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AGTA Announces Buyer’s Choice Award Winners for Spectrum, Cutting Edge
AGTA recently concluded its 2025 GemFair event in Tucson and is already gearing up for next year’s show, set for Feb. 2-6, 2026.
At the Spectrum Awards Gala, held Feb. 8 in Tucson, AGTA announced the winners of its Spectrum and Cutting Edge Buyer’s Choice awards—the “Whisper of the Ancestors” lapel pin (left) and a nearly 13-carat faceted rhodochrosite from Colorado (right).
Tucson, Ariz.—AGTA recently wrapped up its 2025 edition of GemFair in Tucson, announcing next year’s dates shortly after the event concluded.
The 2026 AGTA GemFair Tucson will be open Monday, Feb. 2 through 4 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 6. The Grand Ballroom will open at 9:30 a.m. and the Galleria and GemHall will open at 10 a.m.
This year’s event saw a 2 percent increase in buyer badges obtained at the fair, according to AGTA CEO John W. Ford Sr. Show traffic had daily averages between 3,400 and 3,600 between all shopping areas, AGTA reported.
“Exhibitors on the GemHall floor did extremely well,” said Ford.
“There were a lot of retailers present who were stocking up on middle- to upper-range and very fine goods. Brands were restocking, the mood was upbeat and optimistic, with some exhibitors reporting their best show ever. One was even concerned he would run out of invoices.”
Exhibitors interviewed by AGTA said they sold a wide range of materials, with one vendor observing, “There really weren’t any color trends … The price point was actually more of a consideration than the actual stone.”
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The 2026 AGTA GemFair Tucson will be open Monday, Feb. 2 through 4 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 6. The Grand Ballroom will open at 9:30 a.m. and the Galleria and GemHall will open at 10 a.m.
This year’s event saw a 2 percent increase in buyer badges obtained at the fair, according to AGTA CEO John W. Ford Sr. Show traffic had daily averages between 3,400 and 3,600 between all shopping areas, AGTA reported.
“Exhibitors on the GemHall floor did extremely well,” said Ford.
“There were a lot of retailers present who were stocking up on middle- to upper-range and very fine goods. Brands were restocking, the mood was upbeat and optimistic, with some exhibitors reporting their best show ever. One was even concerned he would run out of invoices.”
Exhibitors interviewed by AGTA said they sold a wide range of materials, with one vendor observing, “There really weren’t any color trends … The price point was actually more of a consideration than the actual stone.”
On opening day of the show, AGTA and RapNet hosted an educational session to unveil the Gemstone Trading Network.
As a result of the joint project, colored gemstones can now be listed on the existing RapNet platform at no extra cost to existing subscribers.
To date, 47,000 colored gems are already live and for sale to RapNet subscribers, according to AGTA, and several sales have been made.
“Clients [have] been asking about gemstones,” said Saville Stern, COO of RapNet.
“Every day there are 1.5 million diamonds for sale on RapNet, and we wanted to bring color online but in a correct and ethical way, which is why we teamed up with AGTA. RapNet is a connections machine, bringing together buyers and sellers who can now shop colored gemstones from dealers who must adhere to AGTA’s strict sourcing and disclosure guidelines outlined in its Code of Ethics and Principles of Fair Business Practice.”
This year’s show closed on Sunday, Feb. 9, following the Spectrum Awards Gala, which was held the night before at the Tucson Convention Center.
Television personality Michael O’Connor served as the emcee for the event.
Over the week of the fair, AGTA GemFair Tucson attendees voted for their favorite pieces from all the award winners, with one selected from the Spectrum division and another from Cutting Edge.
While the judges’ and editors’ choice winners were previously announced, the Buyer’s Choice awards were announced at the gala.
The Spectrum Buyer’s Choice award winner is this lapel pin made of 18-karat rose and yellow gold and platinum featuring an 18.23-carat fantasy-cut sunstone accented by 1.15 carats of mixed teal tourmaline and 0.76 carats of diamonds. The pin, created by Matthew Tuggle with Lauren Tuggle, Ryan Anderson, and Kyle Forgey, also won the Spectrum Best of Single Entries Award and Men’s Wear 2nd Place.
The Cutting Edge Buyer’s Choice award winner is this 12.88-carat cushion Portuguese-cut rhodochrosite from Colorado by Ben Kho. The gemstone also took 2nd Place in the North American Mined Gemstones division of Cutting Edge.
The Buyer’s Choice award for Spectrum went to Matthew Tuggle of Tuggle Designs and contributors Lauren Tuggle (co-designer & hand engraver), Ryan Anderson (lapidary artist), and Kyle Forgey (supporting jeweler) for their “Whisper of the Ancestors” lapel pin.
The Buyer’s Choice award for Cutting Edge went to Ben Kho of Kho International for his 12.88-carat cushion Portuguese-cut rhodochrosite from Colorado.
“AGTA buyers routinely make great decisions, so their choice of these two fine pieces was a delight to see,” said Ford after the Gala.
“We know it was tough, because there were so many great entries in this year’s competition. The next edition of Spectrum and Cutting Edge Awards opens for entries at the end of June 2025.”
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