The American Gem Trade Association (AGTA) has revealed the winners of its 2025 Spectrum and Cutting Edge awards, at which several first-time participants took home prizes.
This year’s contest, which took place from October 30 to November 1 in Dallas, Texas, saw over 300 submissions, the organization said last month. Taking part in the competition were 32 new entrants, with six of these winning a total of seven awards.
“This year’s AGTA Spectrum Awards marked an extraordinary celebration of innovation and artistry,” said Jonathan Gad, chairman of the AGTA Spectrum committee. “I extend my warmest congratulations to all our winners, and a special acknowledgment to the record number of first-time honorees who joined the ranks of Spectrum awardees this year. Your creativity and dedication continue to inspire and elevate the standards of excellence in our industry.”
Popular trends included tourmaline, rubellite, and pink and purple gems. Sapphires, garnets, cameo motifs, high-quality rainbow moonstones, ocean-inspired designs, and standout emeralds also had a strong showing. The carving category in Cutting Edge saw triple the number of submissions compared to last year.
The judges this year were Craig Underwood of Underwood’s Jewelers, Donald Janson of Walters & Hogsett Jewelers, Blaine Lewis of the New Approach School for Jewelers, Clay Zava of Zava Mastercuts, Erica Courtney of Erica Courtney and Kevin Reilly of Platinum Guild International (PGI). Jerry Raine of Turgeon Raine Jewelers had to withdraw shortly before the competition. Meanwhile, Patti Spector Norville, Billie Norville, and Cher Norville all served as judges for the Alfie Norville Women in Excellence Awards (ANW), which occurred this year for the second time, with one female entrant in each of the six Spectrum categories receiving an honor.
AGTA will showcase several of the winning pieces at the 2025 GemFair Tucson show from February 2 to 6, 2026. The AGTA Spectrum Gala, the highlight of Gem Week, will take place on February 5 at the new Tucson Convention Center addition.
Here are the winners of each category in the Spectrum contest:
Best of Show
Elements bracelet, featuring a 14.16- carat tourmaline, accented with 12.77 carats of peridot, 4.80 carats of diamonds, 1.13 carats of spinel and 1.12 carats of garnet. The piece is from the Somewhere in the Rainbow Gem and Jewelry Collection, in collaboration with Marc Höllmüller. This piece also won first place for Business/Day Wear.
Best Use of Color
This ring bears an 8.48-carat opal accented with trapezoid tsavorite garnets, round tsavorite garnets, and round hauyne. Designed by Niveet Nagpal of Omi Gems.
Best Use of Pearl
Richard Berberian from Elyse Fine Jewelers – Gemologist, in collaboration with Anna Maria Cammilli, designed this midnight aurora pendant sporting a 14-millimeter black South Sea pearl accented by 20.18 carats of sapphires and 2.36 carats of diamonds.
Fashion Forward
Mark Loren of Mark Loren Designs, in collaboration with Jesus Marquez and Andrea Canzanella, created these earrings featuring black Tahitian pearls and golden South Sea pearls accented by marquise purple sapphires, mixed sapphires, and diamonds.
Best of Single Entries
These earrings feature 54.67 carats of fancy-cut London blue topaz accented by shield-cut tanzanite and cushion-cut tsavorite garnets, created by Heath London of Heath London Jewelry.
Editor’s Choice
A bracelet by Joseph Dardashti of Joseph Dardashti/Sophia D, in collaboration with Sophia D. Karmel. The piece features coral, onyx, and diamonds.
Spectrum Awards — First Place
Bridal Wear
Gabriel Angulo of Pompos Jewelry Corporation created this ring bearing an oval, 8.83-carat cabochon Australian Lightning Ridge black Opal, accented by diamonds, sapphires, emeralds and tourmalines.
Classical
Randy Coffin of Coffin & Trout Fine Jewellers designed this Face in the Mirror pendant with a removable bail featuring a hand-carved banded agate cameo accented with a custom-cut “mirror” quartz, diamonds, spessartite garnets and orange spinel.
Engagement Ring
This Love Struck ring by Nikki Swift at Nicole Mera features a heart-shaped, 1.74-carat Mozambique ruby in a frame of baguette and round diamonds and rubies.
Evening Wear
A necklace by Cindy Zhang of Cindy Lu Jewelry includes a 5.50-carat rubellite tourmaline accented by a 1.28-carat tsavorite garnet, rubies, pink sapphires, diamonds and pearls.
Men’s Wear
Craig Slavens of Luxe Fine Jewelry, in collaboration with Larry Rice, presents the Rock Star ring featuring a bezel-set cabochon Sri Lankan ruby weighing 24.62 carats and diamond accents.
Cutting Edge Awards
Best of Show
Suite of emerald-cut Colombian emeralds weighing 12.91 carats by Oren Nhaissi of EMCO Gem, in collaboration with Yaron Nhaissi. This submission also won first place in the category of Pairs & Suites.
Best of Single Entries
Philip Louer of North American Gem Carvers, in collaboration with Michael Christie and Susan Allen, designed this 18-karat yellow gold essence bottle featuring a 190-carat aquamarine, a 103-carat Tahitian pearl, a 470-carat chrysoprase and diamonds. It is titled Love at First Sight.
Editor’s Choice
A suite of pear-shaped faceted rainbow moonstones weighing 116.40 carats, by Allen Kleiman of A. Kleiman & Co.
All Other Cut Gemstones
An octagonal-cut, 35.25-carat pink-purple kunzite by Ben Kho of Kho International.
Carving
From the Somewhere in the Rainbow Gem and Jewelry Collection in collaboration with Gabi Klein, an elephant carved in dark-grey obsidian from base to top of trunk, with a rhodonite tongue, cacholong tusks, and black onyx eyes.
Classic Gemstones
A 2.09-carat, pigeon’s blood Mozambique ruby by Ron Rahmanan of Sara Gem.
Innovative Faceting
An oval concave-cut, 3.67-carat color-zoned tsavorite garnet from Ian Loska of Ian Loska Gems, titled Grassbright and Gilded Light.
North American Mined Gemstones
A19.34-carat rhodochrosite titled Rocky Mountain Jolly Rancher from the Somewhere in the Rainbow Gem and Jewelry Collection, in collaboration with Brad Payne and Jay Medici.
Objects of Art
Mastermind on the Rocks, a clear/blue topaz created by Desmond Chan of Gem Arts International in collaboration with Yan Ge (carver).
Phenomenal Gems
An unmounted cushion-cut, 12.91-carat color-change greenish to blue zircon by Bryan Lichtenstein of 3090 Gems.
Images: Some of the winners for the Best Of category. (American Gem Trade Association)
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New Entrants Shine in AGTA’s Spectrum and Cutting Edge Awards
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