Best of Show

PHILLIP YOUNGMAN
Los Osos, CA (805) 528– 4616 Brazilian topaz suite of nine gemstones totals 46.74 carats and features the opposed– bar cut "My message to retailers is the highest standards of gem cutting are also the easiest and most fulfilling to sell, whatever the material at hand. I hadn't seen Imperial topaz rough for several years. But last year at Tucson, I bought a large parcel, and some of the pieces screamed out to be a suite. It's like that with gemstones – sometimes they tell us what to do. I cut them in elongated opposed– bar style because the crystals lent themselves to this technique."

Faceting First Place (tie)

DAVID BRACKNA and MARK HERSCHEDE

David A. Brackna, Gemcutter Turmali & Herschede Inc. Germantown, MD Sanibel, FL (301) 972– 2201 (941) 472– 6030 Cutter: David A. Brackna 30.70– ct. Tajikistan heliodor– beryl is cut in a Turkish star "I've been doing this cut for a while. It is a very M.C. Escher– esque style. What you do with one facet reflects off of the other, and the bigger the gemstone the more noticeable the effect. The material has to have a higher refractive index than quartz. This style is never the same twice. It is very limpid and watery looking."

 First Place (tie)

ARTHUR LEE ANDERSON
Arthur Lee Anderson/Gem Arts Carrboro, NC (919) 545– 9933 50.10– ct. Brazilian citrine is titled "Lace Cut" "The 'Lace Cut' citrine is a design that came to me as I was driving. I started to sketch as I drove down I– 95 (don't try this yourself). When I got home, I sat down and cut the stone straight through. It has a symmetrical quality I love."

Third Place

THOMAS A. TROZZO
Trozzo Edgewater, MD (410) 956– 1654 15.89– ct. pear– shaped Madagascar apatite features a radian pavilion and a modified diamond bar crown cut

Carving First Place

SLAVA TULUPOV
New York, NY (718) 204– 5148 17– ct. California mojavé blue chalcedony is titled "Dragon" "Technically, it's like a puzzle to create such a piece. First, I establish an emotional connection with the rough shape. From then on, it's like playing. This type of chalcedony has precious properties for me, and I feel as though the rough is alive. This piece is from my series of metaphorical carvings, in this case representing a dragon. It has a critical condition of asymmetry and, therefore, balances."

Second Place

PHILIP E. LOUER JR.
North American Gem Carvers Riner, VA
(540) 381– 9712 Cutter: Susan Allen "Two Hummingbirds" features Brazilian quartz and lavender chariote with internal carving

Combination First Place

MICHAEL M. DYBER
Rumney, NH (603) 744– 2161 103.05– ct. African citrine– quartz is called "Luminaires" "I reached a point with Dyber– optic dishes [an earlier technique he developed] and knew it was time to expand my horizons. I had long worked on the surface of gems, so I decided to explore the internal realm by using a technique I call Luminaires."

Second Place

RICHARD P. HOMER
Gems by Design Inc. Kent, OH (330) 673– 0071 33.82– ct. Brazilian Rio Grande Do Sul citrine– quartz is fashioned into a concave
Victorian cross "I work very closely with Tom Dailing, a designer/jeweler in Steven's Point, WI. We've developed a rapport, almost a mental telepathy. He learned a bit about cutting; I learned a bit about jewelry. We sat together one afternoon, had a beer and started to draw. He likes fluid curves and I like geometric, so we brought together a design that is do– able, beautiful and reproducible."

Combination Third Place

JERRY ROMANELLA
Commercial Mineral Co. Scottsdale, AZ
(602) 994– 4185 Cutter: Richard P. Homer 384.30– ct. Brazilian kunzite– spodumene is called "The Cutting Edge Kunzite"

Pairs & Suites First Place

PHILLIP YOUNGMAN
Los Osos, CA (805) 528– 4616 Brazilian topaz suite of nine gemstones totals 46.74 carats and features the opposed– bar cut

Second Place

RICHARD P. HOMER
Gems by Design Inc. Kent, OH (330) 673– 0071 Two Brazilian Rio Grande Do Sul citrine– quartzes (each 25.60 carats) are cut as a concave quadripex

Pairs & Suites Third Place

RICHARD P. HOMER
Gems By Design Inc. Kent, OH (330) 673– 0071 The 24.22– ct. "Green Gold" citrine– quartz is cut into a rhombic concave hololith. The 6.38– ct. orange fire opal is a round astral apex brilliant called "Suite Christina." The 11.89– ct. amethyst– quartz is a concave focus brilliant. The 13.08– ct. "Swiss Blue" topaz is a round starlite brilliant.

