#AGTA Spectrum's Cutting Edge Awards for 2015 #TucsonGemShow

Cutting Edge Awards

The AGTA Cutting Edge Awards honor excellence and creativity of the lapidary arts, including natural colored gemstones and cultured pearls, carvings, other gem materials and objects of art in U.S. and Canada. A panel of judges will evaluate entries in the Cutting Edge Awards.

The purpose of the Cutting Edge Competition is to celebrate the excellence and creativity of lapidary artists and colored gemstones. 

 Entries may incorporate existing lapidary techniques; however entries in Pairs & Suites, Innovative Faceting, Carving and Objects of Art must reflect unique, new and innovative designs. 

Classic Gemstones will honor excellence in traditional cuts among Ruby, Emerald and Sapphire; Other Faceted Gemstones and Phenomenal Gemstones will also honor traditional cuts in these specific gemstones. The entries in this category will be evaluated on the following qualities: 
1) Quality of Lapidary Work 
2) Technique 
3) Quality/Rarity of Gem Material 
4) Overall Beauty 

Classic Gemstones 

Limited to outstanding examples of ruby, emerald and sapphire with traditional gemstone cutting techniques.

1st Place

Classic Gemstone

Allen Kleiman
A. Kleiman & Co.
San Francisco, CA


20.24 ct. emerald-cut unheated yellow Sapphire.

2nd Place

Classic Gemstone

Joseph Ambalu

Amba Gem Corp.

New York, NY

19.06 ct. brilliant, step-cut unheated blue Sapphire.

3rd Place

Classic Gemstone

Joseph Ambalu

Amba Gem Corp.

New York, NY

5.00 ct. oval pink Sapphire.

Honorable Mention
Classic Gemstone
Alan Hackman
Intercolor
New York, NY

38.06 ct. blue Sapphire.

All Other Faceted Gemstones 

Open to outstanding examples of any gemstone that is faceted with traditional gemstone cutting techniques.

1st Place
All Other Faceted
Hemant Phophaliya
AG Color, Inc.
New York, NY

43.96 ct. oval cabochon Tanzanite.

2nd Place
All Other Faceted
Mikola Kukharuk
Nomad's
New York, NY

12.99 ct. oval mint grossular Garnet.

3rd Place
All Other Faceted
Mikola Kukharuk
Nomad's
New York, NY

28.21 ct. Imperial Topaz.

Honorable Mention
All Other Faceted
Mikola Kukharuk
Nomad's
New York, NY

115.48 ct. emerald-cut Heliodor.

Phenomenal Gemstones 

Open to outstanding examples of any phenomenal gemstone (stars, cat’s eyes, opals, etc.) with traditional gemstone cutting techniques.

1st Place
Phenomenal
Robert Shapiro
Robert Shapiro
Madison, WI

Natural split pair of boulder Opals (60.50 ctw.).

Each entry in Pairs & Suites, Innovate Faceting, Carving and Objects of Art will be judged on the following qualities: 

1) Originality of Design 

2) Quality of Lapidary Work 

3) Technique 

4) Quality/Rarity of Gem Material 

5) Overall Beauty 

Pairs & Suites 

Two or more gemstones to be judged as a set.

1st Place
Pairs & Suites
Dalan Hargrave
Geogem-USA
Glenns Ferry, ID

Rhodolite Garnet suite (138.49 ctw.).

2nd Place
Pairs & Suites
Mikola Kukharuk
Nomad's
New York, NY

Pair of Imperial Topaz (70.14 ctw.).

3rd Place
Pairs & Suites
Hemant Phophaliya
A G Color, Inc.
New York, NY

Fancy pear-shaped Tanzanites.

Honorable Mention
Pairs & Suites
Allen Kleiman
A. Kleiman & Co.
San Francisco, CA

Suite of pear-shaped unheated yellow Sapphires (57.73 ctw.).

Innovative Faceting 

Innovative faceting and lapidary techniques

1st Place
Innovative Faceting
John Dyer
John Dyer & Co.
San Jose, CA

63.19 ct. fancy round curprian Tourmaline.

2nd Place
Innovative Faceting
John Dyer
John Dyer & Co.
San Jose, CA

67.92 ct. swirling "Nebula" Ametrine.

3rd Place
Innovative Faceting
John Dyer
John Dyer & Co.
San Jose, CA

19.43 ct. "Royal Velvet" Tanzanite.

Carving 

Carving of any natural gem material in any style.

1st Place Carving Naomi Sarna Naomi Sarna Designs New York, NY "Rose de France" Amethyst carving (1015 ctw.).

2nd Place
Carving
Bernie Benavidez
Master Jewelers
Rochester, MN

"The Eye of Genesis" Opal carving (260 ctw.).

3rd Place
Carving
Darryl Alexander
Nirinjan
Beverly Hills, CA

102 ct. specialy-cut Sunstone.

Objects of Art 

Carvings, bowls, sculpture, intarsia, etc., of gem materials not intended to be worn. These may or may not incorporate metal, wood or other non-gem materials as base, frame or decorative component.

1st Place
Objects of Art
Robyn Dufty
DuftyWeis Opals, Inc.
Maysville, KY

Black Chalcedony perfume bottle with a carved Mexican fire Opal flower stopper (42.30 ctw.) accented with 18K yellow gold.

2nd Place
Objects of Art
Darryl Alexander
Somewhere In The Rainbow
Scottsdale, AZ

18K yellow gold and sterling silver "Doctor's Orders" featuring black Jade accented with crystal Opal and mammoth Ivory.

3rd Place
Objects of Art
Alishan Halebian
Alishan
Irvine, CA

18K yellow gold and oxidized sterling silver letter opener / dagger featuring fossil walrus Ivory accented with Rubies (6.09 ctw.), Sapphires (3.98 ctw.), white Diamonds (.15 ctw.) and black Diamonds (.75 ctw.).

Honorable Mention
Objects of Art
Adam Ramseyer
Ramstar Designs
Morrison, CO

Sterling silver and 14K gold spacecraft pendant with docking station featuring a 30 ct. fantasy-cut Ametrine accented with Tourmalines, Emeralds, Alexandrites, Lazulites, tsavorite Garnets, Amethysts, Diamonds and Sapphires.

View the Cutting Edge Award Winners along side the 2015 Spectrum Award Winners in the Design Ceneter at the AGTA GemFair.