February 2003 Gemstones & Pearls/News AGTA's Cutting Edge™ Awards Honor Creativity This year the contest features superbly cut classics, fantasy cuts and phenomenal gemstones The American Gem Trade Association’s annual celebration of glyptic arts, the Cutting Edge™ competition, featured a strong showing by classic gems such as sapphire and emerald, as well as a palette of pastel pinks, oranges and blues. Several winners’ names were familiar, having been recognized in previous competitions. A sprinkling of fresh names surfaced as well. The same panel that judged the 2003 Spectrum™ Awards also worked with the Cutting Edge entries (Spectrum winners were featured in Professional Jeweler, January 2002, pp. 35-39. Look for winners of the Platinum Honors division in our March issue). Judges were Glen Engelbrecht of G.J. Designs, Sarasota, FL; William Holman of Holman Designs, Dallas, TX; Alfredo Molina of Molina Fine Jewelers, Mesa, AZ; Tania Riddell of Modern Bride, New York City; and Thomas Trozzo of Trozzo, Culpepper, VA. Cutting Edge Awards honor excellence and creativity of the lapidary arts, including natural colored gemstones and cultured pearls, carvings, other gem material and objects of art. The categories are: Classic Gemstone, Faceting, Carving, Combination, Pairs & Suites and Objects of Art. – by Robert Weldon, G.G. Classic Gemstone Division First Place ALLEN KLEIMAN A. Kleiman & Co. Boulder, CO (303) 440-7478 8.12-ct. Burma origin cushion-cut sapphire with a Gübelin certificate. Second Place RAY ZAJICEK Equatorian Imports Inc. Dallas, TX (972) 250-2055 Emerald-cut 2.82-ct. Colombian emerald. Third Place ALLEN KLEIMAN A. Kleiman & Co. Boulder, CO (303) 440-7478 8.05-ct. cushion-cut heated pink sapphire. Combination Division First Place MICHAEL DYBER Ledge Art Studio, Rumney, NH; (603) 744-2161 164.05-ct. natural-color aquamarine combines faceting and carving. Second Place MICHAEL DYBER Ledge Art Studio, Rumney, NH; (603) 744-2161 Natural 63.05-ct. Bolivian amethyst. Large table is flat. Third Place CHRISTOPHER WOLFSBERG Colored Creations, Manchester, TN; (931) 728-8726 “Blue Blazer” is a 23.46-ct. aquamarine fashioned in a square concave blazer cut. Honorable Mention MARK GRONLUND Mark Gronlund, Umatilla, FL; (352) 771-8925 “Erupting Volcano” is a 26.64-ct. citrine. Faceting Division First Place JOHN D. DYER Precious Gemstones, Zumbrota, MN (507) 732-4262 27.20-ct. topaz is a modified trillion-cut. Second Place DAVID CLAY ZAVA David Clay Co. Fallbrook, CA (760) 451-1162 20.96-ct. mint blue-green tourmaline has a triangular checkerboard crown called the “Tricheck” cut. Third Place JOHN D. DYER Precious Gemstones Zumbrota, MN (507) 732-4262 9.06-ct. spessartite garnet is a brilliant oval cut. Carving Division First Place GLENN LEHRER Glenn Lehrer Designs Larkspur, CA (415) 461-2212 The free-form carving of a 225.5-ct. chrysocolla chalcedony is an abstract of a blooming flower. Second Place KRISTA L. MCMILLAN Dust Devil Mining Cloverdale, OR (503) 965-7707 69.15-ct. Oregon sunstone carving depicts a woman’s face. Third Place KRISTA L. MCMILLAN Dust Devil Mining Cloverdale, OR (503) 965-7707 36.70-ct. free-form carving is red Oregon sunstone. Pairs & Suites Division First Place STEPHEN M. AVERY Stephen M. Avery, Lakewood, CO; (303) 985-4005 Suite of seven graduating blue/green tourmalines feature the “Ovob” cut (opposed bar ovals). The center stone is 17.53 carats. Second Place DAVID CLAY ZAVA David Clay Co., Fallbrook, CA; (760) 451-1162 Three pillow-cut tourmalines total 6.09 carats and two pillow-cut spinels total 5.70 carats.