Demantoid Garnet Suite Takes Top Spectrum Honors

This is the second time in as many years that a Cutting Edge entry took home Best of Show honors in the AGTA’s annual design contest.

Brecken Branstrator brecken.branstrator@nationaljeweler.com

This suite of round brilliant demantoid garnets weighing 24.67 total carats won Best of Show in this year’s AGTA Spectrum Awards.

Dallas--For the second time in as many years, a Cutting Edge entry took home the Best of Show honors in the American Gem Trade Association’s Spectrum Awards.

A suite of round brilliant Russian demantoid garnets weighing a total of 24.67 carats cut by Ruben Bindra of B&B Fine Gems was recognized with the design contest’s highest honor.

Last year, a suite of carved Paraiba tourmaline won Best of Show.

There has only been one other time a Cutting Edge entry has won the competition’s top honor--in 2004, Best of Show went to a sunstone, moldavite and diamond “Celestial City” carving.

Judging for this year’s Spectrum Awards took place Saturday and Sunday in New York. It was the first time that the competition was held in the summer rather than the fall.

This year’s judges were: Gail Brett-Levine of National Association of Jewelry Appraisers, Diane Garmendia of 33 Jewels at El Paseo, Jay Mednikow of J.H. Mednikow & Co., Inc. Victor Velyan of Victor-Christy Studios and Lew Wackler of Lew Wackler Gem Co.

The winners will receive their awards during the 2017 AGTA GemFair in Tucson, scheduled for Jan. 31 to Feb. 5 at the Tucson Convention Center. Winning entries will be displayed during the show and the award winners will be recognized during the Spectrum Awards Gala on Feb 4.

Winners of the 2016 Summer AGTA Spectrum Awards are as follows.

“Best of” Category
Best of Show: Ruben Bindra, B & B Fine Gems
Best Use of Color: Derek Katzenbach, Katzenbach Designs
Best Use of Pearls: Judy Evans, Oliver & Espig Gallery of Fine Arts
Best Use of Platinum and Color: Kathy Kinev, Jewel Creations Inc.
Fashion Forward: Lorenzo Chavez, Geogem-USA

Bridal Wear
First Place and Platinum Honors: Ricardo Basta, E. Eichberg Inc.
Second Place: Alexia Connellan, Alexia Connellan Luxury Jewelry
Third Place: Caroline Chartouni, Caroline C
Honorable Mention: Jessica Neiwert, Jessica Nei
Honorable Mention: Samuel Sulimanov, Samuel Sylvio Designs
Manufacturing Honors: Dennis de Jonghe, deJonghe Original Jewelry
Gem Diva Award: Heena Chheda Shah, Real Gems Inc.

<strong>Best of Show</strong><br />Ruben Bindra, B & B Fine Gems, with this suite of round, brilliant Russian demantoid garnets weighing 24.67 carats — **Best of Show**
Ruben Bindra, B & B Fine Gems, with this suite of round, brilliant Russian demantoid garnets weighing 24.67 carats

<strong>Best Use of Color</strong><br />Derek Katzenbach of Katzenbach Designs for this 14-karat white gold ring featuring a 4.97-carat bicolored tourmaline accented with tsavorite garnets, tourmalines and diamonds — **Best Use of Color**
Derek Katzenbach of Katzenbach Designs for this 14-karat white gold ring featuring a 4.97-carat bicolored tourmaline accented with tsavorite garnets, tourmalines and diamonds

<strong>Best Use of Pearls</strong><br />Judy Evans, Oliver & Espig Gallery of Fine Arts for this platinum pendant featuring a 13.44 mm golden South Sea cultured pearl accented with diamonds — **Best Use of Pearls**
Judy Evans, Oliver & Espig Gallery of Fine Arts for this platinum pendant featuring a 13.44 mm golden South Sea cultured pearl accented with diamonds

<strong>Best Use of Platinum and Color</strong><br />Kathy Kinev of Jewel Creations Inc. for this platinum “St. Chapelle” ring featuring rubies, sapphires, tsavorite garnets and blue and white diamonds — **Best Use of Platinum and Color**
Kathy Kinev of Jewel Creations Inc. for this platinum “St. Chapelle” ring featuring rubies, sapphires, tsavorite garnets and blue and white diamonds

