Gem Cutters/Carvers at the Carnegie Museum!

Michael Dyber: Master of Optical Illusion
May 31–August 31, 2014Michael Dyber is widely acknowledged as one of the foremost lapidary artists in the world today. He has won 23 national and international awards for his unique gem carvings. Using his own trademarked cutting techniques, Dyber creates stunning artworks that appear to bend light while interacting with each gemstone’s natural colors. Michael Dyber: Master of Optical Illusion is the artist’s first solo show at a major museum.

Deborah Wilson, Slava Tulupav and Helen Serras-Herman 

Member Show of the Gem Artists of North America
Fall/Winter 2014Founded in 1995, Gem Artists of North America (GANA) is an association of artists and professionals of the gemstone art industry. GANA counts among its members some of the world’s foremost lapidary artists, with works appearing in museums, exhibitions, and private collections worldwide. The juried member show highlights artworks inspired by the beauty of the precious materials themselves.


Wertz Gallery at the Carnegie MuseumWertz Gallery: Gems & Jewelry is a 2,000-square-foot addition to Hillman Hall of Minerals and Gems dedicated to gems, the crystals from which they come, and jewelry comprised of these precious stones. Wertz Gallery is named in honor of Ronald W. Wertz, longtime president of the Hillman Foundation. Wertz Gallery opened in 2007 as part of a year-long expansion and renovation of Hillman Hall of Minerals and Gems, which first opened in 1980. Hillman Hall exhibits minerals in the manner of sculpture, showing them for their beauty as well as discussing their physical properties and industrial uses. Extensive displays include amber, birthstones, and lapidary art, and major exhibitions are also hosted.

AGTA's 2011 Spectrum Awards™ "Cutting Edge" Winners

If you read yesterday's report on the AGTA announcement of the Winners of the 2011 Spectrum Awards™, you know that the announcement included the "Cutting Edge" Awards.

Unfortunately photos of the winners haven't been released yet - so I didn't add it to my post. Seriously - what good is a list of winners if you can't see them....

I want to give a HUGE thank you to the awesome John Dyer - Gem Artist ! We have John's winning entries! ...the Object of Art entries were announced with the Jewelry Awards.

(BTW - if you are a cutter that won an award in 2011 free to submit photos to my email at robynahawk at yahoo dot com)

AGTA Cutting Edge Awards honor excellence and creativity in lapidary arts, including natural colored gemstones and cultured pearls, carvings, other gem materials and objects of art. Categories included: Open Category - Classic Gemstone Division, Open Category – All Other Faceted Gemstones Division, Open Category – Phenomenal Gemstones Division, Pairs & Suites, Faceting, Carving, Combination and Objects of Art.

The 2011 Cutting Edge Awards Winners

Classic Cut Gemstones:

A1 - Open Category Classic Gemstone - 1st Place

Joseph Ambalu, Amba Gem Corp.: 8.04 ct. pigeon blood Ruby.

A1 - Open Category Classic Gemstone -2nd Place

Sailesh Lakhi, Lakhi Impex, Inc.: 43.42 ct. cushion-shape, step-cut blue Sapphire.

A1 - Open Category Classic Gemstone - 3rd Place

Allen Kleiman, A. Kleiman & Co.: 6.66 ct. cushion-cut pink Sapphire.

A1 - Open Category Classic Gemstone - Honorable Mention

Gonen Abrahami, ABC Gems: 4.93 ct. emerald-cut Emerald.

A2 - Open Category All Other Faceted - 1st Place

Ruben Bindra, B & B Fine Gems: 9.59 ct. trillion-cut red Spinel.

A2 - Open Category All Other Faceted - 2nd Place

Ruben Bindra, B & B Fine Gems: 32.58 ct. oval-shape tsavorite Garnet.

A2 - Open Category All Other Faceted - 3rd Place

Ben Kho, Kho International, Inc.: 12.91 ct. princess-cut Rhodochrosite.

A2 - Open Category All Other Faceted - Honorable Mention

Ben Kho, Kho International, Inc.: 15.28 ct. ct. oval-cut Imperial Topaz.

A2 - Open Category All Other Faceted - Honorable Mention

Jeffrey Bilgore, Jeffrey Bilgore, LLC: 49.24 ct. Asscher-cut Aquamarine.

Phenomenal Gemstones

A3 - Open Category Phenomenal - 1st Place

Robyn Dufty, DuftyWeis Opals, Inc.: 36.73 ct. Mexican fire Opal cabochon.

A3 - Open Category Phenomenal - 2nd Place

Allen Kleiman, A. Kleiman & Co.: Pair of oval Alexandrites (3.25 ctw.).

A3 - Open Category Phenomenal – 3rd Place

Jeffrey Bilgore, Jeffrey Bilgore, LLC: 15.0 ct. oval cat's eye Chrysoberyl.

Pairs & Suites

B - Pairs & Suites - 1st Place

Clay Zava, Zava Mastercuts: Suite of pastel Cuprian Tourmalines (127.40 ctw.).

