2013 AGTA Spectrum WJA Gem DIVA Award Winners

NEW Gem Diva Category The Gem Diva™ awards, sponsored by WJA, will be presented in the Bridal Wear, Evening Wear and Business/Day Wear categories.  All women who enter the Spectrum Awards competition will be eligible for this category simply by marking the check-box for Gem Diva on the entry form. AGTA’s Douglas Hucker, CEO, referred to the new WJA - AGTA partnership saying, “It is an additional opportunity for us to provide more recognition to the amazing women in our industry designing with colored gemstones and pearls.”

Bridal Wear – Gem Diva

Pamela Froman, 
Pamela Froman 

Fine Jewelry - Palladium "Ice Princess" cuff featuring rainbow Moonstones (15.0 ctw.) accented with Diamonds (3.01 ctw.).










Business/Day Wear – Gem Diva

Caroline Chartouni, 
Caroline C 

18K pink gold earrings featuring rose Quartz drops (56.37 ctw.) accented with Diamonds (1.99 ctw.).

Classical – Gem Diva


Dallas Prince, 
Dallas Prince Designs

14K rose gold "Twilight Blush" earrings featuring 2 cushion-cut Morganites (30.18 ctw.) accented with white Diamonds (.72 ctw.) and black Diamonds (1.6 ctw.).

Evening Wear – Gem Diva


Annie Fensterstock, 
Annie Fensterstock 

Blackened sterling silver and 22K yellow gold cuff featuring white and fancy-colored Diamonds (11.91 ctw.) and Sapphires (7.30 ctw.).

JUDGES

Lita Asscher -  sixth generation Asscher diamantaire and Designer at Royal Asscher Diamonds.

Phyllis and Ira Bergman -  Family owned Manufacturer, Mercury Ring.

Lorraine De Pasque - contributing writer for INSTORE/INDESIGN and freelance journalist.

WJA’s president, Tryna Kochanek, commented on the partnership with AGTA,  “The quality reputation of the Spectrum competition and the media exposure it receives will provide the talented women who enter the annual WJA Gem DIVA competition an opportunity for greater exposure, and the increased number of female designers who enter Spectrum will add an extra element of excitement to the overall competition.”

SOURCE:  Some photos and quotes are from Lorraine Pasque's amazing blog post about her experience as one of the Judges for 2013  please click through the below link for her first hand account.

http://instoremag.com/shine-blog/item/416-we-the-jury-find-them----divas

Judges Named for 3rd Int'l Pearl Design Competition

CPAA - 3rd Int'l Pearl Design Competition Names Panel of Judges

Pearl is the artist’s muse. Jewelry brings forth the fullest and highest expression.

The Cultured Pearl Association of America is pleased to announce the panel of judges selected for the 2013 International Pearl Design Competition. In its third year, the IPDC, which celebrates artists' expressions of pearl jewelry, drew entries from over 13 countries. Official announcement of the winners takes place on November 1st.

We are very proud to share with you today this year’s judges, each represent varied viewpoints and insight of the jewelry industry.

Winners will be announced on November 1, 2012. Winning entries will be on display during the AGTA and JCK shows in 2013.

2012 Panel of Judges:
Jennifer Heebner, Senior Editor, JCK MagazineJennifer Heebner has been covering the fine jewelry industry for JCK for more than 14 years. She started out as a staff writer for JCK’s niche publication, High-Volume Jeweler, eventually writing for a number of other brand titles, including JCK Luxury, Facets, and of course, JCK, for which she currently writes about style and designs as they apply to the retail jeweler. Most recently, she’s taken ownership of the Style 360 blog onjckonline.com, posting gorgeous jewels, designer interviews, and other fun, topical jewelry-specific news and product details multiple times a week. Jennifer applies her own entrepreneurial savvy—she ran her own antique furniture store and spearheaded fundraising initiatives as a founding board member of WJA’s midAtlantic chapter—to her unique and entertaining style of jewelry-business reporting, and supplements her writing with the occasional jewelry-education course to better tell the stories of those she reports on. She can be found scouring the aisles of most major jewelry shows looking for new designs and talent to share with her readers.
Jill Newman, Senior Editor, of the Robb Report Magazine 

Jill has been covering the international fine jewelry industry for more than 25 years. She has contributed to numerous consumer and trade publications, and websites. Her assignments have taken her around the world, from diamonds mines in South Africa to emerald mines in Brazil , and the Tanzanite mines in Tanzania . She is based in New York City .

Rachel Jackson, Director Fine Jewelry, The XO Group Inc. – the knotIn her role as the director of the fine jewelry category for XO Group Inc., Rachel is responsible for leading the advertising efforts of fine jewelry designers and manufacturers. A twelve year veteran of The Knot, she is the creator of the company’s Jewelry Store Referral Program, which connects consumers to designers and the retail point of sale. The granddaughter of a jeweler, Rachel is thrilled to have the opportunity to help new designers and established brands connect with consumers as they get engaged and celebrate life’s most memorable milestones. She resides with her husband and sons in Florida .
Jean François Bibet, Cartier
A native of France and a graduate from the France Jewelry School of Lyon. Jean worked in French Polynesia for 5 years, creating and modeling Tahitian Black Pearl Jewelry. Moving to the U.S. 13 years ago and began working in high end platinum jewelry for Van Cleef and Arpels. He is currently with Cartier , N.Y. , managing their high end jewelry workshop in North America .

For complete contest details visit www.cpaa.org or call 888-31-Pearl

The Cultured Pearl Association of America, Inc is a non profit group founded in 1957, comprised of the finest manufacturers, wholesalers, dealers and suppliers of Cultured Pearls in the United States.

Our intention is to "cultivate" awareness, interest, demand and successful marketability of Cultured Pearls for the retail community and the consumer level. Through promotion, education, public relations and unwavering commitment we aim to inspire an authentic passion for all Cultured Pearl varieties.