<strong>Fashion Forward</strong><br />Lorenzo Chavez of Geogem-USA won for this platinum and 18-karat yellow and rose gold “Gift from the Abyss” pendant featuring a 124.73-carat carved kunzite accented with blue zircons and diamonds — **Fashion Forward**
Lorenzo Chavez of Geogem-USA won for this platinum and 18-karat yellow and rose gold “Gift from the Abyss” pendant featuring a 124.73-carat carved kunzite accented with blue zircons and diamonds

<strong>Bridal Wear</strong><br />Ricardo Basta of E. Eichberg Inc. won First Place and Platinum Honors for this platinum “Royal Blue” ring featuring a 12-carat blue sapphire accented with diamonds. The ring also has a detachable 18-karat yellow gold “Quilt” jacket--creating a ring within a ring--featuring turquoise accented with diamonds and tsavorite garnets. — **Bridal Wear**
Ricardo Basta of E. Eichberg Inc. won First Place and Platinum Honors for this platinum “Royal Blue” ring featuring a 12-carat blue sapphire accented with diamonds. The ring also has a detachable 18-karat yellow gold “Quilt” jacket--creating a ring within a ring--featuring turquoise accented with diamonds and tsavorite garnets.

<strong>Business/Day Wear</strong><br />Ricardo Basta of E. Eichberg Inc. also won First Place in the Business/Day Wear category with this 18-karat yellow gold and platinum “Honey” ring featuring a 13.58-carat Heliodor accented with sapphires and diamonds. — **Business/Day Wear**
Ricardo Basta of E. Eichberg Inc. also won First Place in the Business/Day Wear category with this 18-karat yellow gold and platinum “Honey” ring featuring a 13.58-carat Heliodor accented with sapphires and diamonds.

<strong>Classical</strong><br />Niveet Nagpal of Omi Gems won first place in Classical with this 18-karat rose gold ring featuring a 4.01-carat cushion-cut pink spinel accented with spinel and diamond melee and a 0.01-carat alexandrite. — **Classical**
Niveet Nagpal of Omi Gems won first place in Classical with this 18-karat rose gold ring featuring a 4.01-carat cushion-cut pink spinel accented with spinel and diamond melee and a 0.01-carat alexandrite.

<strong>Evening Wear</strong><br />The first place winner was David Gross of David Gross Group for this platinum necklace featuring 21 unheated Mozambique rubies weighing 29.33 total carats accented with 21.61 carats of diamonds. — **Evening Wear**
The first place winner was David Gross of David Gross Group for this platinum necklace featuring 21 unheated Mozambique rubies weighing 29.33 total carats accented with 21.61 carats of diamonds.

<strong>Men’s Wear</strong><br />Mark Schneider of Mark Schneider Design won First Place and Platinum honors for this platinum and 18-karat yellow gold ring featuring an 8.76-carat Maw Sit Sit accented with black, white and yellow diamonds and tsavorite garnets. — **Men’s Wear**
Mark Schneider of Mark Schneider Design won First Place and Platinum honors for this platinum and 18-karat yellow gold ring featuring an 8.76-carat Maw Sit Sit accented with black, white and yellow diamonds and tsavorite garnets.

<strong>Carving</strong><br />Naomi Sarna of Naomi Sarna Designs’ hand-carved ametrine (297 total carats) — **Carving**
Naomi Sarna of Naomi Sarna Designs’ hand-carved ametrine (297 total carats)

<strong>Classic Gemstone</strong><br />Ruben Bindra of B & B Fine Gems for this 10.11-carat Sri Lankan cushion-cut orange sapphire — **Classic Gemstone**
Ruben Bindra of B & B Fine Gems for this 10.11-carat Sri Lankan cushion-cut orange sapphire

<strong>Innovative Faceting</strong><br />John Dyer of John Dyer & Co. for this 80.29-carat specialty-cut ametrine — **Innovative Faceting**
John Dyer of John Dyer & Co. for this 80.29-carat specialty-cut ametrine

<strong>Phenomenal</strong><br />Gil International for this 5.56-carat untreated alexandrite — **Phenomenal**
Gil International for this 5.56-carat untreated alexandrite

