Two Entries Named ‘Best Of Show’ in 2023 AGTA Spectrum Awards

AGTA CEO John Ford said it was one of the design competition’s best years ever.

Lauren McLemore lauren.mclemore@nationaljeweler.com

Omi Privé black opal platinum ring and a suite of four oval Paraíba-type tourmalines

A platinum ring from Niveet Nagpal at Omi Privé featuring a 15.22-carat black opal won AGTA Spectrum Awards’ Best of Show honor in the Spectrum division. This suite of four oval Paraíba-type tourmalines (31.01 total carats) from Joseph Ambalu of Amba Gem Corp took home Best of Show honors in the Cutting Edge division.

Dallas—The American Gem Trade Association has announced the winners of the 2023 AGTA Spectrum & Cutting Edge Awards.

The competition again took place in Dallas on Oct. 24-25 at the Omni Frisco Hotel, which was a sponsor for the event along with Platinum Guild International, and the Women’s Jewelry Association.

“This year’s awards are one of our best ever,” said AGTA CEO John W. Ford Sr.

“We had an additional 100 entries this year over last, and many of them had stunning green and blue-green gems. The Omni hotels are the new home of the awards for the next few years, and we hope to take the competition national, to other Omni venues.”

The judges this year were: Allan Koo, A. Koo & Co.; Brent Malgarin, Elegant Gems Ltd.; Christina Gandia Gambale, Greenwich St. Jewelers; Lika Behar, Lika Behar Jewelry; and Clayton Bromberg, Underwood’s Jewelers in Jacksonville, Florida.

“The 2023 AGTA Spectrum & Cutting Edge Awards have a new home and a new vibe,” said Kimberly Collins, owner of Kimberly Collins Colored Gems and president of the AGTA board of directors.

“Our judges were amazing and worked so well together. They seemed to be extremely on the same page with the selections they made. As always, the integrity of the judging competition is of the upmost importance. I felt the winners had a classic, timeless aesthetic this year. I’m so proud to be part of a judging competition that holds itself to the most stringent standards.”

Spectrum award entries are judged on overall beauty and wearability, innovative design, effective use of materials, quality of gemstones, quality of workmanship, broad‐based consumer appeal and potential to generate positive publicity for natural colored gemstones.

Cutting Edge awards honor excellence and creativity in lapidary arts, including natural colored gemstones and cultured pearls, carvings, and other gem materials.

Many of the winning pieces will be on display at the 2024 AGTA GemFair Tucson, slated for Jan. 30–Feb. 4 in Tucson, Arizona.

Winners will be recognized at the organization’s Spectrum gala on Feb. 3, 2024 in the newly built addition to the Tucson Convention Center.

Here they are.

“Best of” Awards
Best of Show – Spectrum: Niveet Nagpal, Omi Privé
Best of Show – Cutting Edge (and Best of Single Entries – Cutting Edge): Joseph Ambalu, Amba Gem Corp.
Best of Single Entries – Spectrum: Joseph Campanelli, Campanelli & Pear
Best Use of Color: Jeffrey Bilgore, Jeffrey Bilgore LLC
Best Use of Pearl: Fannie Thomas, Fannie Thomas Jewelry
Fashion Forward: Jeffrey Bilgore, Jeffrey Bilgore LLC
Best Use of Platinum and Color: Mary van der Aa, Mary van der Aa Fine Jewels, in collaboration with Tucson Todd’s Gems (gem cutter and supplier)
Best Use of Platinum Crown: Adam Neeley, Adam Neeley Fine Art Jewelry Inc.

See: The Competition’s “Best Of” Winners

20231102_1-Best Of Show Spectrum.jpg — Best of Show – Spectrum. Niveet Nagpal of Omi Privé’s platinum ring featuring a 15.22-carat black opal accented with tourmaline (0.72 carats), tsavorite garnets (0.40 carats), and diamonds (1.56 carats)

20231102_2-Best Of Show Cutting Edge.jpg — Best of Show – Cutting Edge, and Best of Single Entries – Cutting Edge. Joseph Ambalu of Amba Gem Corp.’s suite of four oval Paraíba-type tourmalines (31.01 total carats)

20231102_3-Best Use of Color.jpg — Best Use of Color. Jeffrey Bilgore of Jeffrey Bilgore LLC’s platinum “Ocean & Grass Wave” bracelet featuring sapphires (25.02 total carats) accented with demantoid garnets (7.87 total carats), yellow diamonds (1.14 total carats), and white diamonds (7.32 total carats)

20231102_4-Best Use of Pearl.jpg — Best Use of Pearl. Fannie Thomas of Fannie Thomas Jewelry’s 22-karat yellow gold “Birds Eye View” hand-carved ring featuring a cultured South Sea baroque pearl bird

20231102_5-Fashion Forward.jpg — Fashion Forward. Jeffrey Bilgore of Jeffrey Bilgore LLC’s 18-karat yellow gold and black ceramic “Greek Key Fancy Diamond Perfection” bracelet featuring mixed fancy vivid diamonds (14.82 total carats) accented with tsavorite garnets (1.70 total carats)

20231102_6-Best of Single Entries Spectrum.jpg — Best of Single Entries – Spectrum. Joseph Campanelli of Campanelli & Pear’s 18-karat white gold “Something Blue” earrings featuring blue zircons (8.50 total carats) accented with diamonds (0.77 total carats)

