The American Gem Trade Association's annual Spectrum Award competition fielded more than 330 entries worldwide. The competition was awash in blue, green, purple and orange, with sapphires and tourmalines leading the list of most used colored gems.

The judges narrowed the field to 19 winners, four honorable mentions and 10 Manufacturing Honors. Judges were Susan Jacques, president and CEO of Borsheim's Fine Jewelry and Gifts, Omaha, NE; Linda McGill, owner of Jewelsmith Inc., Durham, NC; and Amber Michelle, editor and style correspondent for Rapaport Diamond Report,New York City. This year's competition was open to jewelry designs created in 1998. Entries were evaluated on overall beauty and wearability, innovative design, effective use of materials, quality of gemstones and cultured pearls, quality of workmanship, high potential to generate positive natural colored gemstone publicity and broad-based consumer appeal.

The competition featured a new division, Manufacturing Honors, to highlight the outstanding use of colored gemstones in pieces planned for manufacture in production quantities.

A new award – "Best Use of Cut" – honors the most innovative use of cut in colored gemstones in jewelry. And for the second year, the competition featured an International Division for designers located outside of North America.

The winning entries will be displayed at AGTA's GemFair in Tucson, Feb. 3-8. The winners will be honored during the AGTA Dinner Dance and Awards Celebration Feb. 6.

The 2000 AGTA Spectrum Award Competition deadline is Sept. 17. Call Bronya Coleman, AGTA public relations manager, at (800) 972-1162 or (214) 742-4367.

Winners

Maria Christin Canale
Krementz Gemstones, Newark, NJ; (973) 621-8300.

Brooch features 34.51 carats of rectangular green tourmaline and 0.70 carat of princess-cut diamonds set in platinum and 22k gold.

"A real show stopper ... it allows you to wear a unique piece of art, like a painting. The three-dimensional aspect of the piece makes a stylish statement," says Susan Jacques, Borsheim's Fine Jewelry and Gifts.

William Richey
William Richey Designs, Camden, ME; (207) 236-4731.

Pearl pendant features a 4.4-ct. Mexican fire opal, 3.5 carats of green tourmaline and a 7.5mm Tahitian black cultured pearl set in 18k white and yellow gold.

"William Richey's colorful pendant incorporates a variety of gemstones ... reflected in the highly polished, mirror-like white gold backdrops. This magnifies and multiplies the overall effect. These elements are bound within an elegantly simple, very wearable and well-made architectural framework," says Linda McGill, Jewelsmith.

Gloria Stewart
Gloria Fine Jewelry, Scottsdale, AZ; (602) 905-8222.

Reversible pendant features a 0.65-ct. cabochon pink tourmaline, 0.60 carat of pink spinel, 6-ct. opposed bar beam cut amethyst and 5-ct. opposed bar beam cut peridot in platinum and 18k red gold.

"It takes a special talent to use a creative cut to its best advantage. Gloria Stewart's exceptional necklace is a rainbow of colors and unique shapes that blend together harmoniously to create a fashionable expression of individual style," says Amber Michelle, Rapaport Diamond Report.

1st Place (see photo at top of page)
Maria Christin Canale

Krementz Gemstones, Newark, NJ; (973) 621-8300.

2nd Place

Robert Pelliccia

J.R. Dunn Jewelers, Lighthouse Point, FL; (954) 782-5000.

Ring has a 22.04-ct.emerald-cut aquamarine, 2.79 carats of round diamonds and 0.37 carat of baguette diamonds set in 18k white gold.

3rd Place

David Trout

Coffin & Trout Jewelers, Mesa, AZ; (602) 897-8984.

Earrings feature 11.12 carats of cushion-cut tourmaline, detachable 12.4mm round Tahitian cultured pearls and 0.50 carat of trillion-cut diamonds set in platinum.

Honorable Mention
(photo unavailable)

Alishan Halibian

Alishan, Irvine, CA; (888) 756-1312 or (949) 756-1140.

"Black Widow Spider" brooch features 7.26 carats of citrine, 2.36 carats of faceted oval tsavorite garnet, 16.4mm-by-11.3mm Tahitian cultured pearl and 0.45 carat of diamonds set in 18k yellow gold.

1st Place (see photo at top of page)
William Richey

William Richey Designs, Camden, ME; (207) 236-4731.

2nd Place

Taft

Justice Jewelers, Springfield, MO; (417) 881-0551.

"Checkers" men's ring has 4.49-ct. princess-cut Malaya garnet with checkerboard top, 0.40 carat of princess-cut diamonds and 24k crystal inlay.

3rd Place

Aaron Henry Furlong

Aaron Henry Designs, Los Angeles, CA; (213) 623-4191.

"The Grapevine Necklace" comprises 7.5mm-8.5mm off-round natural color freshwater cultured pearls set in 18k gold.

1st Place (see photo at top of page)
Gloria Stewart

Gloria Fine Jewelry, Scottsdale, AZ; (602) 905-8222.

2nd Place
(Also won Div. III Manufacturing Honor)

Stephen G. Wright

Wright Jewelers, Indianapolis, IN; (317) 578-3635.

Bracelet features 2.25-ct. square radiant-cut beryl, 1.6-ct. trillion-cut peridot, 1.63-ct. round amethyst and 1.59-ct. marquise lavender spinel set in platinum and 18k.