<strong>All Other Faceted</strong><br />Jeffrey R. Hapeman of Earth’s Treasury for this 42.47-carat brilliant square cushion specialty cut apatite — **All Other Faceted**
Jeffrey R. Hapeman of Earth’s Treasury for this 42.47-carat brilliant square cushion specialty cut apatite

Business/Day Wear
First Place: Ricardo Basta, E. Eichberg Inc.
Second Place: T. Foster & Co. Fine Jewelers
Third Place: Zoltan David, Zoltan David LLC
Honorable Mention: Shuang Feng, Fon Shon Jewellery Art & Design
Honorable Mention: Patrick King, Jewelsmith
Manufacturing Honors: Llyn Strong, Llyn Strong Fine Art Jewelry
Platinum Honors: John Ford, Lightning Ridge Collection by John Ford
Entry Platinum Innovation: Jill Maurer, Jill Maurer
Gem Diva Award: Naomi Sarna, Naomi Sarna Designs

Classical
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Place: Niveet Nagpal, Omi Gems Inc.
Second Place: Niveet Nagpal, Omi Gems Inc.
Third Place: Alexia Connellan, Alexia Connellan Luxury Jewelry
Honorable Mention and Entry Platinum Innovation: Lindsay Jane, Lindsay Jane Designs
Honorable Mention and Gem Diva Award: Heena Chheda Shah, Real Gems Inc.
Manufacturing Honors: Dominique Israileff, ASBA USA Inc.
Platinum Honors: Zoltan David, Zoltan David LLC

Evening Wear
First Place: David Gross, David Gross Groups
Second Place: Phillip Dismuke, Jewelsmith
Third Place: Robert Pelliccia, J.R. Dunn Jewelers
Honorable Mention: Erica Courtney, Erica Courtney Inc.
Honorable Mention: Sinork Agdere, Lord Jewelry
Manufacturing Honors: Llyn Strong, Llyn Strong Fine Art Jewelry
Platinum Honors: John Ford, Lightning Ridge Collection by John Ford
Gem Diva Award: Alexia Connellan, Alexia Connellan

Men’s Wear
First Place and Platinum Honors: Mark Schneider, Mark Schneider Design
Second Place: William Travis, William Travis Jewelry
Third Place: Craig Slavens, Studio 247 Fine Jewelry
Honorable Mention and Entry Platinum Innovation: William Travis, William Travis Jewelry

The winners for the Cutting Edge Awards are as follows.

Carving
First Place: Naomi Sarna, Naomi Sarna Designs
Second Place: John Dyer, John Dyer & Co.
Third Place: Meg Berry, Mega Gem
Honorable Mention: Naomi Sarna, Naomi Sarna Designs

Classic Gemstone
First Place: Ruben Bindra, B & B Fine Gems
Second Place: Allen Kleiman, A. Kleiman & Co.
Third Place: Allen Kleiman, A. Kleiman & Co.
Honorable Mention: Ruben Bindra, B & B Fine Gems

Innovative Faceting
First Place: John Dyer, John Dyer & Co.
Second Place: John Dyer, John Dyer & Co.
Third Place: Ryan Joseph Anderson, Ryan Joseph Gems
Honorable Mention: Glenn Wm. Lehrer, Lehrer Designs Inc.

Objects of Art
Honorable Mention: Brenda Smith, Brenda Smith Jewelry
Honorable Mention: Neda Behnam, Samuel B. Collection

Pairs & Suites
First Place and Best of Show: Ruben Bindra, B & B Fine Gems
Second Place: Allen Kleiman, A. Kleiman & Co.
Third Place: Ben Kho, Kho International Ltd.
Honorable Mention: Allen Kleiman, A. Kleiman & Co.

Phenomenal
First Place: Gil International
Second Place: Robert Shapiro, Robert Shapiro
Third Place: Manu Nichani, Blue Moon Ent.
Honorable Mention: Robyn Dufty, DuftyWeis Opals Inc.

All Other Faceted
First Place: Jeffrey R. Hapeman, Earth’s Treasury LLC
Second Place: Mikola Kukharuk, Nomad’s
Third Place: Ambassador Gems
Honorable Mention: Hemant Phophaliya, AG Color Inc.

Brecken Branstratoris the senior editor, gemstones at National Jeweler, covering sourcing, pricing and other developments in the colored stone sector.