This pair of neon blue tourmalines, weighing 53.56 total carats, from Mikola Kukharuk of Nomad’s won both “Best in Show” as well as first place in the Pairs & Suites category of the Cutting Edge competition.
New York--A pair of blue tourmalines were deemed tops at the American Gem Trade Association’s Spectrum awards this past weekend.
The two neon blue tourmalines, weighing 53.56 total carats, from Mikola Kukharuk of Nomad’s were named “Best of Show.”
This is the third time in a row a Cutting Edge entry received that honor in the competition.
Judging for the 2017 event took place in New York on Saturday and Sunday. The panel of judges featured Arun Bohra of Arunashi, Cathy Calhoun of Calhoun Jewelers, Sherris Cottier Shank of Gemscapes, Alishan Halebian of Alishan and Holly Wesche of Wesche Jewelers.
The awards will be presented during the 2018 AGTA GemFair Tucson, slated for Jan. 30 to Feb. 4 at the Tucson Convention Center.
Winning entries will be displayed during the show, and the award recipients will be recognized during the 2017 AGTA Spectrum Awards Gala on Saturday, Feb. 3.
“The entire staff was immediately impressed as the entries started coming in; it seemed that the quality and artistry of the pieces has ascended to a new level. The number of entries increased and clearly the caliber of entries was exceptional,” AGTA CEO Doug Hucker said.
Winners of the 2017 AGTA Spectrum Awards are as follows.
“Best of” Category Best of Show: Mikola Kukharuk, Nomad’s Best Use of Color: Naomi Sarna, Naomi Sarna Designs Best Use of Pearls: Naomi Sarna, Naomi Sarna Designs Best Use of Platinum and Color: Eddie Sakamoto, Somewhere In The Rainbow Fashion Forward: Ardeshir Dabestani, Asha Gallery Ltd.
Bridal Wear First Place: Ricardo Basta, E. Eichberg, Inc. Second Place (and WJA Gem Diva Award): Lindsay Jane, Lindsay Jane Designs Third Place: Judy Evans, Oliver & Espig Gallery of Fine Arts Honorable Mention: Zoltan David, Somewhere In The Rainbow Manufacturing Honors: Randy Coffin, Coffin & Trout Fine Jewellers Entry
Platinum Innovation: Leon Mege, Leon Mege Inc. Platinum Honors: Craig Slavens, Studio 247 Fine Jewelry
All Other Faceted. Brett Kosnar of Beija Flor Wholesale won first place for this 24.26-carat round, Portuguese-cut rhodochrosite.
Best Use of Color. Naomi Sarna of Naomi Sarna Designs’ maple leaf earrings, featuring multicolored diamonds, sapphires and garnets set in 18-karat and 24-karat yellow gold and 18-karat white gold
Best Use of Pearls. Sarna again, with this freshwater cultured pearls necklace strung with sunstone beads and an 18-karat yellow gold and black rhodium clasp set with white, pink and green diamonds
Best Use of Platinum and Color and first place in Evening Wear. Eddie Sakamoto of Somewhere in the Rainbow for this platinum “Dancing Waves” neck collar featuring a 57.0-carat aquamarine accented with 8 carats of diamonds
Bridal Wear. Ricardo Basta of E. Eichberg, Inc. won first place with this 18-karat white gold and rhodium “Double the Love” ring featuring a 12.62-carat heart-shaped blue zircon accented with a 0.75-carat heart-shaped diamond and 1.53 carats of diamond pave.
Business/Day Wear. First place is Adam Neeley of Adam Neeley Fine Art Jewelry’s 18-karat rose gold and 14-karat rose and white gold “Cosmos” pendant featuring a 24.06-carat specialty-cut morganite accented with 3.14 carats of diamonds.
Carving. First place went to Meg Berry of Pala International for a 625-carat chyrsocolla with druzy quartz carving, titled “Metamorphosis.”
Classical. First place went to these platinum and 18-karat pink gold earrings featuring unheated oval pink sapphires weighing 36.65 total carats and 5.09 carats of diamond accents from Allen Kleiman of A. Kleiman & Co.
Classic Gemstone. David Nassi with 100% Natural Ltd. won first place with a 15.30-carat unheated Ceylon pink sapphire.
Innovative Faceting. A 32.75-carat specialty-cut quartz with chrysoprase and opal from Christopher Wolfsberg won first place in this category.
Men’s Wear. Basta also won first place in this category with the 18-karat yellow gold with black rhodium “Estrella” ring featuring a 7.50-carat starburst trapiche sapphire accented with 0.64 carats of black diamonds and 0.52 carats of yellow sapphire accents.
