Photos Up: 2011 AGTA Cutting Edge Awards

We were able to show you some of the 2011 Spectrum - Cutting Edge Award Winners earlier - but the AGTA has now posted the COMPLETE Set of photos...and these are glorious!!!

...of course the jewels are beautiful...but the photography of Robert Weldon makes them SING!

Check out the complete set at:http://www.agta.org/awards/2011-winners.html

...and a few new teasers...the winners in the Carving Category.

1st Place
D - Carving
Joseph August Voss
Joseph August Voss
Boise, ID USA

220.30 ct. crystal Quartz carving.

2nd Place
D - Carving
John Dyer
John Dyer & Co.
Edina, MN USA

62.64 ct. "Golden Reflections" Beryl.

3rd Place
D - Carving
Naomi Sarna
Naomi Sarna Designs
New York, NY USA

Carved white Opal sculpture (149 grams).

...and as usual I will be posting individual photo galleries at Posterous

http://aflyonthewall.posterous.com/

Photos In: 2011 AGTA Spectrum Awards

We were able to show you some of the 2011 Spectrum Award Winners earlier - but the AGTA has now posted the COMPLETE Set of photos...and these are glorious!!!

...of course the jewels are beautiful...but the photography of Robert Weldon makes them SING!

Check out the complete set at: http://www.agta.org/awards/2011-winners.html

...and a few new teasers...

2nd Place
Business/Day Wear
Gregore Morin
Gregore Joailliers
Santa Barbara, CA USA

18K white and yellow gold earrings featuring lemon Chrysoprase (22.0 ctw.) accented with Garnets (2.38 ctw.).

Editor's Choice
Katey Brunini
K. Brunini Jewels
Solana Beach, CA USA

18K rose gold and silver ring featuring white Opal accented with blue Sapphires (3.26 ctw.), Diamonds (.13 ctw.) and Rubies (.06 ctw.).

Honorable Mention
Business/Day Wear
Eva Cheng
Elite Import
San Francisco, CA USA

18K rose gold pendant/brooch featuring a freeform rose Quartz set with a .70 ct. round Diamond and accented with 178 Diamonds (1.20 ctw.).

December's Turquoise Blues...

"If cold December gave you birth
The month of snow and ice and mirth
Place on your hand a turquoise blue;
Success will bless whate'er you do."

If you are a December baby you have a great choice of stones to celebrate your "cold December" birth!

While the Traditional December Birthstones have long been Turquoise and Blue Zircon, the substitution of Blue Topaz for the hard to find Blue Zircon is a widely accepted practice.

But today, thanks in part to the Jewelry selling networks on television and internet access we are able to more readily find Blue Zircon...Great news for the purists out there!

...and in recent times there has been a push to add Tanzanite to the list of December alternative Birthstones.

Quite appropriately Tanzanite has long been used in Tanzania as a stone that represented new birth and is presented to new Mothers. So representing the month that gives birth to a new year seems logical!

Photos:

Turquoise Estate Necklace from Fay Cullen

Blue Topaz from John Dyer 53.68 ct Topaz StarBrite™ - Photography by Lydia Dyer

Just under 10 carat Blue Zircon ring from Jewelry Television

Erica Courtney's AGTA Award Winning Earrings - Photography by Robert Weldon

Celebrity Jewel: Holiday Celeb Sightings...

The Holidays bring lots of events and lots of Celebrity Sightings!

...of course the obvious is the American Music Awards.

While there wasn't as much edgy fashion and young jewelry designers as I have always hoped for in this show - there were great nods to some of the big names in Red Carpet Jewelry.

"Your Teenage Dream" Katy Perry in a Brumani bracelet, and Pink Tourmaline and Pave earrings byVRAM for GRAY.

Editor's note - I love these earrings! I was checking out their Facebook page looks like a Fab shop! must check it out soon!

Jessica Alba presented in Cushnie et Ochs, Christian Louboutin, and Aandra Neen jewels...

Editor's Note: did you notice that this look bucks the trend to big earring & stacks of bangles? Bold move Ms. Alba!

Fergie of the Black Eyed Peas made a Red Carpet appearance in a Falguni & Shane peacock dress, Ruthie Davis “Spikette” shoes, Rene Caovilla clutch, and Loree Rodkin jewels.

Editor's Note: This was probably the most "Rock n Roll" look of the night - it would have made more of an impact if her hair wasn't doing battle with the peacocks!

Rihanna - usually someone we can count on for edgy looks, showed up looking RED hot in a scarlet gown from the Fall/Winter 2010 Elie Saab Haute Couture collection - add Christian Louboutin shoes and Neil Lane jewels - Gorgeous!

Even the always tough Avril Lavigne is growing up...hot off a new album release is wearing Dolce&Gabbana with a Lori Rodkin ring, Gwyneth B bracelets, Giuseppe Zanotti shoes, and a Jimmy Choo clutch.

...and talk about growing up! Miley Cyrus in Marchesa, Christian Louboutin, and Neil Lane jewelry.

See the full stories at:

Just Jared

Marie-Claire

It was a Who's-Who at the recent Lorraine Schwartz 2BHappy Launch...celebrities glittered in Lorraine's gorgeous jewels!

See the story at:

CocoPerez

SoulfulBeauty.com

RedCarpet-FashionAwards

Just Jared

Sad To See - Courtney Love Sued Over Borrowed Jewels

Just when it appeared that Courtney Love (front woman for alternative rock band Bush) was pulling her life together and looked cleaner than I ever remember her being...

Jacob & Co - company of famed jeweler to the stars Jacob the Jeweler - is suing the troubled celeb for not returning over $100,000 worth of borrowed jewelry.

The company claims to have let Love "borrow" two white gold and diamond chains, a white gold, floral-design mesh bracelet and a pair of white gold and diamond pave hoop earrings" Photo: Courtney wearing the pieces described.

Love apparently says the missing pieces were lost. But Jacob & Co.'s lawyer, Jeffrey Klarsfeld, says Love agreed to be responsible for the items "regardless of loss or damage."

For the full story and photos see http://www.prefixmag.com/news/courtney-love-is-being-sued-again-this-time-over-m/46414/