Best of Winners Announced for AGTA's 2013 Spectrum Awards™ Competition

Winners Announced for AGTA's 2013 Spectrum Awards™ Competition

Winners have been named in the 2013 AGTA Spectrum Awards™ competition hosted by the American Gem Trade Association.  This year marks the 29th anniversary of the competition.

The competition was judged October 20-21 in New York, NY. Judges for the 2013 competition were Candace Edelman of Alex Sepkus, Jennifer Heebner of JCK Magazine, fine jewelry buyer Abby Huhtanen of Bergdorf Goodman, lapidarist Kiwon Jang, and designer Kimberly McDonald.

The annual AGTA Spectrum Awards™ Media Day was held October 22 and featured all of the jewelry and gemstone submissions.  Attendees included top fashion/accessory editors from the trade and consumer press, stylists, and bloggers.  Publications represented includedVogue, W, Elle, Harper’s Bazaar, InStyle, Women’s Wear Daily, Marie Claire, Essence, NY Times Magazine, and many more.

SPECTRUM AWARDS - Best of Category Winners:

Best of Show:

James Currens, 

J.W. Currens, Inc.

Platinum "Lava" ring featuring a 12.99 ct. Ruby cabochon accented with marquis-cut Diamonds (1.47 ctw.) and Diamond melee (7.40 ctw.).

Best Use of Color:

Erica Courtney, 

Erica Courtney

18K yellow gold earrings featuring Opals (36.70 ctw.), Apatite (5.92 ctw.) and tsavorite Garnets (1.76 ctw.).

Best Use of Platinum and Color:

Deirdre Featherstone, 

Featherstone Design

Platinum "Shangri-La" earrings featuring Opals (15.86 ctw.) and Tanzanite cabochon drops (48.54 ctw.) accented with purple and blue Sapphires (2.16 ctw.), Tourmalines (4.53 ctw.), tsavorite Garnets (.29 ctw.), Diamonds (.86ctw.) and Turquoise briolettes.

Best Use of Palladium & Color:

Cynthia Renee, 

Cynthia Renee, Inc.

Palladium and stainless steel "Owl Queen" brooch featuring a carved petrified palm owl, accented with Mother of Pearl on a 42.57 ct. green Tourmaline crystal and Diamonds (.16 ctw.).

Fashion Forward:

Jennifer Dawes, 

Dawes Design

18K yellow gold necklace featuring Aquamarines (14.45 ctw.), Emeralds (7.45 ctw.) and Diamonds (1.00 ctw.).

Best Use of Pearls:

Anil Maloo, 
Baggins, Inc.

14K white gold earrings featuring 8.5mm Akoya Pearls, 9mm white South Sea Pearls, 10-11mm Tahitian Pearls and accented with Diamonds (2.42 ctw.).




AGTA Spectrum Awards™ entries were judged on the basis of overall beauty and wearability, innovative design, effective use of materials, quality of gemstones, quality of workmanship, broad-base consumer appeal and potential to generate positive publicity for natural colored gemstones.

AGTA Cutting Edge Awards honor excellence and creativity in lapidary arts, including natural colored gemstones and cultured pearls, carvings, and other gem materials.


Platinum Honors were once again awarded with the support of Platinum Guild International.  All entries whose primary metal was platinum were eligible in this category.

Palladium Prestige Awards were once again awarded with the support of Palladium Alliance International.  All entries whose primary metal was palladium were eligible for these awards.

WJA Gem Diva Awards debuted at this year’s Spectrum Awards with the support of WJA, and were presented in the Bridal Wear, Evening Wear, Classical and Business/Day Wear categories.  All women who entered the Spectrum Awards competition were eligible for this category simply by marking the check-box for Gem Diva on their entry form.

All designs that qualified for the Spectrum Awards competition were considered for Manufacturing Honors. This award celebrates outstanding use of colored gemstones and cultured pearls in jewelry appropriate to be manufactured in production quantities.

Fashion Forward Honors recognizes the outstanding use of colored gemstone and/or cultured pearl beads in artful, trend-setting jewelry. All necklaces, earrings, bracelets or other jewelry that qualified for judging in the AGTA Spectrum Awards™ competition automatically qualified for Fashion Forward Honors judging.

The American Gem Trade Association is a not-for-profit Association serving the natural colored gemstone and cultured pearl industry since 1981. The AGTA serves the industry as "The Authority In Color" and has its headquarter office in Dallas, Texas.