New Engagement-Ring Category Shines at AGTA Awards

The American Gem Trade Association (AGTA) has revealed the winners of its 2024 Spectrum and Cutting Edge awards, marking the 40th anniversary of the former.

This year’s contest, which ran from October 31 to November 1, received more than 375 submissions, the organization said Monday. Notable trends included the use of sapphires, tourmalines, and other blue and pink stones, as well as purple and orange gems.

Category-wise, “Evening Wear garnered the most entries at 75, and Men’s Wear had 27 entries, which reflects a slight increase,” said AGTA CEO John Ford. “We also have the new Engagement Ring category, and the 21 entries in it were just an explosion of vibrant color and far outweighed my expectations” for the traditionally diamond-dominated segment. “We also saw a substantial number of first-time entrants.”

The judges this year were longtime jeweler Jean Francois Bibet, Sherry Bender of Chicago retailer The Goldsmith, Susan Jacques from the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), and Suzy Landa of Suzy Landa Fine Jewelry. Peggy Grosz, formerly of pearl specialist Assael, withdrew from the panel due to a conflict.

Spectrum, which has been running since 1984, honors outstanding jewelry design, while Cutting Edge has been recognizing lapidary talent since 1992.

Here are the winners for each category in the Spectrum contest:

Best of Show and First Place in Evening Wear

Sophia D. En Tremblant Butterfly brooch in platinum and 18-karat yellow gold by Joseph Dardashti and Sophia D. Karmel of Joseph Dardashti. The brooch features 0.55 carats of emeralds, 3.02 carats of rubies, 0.65 carats of sapphires and 7.55 carats of diamonds.

Best Use of Color

**Platinum ring by Niveet Nagpal of Omi Gems featuring an emerald-cut, 12.42-carat bicolor tourmaline with 0.70 carats of spinel, 0.68 carats of demantoid garnets and 0.41 carats of diamonds.**

Best Use of Pearl

**Helix cufflinks by Robin Callahan of Robin Callahan Designs in 14-karat white gold with two pairs of Keshi pearls and 6.31 carats of black diamonds.**

Fashion Forward and Editor’s Choice

Cromatica earrings in titanium and 14-karat white gold by Adam Neeley of Adam Neeley Fine Art Jewelry, featuring tanzanites and garnets totaling 20.66 and 23.62 carats respectively, along with 1.26 carats of diamond accents.

Best of Single Entries

Whisper of the Ancestors lapel pin by Matthew Tuggle of Tuggle Designs and contributors Lauren Tuggle, Ryan Anderson and Kyle Forgey. The piece showcases a fantasy-cut, 18.23-carat sunstone with 1.15 carats of mixed teal tourmaline and 0.76 carats of diamonds in 18-karat rose gold, yellow gold and platinum.

Best Use of Platinum and Color, and First Place in Men’s Wear

Blue Me Away platinum ring by Craig Slavens of Luxe Fine Jewelry, starring a bezel-set cabochon cat’s eye blue topaz weighing 13.59 carats alongside 2.16 carats of ombré blue sapphires and 1.45 carats of diamonds.

Best Use of Platinum Crown

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The Girl Can Fight platinum ring by Marie Fellhauer of Holly Hawks Curations and contributor Southern Diamond Jewelers. The piece features a 32-carat morganite with 1.72 carats of pink- and white-diamond embellishments.

First Place in Bridal Wear