See the 2017 AGTA Spectrum Awards™ Winners at the AGTA GemFair in Tucson

AGTA Announces the 

2017 AGTA Spectrum Awards™ Winners 

The American Gem Trade Association is pleased to announce the winners of the prestigious 2017 AGTA Spectrum AwardsTM. 

The competition was held in New York on August 5th and 6th and is regarded as the world's preeminent colored gemstone and cultured pearl design competition. The prestigious judges for the competition this year were the following: Arun Bohra, Arunashi; Cathy Calhoun, Calhoun Jewelers; Sherris Cottier Shank, Gemscapes; Alishan Halebian, Alishan; Holly Wesche, Wesche Jewelers. 

“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,” said Douglas K. Hucker, AGTA CEO. “It is evident that the entrants take this competition very seriously and that the AGTA Spectrum Awards™ and the AGTA Cutting Edge Awards™ continue to be the premier design competition in the world. Of course, this also makes the work of the judges demonstratively more difficult. We were blessed with an outstanding group of judges that were consummate professionals, that demonstrated an amazing level of synergy, and this is apparent in the selections that they made.” 

Winners of the 2017 AGTA Spectrum AwardsTM are: 

Best of….. 

Best of Show 

Mikola Kukharuk, Nomad's – Pair of neon blue Tourmalines (53.56 ctw.). 

Best Use of Color 

Naomi Sarna, Naomi Sarna Designs – 18K and 24K yellow and 18K white gold maple leaf earrings featuring multicolored Diamonds, Sapphires and Garnets. 

Best Use of Pearls 

Naomi Sarna, Naomi Sarna Designs – Freshwater cultured Pearls strung with Sunstone beads with an 18K yellow gold and black rhodium clasp set with white, pink and green Diamonds. 

Best Use of Platinum and Color 

Eddie Sakamoto, Somewhere in the Rainbow – Platinum "Dancing Waves" neck collar featuring a 57.0 ct. Aquamarine accented with Diamonds (8.0 ctw.).

Fashion Forward 

Ardeshir Dabestani, Asha Gallery, Ltd. – 18K white and yellow gold "Solar Flare" back-drop necklace featuring a 436.0 ct. Citrine accented with Aquamarines (44.50 ctw.), yellow Beryls (87.30 ctw.) and Diamonds (23.54 ctw.). 

Editors’ Choice Award 

Mark Loren, Mark Loren Designs, Inc. – 14K yellow and white gold earrings featuring polyhedral Agate druzy slices and green Tourmalines (7.01 ctw), pink Topaz (8.51 ctw.), Amethysts (2.24 ctw.) and Diamonds (.08 ctw.).