2024 AGTA Spectrum Awards Open for Entries

Editor’s Note: This story has been updated post-publication to reflect new submission deadlines and to include the names of the judges.

Dallas—The American Gem Trade Association (AGTA) has announced it is now accepting entries for its 2024 AGTA Spectrum & Cutting Edge awards.

The annual contest, now in its 40th year, recognizes design excellence in the world of colored gemstones and cultured pearls.

The winners of the awards set the standard for beauty and innovation, launch trends, and earn worldwide recognition, said AGTA.

They will receive mentions in the press and on social media, along with a celebration at the Spectrum & Cutting Edge awards gala during AGTA GemFair in Tucson next February.

“Lives are changed by winning Spectrum and Cutting Edge awards,” said John W. Ford, Sr., the CEO of AGTA.

“I know mine was—my awards helped put my company name on the map in the gemstones and jewelry world. AGTA is excited to see this year’s entries and who will take the top prizes.” 

The winners will be chosen by a vetted panel of five judges who are experts from different industry segments.

This year’s judges are: Jean Francois Bibet, Cartier; Peggy Grosz, Assael Inc.; Sherry Bender, The Goldsmith Ltd.; Susan Jacques, GIA; and Suza Landa, Suzy Landa Fine Jewelry.

They will judge the entries this fall in Dallas, Texas. 

Entrants must choose their categories for the Spectrum and Cutting Edge awards, while judges and representatives of sponsored categories will assign pieces for the “Best Of” honors and two sponsored awards—one to highlight female designers and one recognizing the use of platinum.

The 2024 Spectrum awards for finished jewelry include categories like bridal, business/day wear, evening wear and men’s wear, as well as a “New for 2024” category.

For the Cutting Edge awards, entrants can submit loose goods and non-wearable gems to categories including pairs and suites, innovative faceting, and carvings, as well as “North American Mined Gemstones.”

There are also the “Editor’s Choice Spectrum” and “Editor’s Choice Cutting Edge” categories, for which winners are chosen on Editor’s Day at an invitation-only event later this year, and the “Buyer’s Choice Spectrum in Tucson” and “Buyer’s Choice Cutting Edge in Tucson,” for which winners will be chosen by buyers during GemFair Tucson 2025. 

The deadline to qualify for early bird pricing is Sept. 20, extended from the original early bird deadline of Sept. 6, with all entries paid for and received by AGTA before this date.

The first entry is $265, and all additional entries are $205 each.

The deadline to enter the AGTA Spectrum & Cutting Edge awards is now Oct. 9, extended from the original deadline of Sept. 20.

It is $295 for the first entry and $225 for every additional entry.

The awards are open to all companies and individuals in the United States and Canada. AGTA membership is not required to enter.

For the full list of eligibility requirements and judging criteria, visit AGTA’s website.

To submit an entry to the awards, visit this page of AGTA’s website.