Objects of Art First Place

THOMAS HART AMES
Thomas Harth Ames Ltd. Arvada, CO
(303) 424– 3772 Sponsor: R.A. "Art" Guyon 272– ct. Oregon Contra Luz opal with reverse intaglio beveled flame shape calls to mind a cattleya– laelia orchid

Second Place

PHILIP E. LOUER JR.
North American Gem Carvers Riner, VA (540) 381– 9712 Cutter: Gil Roberts Oregon sunstone and Brazilian chartreuse quartz is carved into a perfume vial titled "The Genie in the Bottle"

Objects of Art– – Third Place

PHILIP E. LOUER JR.
North American Gem Carvers Riner, VA
(540) 381– 9712 Cutter: Michael Christie Brazilian citrine, British Columbian jade, Indian moonstone, Mexican emerald and sapphire are combined in this bottle, called "Two Kachinas"

Carving
SHERRIS COTTIER SHANK
Gemscapes Southfield, MI (248) 352– 7820
54.73– ct. Bolivian ametrine is carved into a modified pear shape

Faceting
MARK HERSCHEDE
Turmali & Herschede Inc. Sanibel, FL
(941) 472– 6030 Cutter: Mark Kaufman
109.38– ct. Brazilian aquamarine is a square brilliant

Faceting
RICHARD P. HOMER
Gems by Design Inc. Kent, OH (330) 673– 0071 70.03– ct. Brazilian citrine– quartz is titled "Meet Point Masochism" (a.k.a. "Five Culet Cushion")

Combination
RALPH WOBITO
Wobito Gems Ltd. Stouffville, Ontario, Canada (905) 640– 8060 2.94– ct. Cambodian zircon is fashioned into a snowflake cut

Faceting
WARNER STAPLES
Warner Staples Ltd. Duluth, GA (770) 622– 5505 Sponsor: Gem Shopping Network
26.38– ct. Mozambique candy apple red rubellite– tourmaline is an emerald radiant cut

Faceting
PHILIP ZAHM
Philip Zahm & Associates Aptos, CA (831) 662– 3533 Cutter: Phillip Youngman 18.35– ct. Tanzanian chrome tourmaline is a soft– cornered trilliant cut

Combination
DAVID BRACKNA
David A. Brackna, Gemcutter Germantown, MD (301) 972– 2201 "Octelle" features an 8.50– ct. Bolivian amethyst with an inlaid Australian opal

Carving
ARTHUR LEE ANDERSON
Arthur Lee Anderson/Gem Arts Carrboro, NC (919) 545– 9933 50.75– ct. Bolivian amethyst is titled "Wormholes/Snorks"

Objects of Art
DONALD K. OLSON
Donald K. Olson & Associates Bonsall, CA
(760) 758– 2388 Cutter: Eugene Mueller. The top layer is Wiggins Fork agate the middle layer is Santa Maria

Plume agate and the bottom layer is two types of turquoise, basalt backing and border, black agate and Oregon jasper

Carving
KREG SCULLY
Kreg Scully of Peterson– Scully
Studios Virginia Beach, VA (757) 416– 1644
"Harmonic Braid" features Bolivian ametrine and Cooper Pedy Australian crystal opal in 24k gold; about 125 carats

Pairs & Suites
SLAVA TULUPOV
New York, NY (718) 204– 5148 "Nocturne" necklace comprises German black chalcedony and Indian moonstone

Objects of Art
PHILIP E. LOUER JR.
North American Gem Carvers Riner, VA
(540) 381– 9712 Cutter: Nicolai Medvedev
Chinese malachite, Australian opal, golden quartz and Afganistan lapis lazuli decorate this intarsia box called "Golden Butterfly"

Objects of Art
DALAN JAY HARGRAVE
San Antonio, TX
(210) 344– 8580 Cutter: R.A. "Art" Guyon & Dalan Jay Hargrave Sponsor: R.A. "Art" Guyon Madagascar rose– quartz and Nevada nephrite jade stopper and perfume bottle comprise "Serenity"