hand-carved necklace featuring a Tanzanite cabochon.

Classical, Honorable Mention: Lilly Fitzgerald, Lilly Fitzgerald 1 Goldsmith, Spencer, MA, 22K yellow gold hand-carved necklace featuring a Tanzanite cabochon.

Classical, Manufacturing Honors: Ashok Sancheti, Designs by Ashok Sancheti dba Pioneer Gems, New York, NY, Natural blue Agate bangle featuring platinum and white Diamonds (1 8.73 ctw.).

Classical, Platinum Honors: Jeffrey Bilgore, Jeffrey Bilgore LLC, New York, NY, Platinum ring featuring a 10.78 ct. cornflower blue cushion-cut natural Sapphire accented with Diamonds (1.29 ctw.).

Evening Wear

Evening Wear, Best of Show and 1st Place: James Currens, J.W. Currens, Inc., New York, NY, Platinum and silver “Empress” ring featuring a 15.58 pear-shaped Moonstone accented with color-change Garnets (19.36 ctw.), oval Moonstones (6.40 ctw.) and Diamonds (2.46 ctw.).

Evening Wear, 2nd Place: Evelyn Clothier, Evelyn Clothier Jewelry, New York, NY, Platinum and 18K yellow gold butterfly brooch featuring sliced Diamonds (20.17 ctw.) and pink, yellow and white Diamonds (15.93 ctw.).

Evening Wear, Best of Show and 3rd Place: James Currens, J.W. Currens, Inc., New York, NY, “The Quiet Moment1′ brooch featuring oval Emeralds (66.1 5 ctw.) set in 18K white gold, silver and platinum accented with white and multi-colored Diamonds (17.05 ctw.).

Evening Wear, Honorable Mention and Best Use of Pearls: Graham Edney, Graham Edney, Santa Barbara, CA, Platinum earrings featuring freshwater Pearls and white, pink and yellow Diamonds (1.50 ctw.).

Evening Wear, Manufacturing Honors: Yael Designs, San Francisco, CA, 18K white gold “Lava” earrings featuring black Diamonds (1.43 ctw.) and white Diamonds (2.77 ctw.).

Evening Wear, Platinum Honors: Ashok Sancheti, Designs by AshokSancheti dba Pioneer Gems, New York, NY, Platinum earrings featuring Morganite dbps (81.15 ctw.) accented with Zircons (6.66 ctw.), Spinels (1.50 ctw.) and Diamonds (1.65 ctw.).

Men’s Wear

Men’s Wear, 1st Place: Jack Bigio, Basser & Bigio, LLC, New York, NY, Platinum cufflinks featuring Sapphire slices and Diamonds (1.0 ctw.) attached to a platinum mechanism.

Men’s Wear, Platinum Honors: Mark Schneider, Mark Schneider Design, Long Beach, CA, Platinum ring featuring a 13.81 ct. spessartite Garnet, yellow Diamonds (1.58 ctw.) and Diamonds (0.62 ctw.).

Men’s Wear, 2nd Place: lvan Sagel, lvan Sagel, Chicago, IL, 18K white and yellow gold ring featuring a 4.07 ct. millenium-cut blue Tourmaline.

Men’s Wear, 3rd Place: Link Wachler, Link Wachler Designs, Troy, MI, 18K yellow gold ring featuring a Baroque Pearl, a mother of Pearl “eye patch,” a 3mm cultured Pearl and a .02 ct. Ruby.

Men’s Wear, Manufacturing Honors: Ashleigh Branstetter, Ashleigh Branstetter, LLC, New Orleans, LA, Platinum cufflinks featuring London blue Topaz cabochons (39.89 ctw.) and pave Diamonds (1.57 ctw.).

Cutting Edge Awards

Classic Gemstones
A1 – Open Category Classic Gemstone, 1st Place: Robert Kane, Fine Gems International, Helena, MT, 4.53 ct. cushion-cut natural pink Sapphire.

A1 – Open Category Classic Gemstone, 2nd Place: Ruben Bindra, B & B Fine Gems, Los Angeles, CA, 33..16c t. emerald-cut blue Sapphire.

A1 – Open Category Classic Gemstone, 3rd Place: Ruben Bindra, B & B Fine Gems, Los Angeles, CA, 13.1 1 ct. cushion-cut orange Sapphire.

A1 – Open Category Classic Gemstone, Honorable Mention: Allen Kleiman, A. Kleiman & Co., San Francisco, CA, 30.07 ct. natural cushion-cut yellow Sapphire.

Other Gemstones
A2 – Open Category All Other Faceted, 1st Place: Allen Kleiman, A. Kleiman & Co., San Francisco, CA, 10.78 ct. natural heart-shaped red Spinel.

A2 – Open Category All Other Faceted, 2nd Place: Ben Kho, Kho International, Ltd., Decatur, GA, 19. I 1 ct. trilliant-cut Sphalerite.

A2 – Open Category All Other Faceted, 3rd Place: Clay Zava, Zava Mastercuts, Carrboro, NC, 31.94 ct. “tricheck”-cut Tanzanite.

A2 – Open Category All Other Faceted, Honorable Mention: Ben Kho, Kho International, Ltd., Decatur, GA, 11.48 ct. antique cushion-cut Rhodochrosite.

A2 – Open Category All Other Faceted, Honorable Mention: Joseph Ambalu, Amba Gem Corp, New York, NY, 16.88 ct. cushion-cut Paraiba Tourmaline.

Phenomenal Gemstones
A3 – Open Category Phenomenal, 1st Place: Larry Woods, Jewels From the Woods, Blanco, TX, “Celestial Compass” 5.13 ct. color-change Garnet.

Objects of Art
F – Objects of Art, 1st Place: Tigran Lementsyan, Andrew Sarosi, Los Angeles, CA, 18K yellow ‘Wheat Shaft” accented with seed Pearls and round white Diamonds (.66 ctw.).

F – Objects of Art, 2nd Place: Gregore Morin, Gregore Joailliers, Santa Barbara, CA, “Swiss Connection” brooch featuring white Opals (84 ctw.), brown Opals (12.72 ctw.) and Diamonds (.48 ctw.).