20231102_7-Best Use of Platinum and Color.jpg — Best Use of Platinum and Color. Mary van der Aa of Mary van der Aa Fine Jewels in collaboration with Tucson Todd’s Gems’ platinum and 18-karat “Garanatas: From Rough to Cut” two-piece necklace featuring various species of garnets (approximately 77.26 total carats)

20231102_8-Best Use of Platinum Crown.jpg — Best Use of Platinum Crown. Adam Neeley of Adam Neeley Fine Art Jewelry Inc.’s platinum “Fantasia” ring featuring a 12.24-carat aquamarine accented with Akoya pearls and diamonds (1 total carat)

Bridal Wear
First Place (and Best Use of Platinum Crown): Adam Neeley, Adam Neeley Fine Art Jewelry Inc.
Second Place: Niveet Nagpal, Omi Privé
Third Place: Benjamin Javaheri, Uneek Jewelry
Honorable Mention: Gabriel Angulo, Pompos Jewelry Corporation
Manufacturing Honors: Bella Campbell, BHI/Campbellian Collection
Platinum Honors: Dallas Prince, Dallas Prince Designs
Gem DIVA Award: Erica Courtney, Erica Courtney LLC

Business/Day Wear
First Place: Gabriel Angulo, Pompos Jewelry Corp.
Second Place: Wolfgang Vaatz, Earth Terra Erde Inc.
Third Place: Gabriel Angulo, Pompos Jewelry Corp.
Honorable Mention: Randy Coffin, Coffin & Trout Fine Jewelers
Platinum Honors: Raja Mehta, AG Gems
Gem DIVA Award: Svetlana Kayton, Svetlana Lazar, in collaboration with Paul Dragone

Classical
First Place: Jeffrey Bilgore, Jeffrey Bilgore LLC
Second Place: Gabriel Angulo, Pompos Jewelry Corp.
Third Place (and Best Use of Pearls, and Gem DIVA Award): Fannie Thomas, Fannie Thomas Jewelry
Platinum Innovation (and Best Use of Color): Jeffrey Bilgore, Jeffrey Bilgore LLC
Honorable Mention: Kim Nel, Alpha Inc. /DBA Brian Gavin Diamonds, in collaboration with Brian Gavin as an adviser/mentor
Manufacturing Honors: Jenn Breznen, Mined + Found
Platinum Honors: Jeffrey Bilgore, Jeffrey Bilgore LLC

See: The Spectrum First Place Winners

20231102_1-First Place Bridal.jpg — Bridal Wear, First Place. Adam Neeley of Adam Neeley Fine Art Jewelry Inc.’s platinum “Fantasia” ring featuring a 12.24-carat aquamarine accented with Akoya pearls and diamonds (1 total carat)

20231102_2-First Place Business.jpg — Business/Day Wear, First Place. Gabriel Angulo of Pompos Jewelry Corp.’s 18-karat yellow gold ring featuring a 2.39-carat Colombian emerald accented with round emeralds (0.18 total carats) and diamonds (1.52 total carats)

20231102_3-First Place Classical.jpg — Classical, First Place. Jeffrey Bilgore of Jeffrey Bilgore LLC’s platinum “Moi et Toi Perfection in Green & White” ring featuring a 3.49-carat unenhanced Colombian emerald and a 3.36-carat diamond accented with diamonds (0.43 carats)

20231102_4-First Place Evening.jpg — Evening Wear, First Place. Niveet Nagpal of Omi Privé’s platinum ring featuring a 15.22-carat black opal accented with tourmaline (0.72 carats), tsavorite garnets (0.40 carats), and diamonds (1.56 carats)

20231102_5-First Place Mens.jpg — Men’s Wear, First Place. Niveet Nagpal of Omi Privé’s platinum ring featuring a 2.35-carat oval cabochon alexandrite accented with alexandrite (3.07 total carats)

Evening Wear
First Place (and Best of Show): Niveet Nagpal, Omi Privé
Second Place: Beatrix Laura Jessner, B & W Jewels
Third Place: Adam Neeley, Adam Neeley Fine Art Jewelry Inc. in collaboration with gem cutter Stephen Avery
Platinum Innovation: Shawndria Aghjayan, Harout R LLC, in collaboration with gemstone setter Wilson Amores
Platinum Innovation: Shawndria Aghjayan, Harout R LLC
Honorable Mention: Nikki Swift, Nicole Mera
Manufacturing Honors: Marcia Budet, Marcia Budet
Platinum Honors: Helen Kim Currens, J.W. Currens Inc.
Best Use of Platinum and Color: Mary van der Aa, Mary van der Aa Fine Jewels
Gem Diva Award: Anita Agrawal, Jewels 4 Ever/Vartanian Jewellers, in collaboration with designer Anita Agrawal and Kevork Vartanian (CAD)

Men’s Wear
First Place: Niveet Nagpal, Omi Privé
Second Place: Carl Larson, AntiHero
Third Place: Marc Hollmuller, Somewhere In The Rainbow
Platinum Innovation: Jeffrey Bilgore, Jeffrey Bilgore LLC
Honorable Mention (and Manufacturing Honors): Michael Endlich, Pave Fine Jewelry
Platinum Honors: Inken Krause, Enhoerning Jewelry
Gem DIVA Award: Robin Callahan, Robin Callahan Designs LLC

Editors’ Choice Awards (photos not available as of press time)
Spectrum: Ai Van Pham, Gem & Gold Creations
Cutting Edge: Bryan Lichtenstein, 3090 Gems, LLC