3rd Place

Ellie Thompson

Ellie Thompson & Co., Chicago, IL; (312) 263-2264.

Earrings feature 2.5 carats of round green tourmaline, 0.46 carat of blue sapphires and 0.36 carat of round brilliant-cut diamonds in 18k yellow gold and platinum.

Honorable Mentions
(photos unavailable)

Llyn Strelau

Jewels By Design, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; (403) 228-0644.

"At Arms Length" brooch has an 18mm-by-13.2mm black South Sea cultured pearl, keshi cultured pearls, drusy quartz over stibnite crystal cluster and 0.09 carat of fancy diamonds set in 18k yellow gold and platinum.

Bayot Heer

Jewels By Design, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; (403) 228-0644.

"Sunrise at the Oasis" ring has a 1.77-ct oval pink sapphire and 0.24 carat of blue sapphires in 18k gold and platinum.

1st Place

Sondra Francis

Tim Torell Art Gems, Reno, NV (702) 826-1918.

Pendant features 37mm-by-15mm triangular hematite, 5.12-ct. carved navette peridot, South Sea cultured pearl and 0.18 carat of diamonds set in 18k yellow, pink and white gold.

2nd Place
(Also won Div. IV Manufacturing Honors)

Cornelis Hollander

Cornelis Hollander Designs Scottsdale, AZ (602) 423-5000.

Pendant has a 0.95-ct. triangle rubellite tourmaline and 0.14 carat of diamonds in 18k yellow gold and platinum.

3rd Place

Mark T. Cartwright

Underwood Jewelers Fayetteville, AR (501) 521-2000.

Enhancer/pendant has 11.84-ct. cushion variation cut aquamarine and 0.14 carat of round diamonds in platinum and 18k gold.

Honorable Mention
(photo unavailable)

Lee Charles Buckingham

Lee Charles Buckingham Goldsmith 14 E. Carrillo St. #A, Santa Barbara, CA; (805) 965-8103.

"Cinderella's Carriage" ring has a 3.5-ct. square pink tourmaline and a 14.4-ct. oval chalcedony set in 18k red gold and platinum.

1st Place

Gary Dulac

Gary Dulac Goldsmith Inc., Vero Beach, FL; (561) 234-3344.

Pendant features 1.27-ct. garnet, 0.90-ct. citrine, 1.18-ct. peridot, 0.58-ct. topaz, 0.29-ct. tourmaline, 0.26-ct. amethyst and 0.10 carat of diamonds set in 14k yellow and white gold.

2nd Place

Elyse Fradkin

Elyse Fradkin Designs, New York, NY; (212) 719-2255.

Ring features a 5.5-ct. radiant-cut champagne topaz set in 14k gold.

3rd Place

Richard Palermo

Color Craft, New York, NY; (212) 840-1924.

Pendant with 10 carats of barrel-shaped rhodolite garnets and 0.08 carat of diamonds is set in 14k white gold.

International Division

1st Place

Karin Stirnemann

Noble Click, Zurich, Switzerland; (41-1) 392-0828.

Ring/pendant features a 14-ct. step-cut tanzanite and 948 diamonds totaling 9.87 carats set in 18k gold.

Division II
($5,001 to $10,000 Retail)

Doris Panos

Doris Panos Designs, New York City, NY; (212) 768-8600.

Ring has an 11.10-ct. oval blue-green tourmaline and 1.2 carats of round diamonds set in 18k white gold.

Division III
($2,501 to $5,000 Retail)

Gene Davidov

Rare Gems Gallery, Richmond, VA; (804) 648-5726.

Slide features a 5-ct. Sri Lankan purple spinel and blue-green tourmaline baguette set in 18k gold.

Division IV
($1,001 to $2,500 Retail)

Jane Bohan

Jane Bohan, New York City, NY, (212) 594-7103.

Earrings feature 3.6 carats of round buff-top amethysts and 11mm-by-9mm freshwater cultured pearl drops set in 18k green gold.

Fareed M. Abdulky

F. M. Abdulky Inc., Ithaca, NY; (607) 272-7373.

From the Temple 1 Series, pendant titled "Being in Balance" features a 2.13-ct. oval lavender spinel, 3.8-ct. green cabochon tourmaline, 0.36 carat of trillion-cut tanzanite and 13.41-ct. intarsia tongue set in 18k yellow gold and 14k pink gold.

Steven Lee

Steven Lee Designs, Aiea, HI; (808) 488-1000.

Pin features a 9.5mm Tahitian cultured pearl, 0.5 carat of bullet-end cabochon rubellite and 0.24 carat of diamonds set in 18k gold and platinum.

Division V
(Up to $1,000 Retail)

Mark Loren

Mark Loren Designs, Ft. Myers, FL; (941) 482-4664.

Ring with 0.76-ct. apatite is set in platinum and 18k yellow gold.

Burdett A. Milkins

BAM Designs, Monroe, MI; (734) 242-1023.

Pendant features a 0.54-ct round Spirit Sun® Mexican fire opal and 0.10-ct. trielle diamond set in 18k yellow and green gold.

Robert Wander

Winc Creations, Honolulu, HI; (808) 597-1331.

Ring has a 4.33-ct. emerald-cut peridot set in 18k yellow and white gold.

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