Objects of Art. Derek Katzenbach of Katzenbach Designs won first place in this category for the “Colors of Maine” kaleidoscope. It features multicolored Maine tourmalines weighing 71.74 total carats and Maine quartz lenses weighing 24.92 carats, set in 18-karat yellow and white gold.
Phenomenal. First place in this category went to Joel Price’s 100.66-carat harlequin pattern black opal.
Business/Day Wear First Place: Adam Neeley, Adam Neeley Fine Art Jewelry Second Place: Llyn Strong, Llyn Strong Fine Art Jewelry Third Place: Mimi Favre, Mimi Favre Studio Honorable Mention: Omi Prive, Somewhere In The Rainbow Honorable Mention: Robert Pelliccia, J. R. Dunn Jewelers Manufacturing Honors: Gregore Morin, Gregore & Jennifer-Rabe Jewelers Platinum Honors: John Ford, Lightning Ridge Collection by John Ford Entry Platinum Innovation: Leon Mege, Leon Mege Inc. WJA Gem Diva Award: Pam Harris, Lost Bird Designs
Classical First Place: Allen Kleiman, A. Kleiman & Co. Second Place: Niveet Nagpal, Omi Prive Third Place: Oscar Heyman, Oscar Heyman Honorable Mention: Varouj Tabakian, Jewellery by Varouj Honorable Mention: Oscar Heyman, Oscar Heyman Manufacturing Honors: Ricardo Basta, E. Eichberg Inc. Platinum Honors: Michael Endlich, Pave Fine Jewelry Entry Platinum Innovation: Robert Pelliccia, J.R. Dunn Jewelers WJA Gem Diva Award: Beatrix Laura Jessner, B & W Jewels
Evening Wear First Place (and Best Use of Platinum and Color): Eddie Sakamoto, Somewhere In The Rainbow Second Place (and Best Use of Color): Naomi Sarna, Naomi Sarna Designs Third Place: Caroline Chartouni, Caroline C Honorable Mention: Victoria Tse, VTse Inc. Honorable Mention: Erica Courtney, Erica Courtney Inc. Honorable Mention: Zoltan David, Somewhere in the Rainbow Platinum Honors: John Ford, Lightning Ridge Collection by John Ford WJA Gem Diva Award: Dallas Prince, Dallas Prince Designs
Men’s Wear First Place: Ricardo Basta, E. Eichberg Inc. Second Place: Peter Schmid, French Designer Jeweler Third Place: Dawn Muscio, D. Muscio Designs Honorable Mention: Llyn L. Strelau, Jewels by Design Honorable Mention and Platinum Honors: Randy Coffin, Coffin & Trout Fine Jewellers Manufacturing Honors: Niveet Nagpal, Omi Prive
The winners for the Cutting Edge Awards are as follows.
Carving First Place: Meg Berry, Pala International Second Place: Dalan Hargrave, GemStarz Jewelry Third Place: John Dyer, John Dyer & Co. Honorable Mention: Bernie Benavidez, Master Jewelers Honorable Mention: Larry Woods, Jewels From The Woods
Classic Gemstone First Place: David Nassi, 100% Natural Ltd. Second Place: Allen Kleiman, A. Kleiman & Co. Third Place: Joseph Ambalu, Amba Gem Corp. Honorable Mention: Joseph Ambalu, Amba Gem Corp.
Innovative Faceting First Place: Christopher Wolfsberg, Chris Wolfsberg Second Place: John Dyer, John Dyer & Co. Third Place: John Dyer, John Dyer & Co. Honorable Mention: Dalan Hargrave, Jewels From The Woods
Objects of Art First Place: Derek Katzenbach, Katzenbach Designs Second Place: Susan Helmich, Somewhere in the Rainbow Third Place: Liam Powers, Liam Powers Jewelry
Pairs & Suites First Place: Mikola Kukharuk, Nomad’s Second Place: Hemant Phophaliya, A G Color Inc. Third Place: Robyn Dufty, DuftyWeis Opals Inc. Honorable Mention: Joseph Ambalu, Amba Gem Corp. Honorable Mention: Phillip Youngman, Phillip Youngman
Phenomenal First Place: Joel Price, Joel Price Second Place: Joseph Ambalu, Amba Gem Corp. Third Place: Robert Shapiro, Robert Shapiro Honorable Mention: Ruben Bindra, B & B Fine Gems Honorable Mention: David Nassi, 100% Natural Ltd.
All Other Faceted First Place: Brett Kosnar, Beija Flor Wholesale Second Place: Ruben Bindra, B & B Fine Gems Third Place: Hemant Phophaliya, A G Color Inc. Honorable Mention: Ruben Bindra, B & B Fine Gems
Brecken Branstratoris the senior editor, gemstones at National Jeweler, covering sourcing, pricing and other developments in the colored stone sector.