B - Pairs & Suites - 2nd Place

Allen Kleiman, A. Kleiman & Co.: 15-piece round blue Sapphire necklace layout (68.75 ctw.).

B - Pairs & Suites - 3rd Place

Hemant Phophaliya, AG Color, Inc.: Pair of pear-shaped cabochon Tanzanites (41.62 ctw.).

B - Pairs & Suites - Honorable Mention

Darrell Jang, Darrell Jang: Aspen-shaped leaves cut from a 15.09 ct. Peridot and a 11.15 ct.

Heliodor

Faceting

C – Faceting - 1st Place

(Shown Left)

Jeff L. White, J.L. White Fine Gemstones:

48.83 ct. square, cushion-cut Morganite.

C – Faceting - 2nd Place

John Dyer, John Dyer & Co.: 14.43 ct. cushion-cut pink Tourmaline.

C – Faceting - 3rd Place

Ben Kho, Kho International, Inc.: 13.78 ct. sunburst-cut Sphalerite.

C – Faceting - Honorable Mention

Ben Kho, Kho International, Inc.: 50.20 ct. kaleidoscope-cut Kunzite.

Carving

D – Carving - 1st Place

Joseph August Voss, Joseph August Voss: 220.30 ct. crystal Quartz carving.

D – Carving - 2nd Place

John Dyer, John Dyer & Co.: 62.64 ct. "Golden Reflections" Beryl.

D – Carving - 3rd Place

Naomi Sarna, Naomi Sarna Designs: Carved white Opal sculpture (149 grams).

Combination

E – Combination - 1st Place

Thomas Trozzo, Trozzo: 66.48 ct. square, dimple, concaved, scissor-cut Aquamarine.

E – Combination - 2nd Place

John Dyer, John Dyer & Co.: 50.92 ct. trillion custom-cut Morganite.

E – Combination - 3rd Place

John Dyer, John Dyer & Co.: 9.50 ct. Umbalite Garnet.

Objects of Art

F - Objects of Art - 1st Place

Gregore Morin, Gregore Joailliers: Kokeshi Princess featuring white Opal (83.98 ctw.), Basinite (36.29 ctw.), rubellite Tourmalines (2.91 ctw.) and Diamonds (.72 ctw.) with 18K white gold and platinum on a base of silver, brass and wood.

F - Objects of Art - 2nd Place and Best Use of Pearls

Llyn L. Strelau, Jewels by Design: Sculpture titled "Who Are You" featuring two-tone gold and silver with freshwater baroque Pearls, South Sea keshi Pearls, akoya seed Pearls, demantoid Garnets (.25 ctw.), .20 ct. Ruby and cognac Diamonds (.03 ctw.) on a crystal Quartz base (242 ctw.).

F - Objects of Art - 3rd Place

Tigran Lementsyan, Repair Restoration Center: "Dandelion" featuring Quartz and Diamonds (.36 ctw.) with silver, 18K yellow gold and gold-plated leaves.

F - Objects of Art - Honorable Mention

Darryl Alexander, Alexander's Jewelers: "Got Paint?"- opalized wood with a sterling frame in a black marble base. The paint is Sugalite, Mookite, Turquoise & Onyx, with Quartz dish & sterling tube with Coral. The brushes are Onyx, Agate, Hematite, Quartz and multiple woods.

2011 AGTA Cutting Edge Awards Competition

AGTA Spectrum & Cutting Edge Awards info HERE

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JUDGES SET FOR AGTA SPECTRUM AWARDS

July 8, 2009 – Dallas, TX: The American Gem Trade Association (AGTA) announced the judges for the 2010 AGTA Spectrum Awards™ competition. They are:

Design consultant/writer Marlene Richey

Gem artist John Hatleburg

Jewelry designer Mish Tworkowski of Mish New York

Jewelry editor Nicole Keating of Women’s Wear Daily and W magazine

Antique jewelry expert Ben Macklowe of The Macklowe Gallery

Jewelry designer Cecelia Bauer.

"We really wanted to bring a broad range of perspectives to the judging process," stated Douglas K. Hucker, AGTA CEO. "This panel of judges brings a wealth of knowledge and keen sense of jewelry design."

The AGTA Spectrum Awards™ is the premiere colored gemstone and pearl jewelry design competition in the world. The competition is in its 26th year of existence and sets the bar for jewelry designers and lapidaries. The winning designs are featured in consumer and trade press. Furthermore, all entries get tremendous exposure through the competition’s Editor’s Day in New York City, where many pieces are requested for subsequent photo shoots.

The competition judges jewelry designs in five categories: Evening, Business/Day Wear, Classical, Bridal and Men’s Wear. Once again this year, Platinum Guild International (PGI) will select a design from each category to receive Platinum Honors, with the winners receiving an incredible value-added promotional package. The Cutting Edge division judges excellence in gemstone faceting, carving and objects of art.

For more information and entry forms for the 2010 AGTA Spectrum Awards™, please visit www.agta.org/awards or call 1-800-972-1162. The deadline for entries is September 25, 2009.