As an homage to iconic crochet blankets, the necklace features the nostalgic motif through a kaleidoscope of cabochon-cut stones.
AGTA Moves Spectrum Awards to the Summer
The American Gem Trade Association is shifting its annual design competition to June and July to make it easier for participants to submit their pieces.

Dallas--The American Gem Trade Association announced it is moving this year’s Spectrum Awards design competition to the summer to make it easier for participants to submit their pieces.
Deadline for entries now will be June 17, with drop-off taking place on June 28. Winners will be announced at the end of July.
The annual design competition previously was held in the fall, but the AGTA said it changed the dates for a few reasons.
The first is that some participants were having trouble getting their goods back from the September Hong Kong show in time to enter Spectrum. The summer timing also will make it easier for people to get their submitted pieces back in time for the peak holiday selling season.
Drop-off and judging still will take place in New York.
The Spectrum Awards now are in their 33rd year. The annual colored stone and pearl jewelry design competition is open to U.S. and Canadian designers and cutters and features a number of categories: Evening Wear, Bridal Wear, Business Day Wear, Classical Wear and Men’s Wear, as well as a Best Of category.
The AGTA Cutting Edge Awards honor loose colored stones in everything from Classic Gemstones to one-of-a-kind Carvings, Pairs and Suites and Objects of Art.
“The Spectrum Awards are one of our biggest promotional efforts and we are always looking for ways to increase participation and to make participating even more beneficial to the entrant,” AGTA CEO Doug Hucker said. “We felt if we changed the dates to summer, this would be better for the designers and manufacturers, because it wouldn’t remove their inventory during the holiday selling season. And, what better publicity during that time than to promote a Spectrum Award-winning piece.”
The Latest

The “Royal Ruby” Collection is a quintet of untreated rubies curated by collector Jack Abraham.

The entrepreneur and “Shark Tank” star will share his top tips for success.

When investing in your jewelry business, it's important not to overlook the most crucial element of success: the sales associates.

Two existing executives have been given new roles.


Meredith Tiderington, an electrical engineering student, was selected for the award.

It will quit assigning the stones specific color and clarity grades in favor of applying “new descriptive terminology.”

More shoppers are walking out without buying. Here’s how smart jewelers can bring them back—and the tool they need to do it right.

From design trends to sustainability, here’s a roundup of can’t-miss education sessions at JCK Las Vegas.

The Jewelers’ Security Alliance offers advice for those attending the annual trade shows.

Her new role is director of strategic initiatives.

The designer is embracing bold pieces with weight to them in “AU79,” a collection she celebrated with a creative launch party.

On an earnings call, CEO J.K. Symancyk discussed what’s working for the company and how it’s preparing for the potential impact of tariffs.

The index partially rebounded after months of decline, due in part to the U.S.-China deal to temporarily reduce import tariffs.

The actress stars in the latest campaign set in Venice, Italy, and is set to participate in other creative initiatives for the jeweler.

The company has joined other labs, including GIA and Lotus Gemology, in adopting the Chinese term for "jadeite jade."

The large stone will be offered at its June sale along with a selection of secondary-type rubies from a new area of the Montepuez mine.

Located in Bangkok, the laboratory is Gemological Science International’s 14th location worldwide.

Those born in June have a myriad of options for their birthstone jewelry.

The diamond industry veteran has been named its senior sales executive.

The company plans to raise the prices of select watches to offset the impact of tariffs.

Between tariffs and the sky-high cost of gold, designers enter this year’s Las Vegas shows with a lot of questions and few answers.

Designed by founder Renato and his daughter Serena Cipullo, it showcases a flame motif representing unity and the power of gathering.

However, the tariffs remain in effect in the short term, as an appeals court has stayed the U.S. Court of International Trade’s decision.

The pop icon is one step closer to launching her “B Tiny” jewelry collection, a collection she first began posting about last fall.

Sponsored by Stuller

It was featured in the miner’s latest sale, which brought in $24.8 million.