When colored gemstones are mixed into designs from some of the world’s best jewelry designers, the results are nothing less than award-winning.

Photos © AGTA/John Parrish.

"Jurbelle Rolling Gems” bracelet from Joe Kremer, the first-place winner in Division III and a Manufacturing Honors recipient.

A platinum “Rainbow Pendant” from Brenda J. Warburton, an honorable mention in Division II.

The 2001 American Gem Trade Association (AGTA) Spectrum Award competition honored this year's most spectacular natural colored gemstone jewelry designs, from both North American and international jewelry designers. In addition to the Spectrum awards, Manufacturing Honors, and Platinum Honors that are awarded each year, for this competition the AGTA added a special theme category that will change each year. This year's theme celebrates the 20th anniversary of the AGTA in 2001.

The judges for the Spectrum Awards and Manufacturing Honors were Llyn Strelau of Jewels by Design, Stephen Lagos of Lagos Inc., and Kathleen Fitzpatrick of Departures magazine. Judges for the Platinum Honors were Barbara Moss of Modern Jeweler, Judy Evans of Diana Couture, and Ann Whatu of Rafinity Jewelers.

For more information on next year's AGTA Spectrum Award competition, contact the AGTA at (214) 742-4367, fax (214) 742-7334, or visit www.agta.org.

SPECTRUM WINNERS

The Best of Show winner and first place in Division II — a spessartite garnet, sapphire, cultured pearl, black onyx, and diamond seahorse brooch from Gregory Morin.

Best Use of Color: Kim Eric Lilot of Kim Eric Lilot Metalsmith for a platinum and 18K gold ring with 1.57 ct. tourmaline.

Division I - Over $10,000 Retail Value
First Place: Mark Schneider of Schneider Design Studio for his platinum ring with 13.5 mm black faceted Tahitian cultured pearl, opal inlay, and 0.50 ctw. round tsavorite garnet.

Second Place: Susan Marie Phipps of Susan Marie Phipps Designs for her platinum ring with 4.56 ct. square rose-cut tanzanite, 0.76 ctw. trillion-cut pink sapphire, and 0.08 ctw. diamond.

Third Place: Holly K. Croft of Holly K. Croft Designs for her platinum necklace with Tahitian cultured pearl and aquamarine.

Honorable Mentions: Robert Pelliccia of J.R. Dunn Jewelers for his platinum ring with Burmese ruby, half-moon diamond, baguette diamond, round diamond, and round pink diamond; Mark Schneider of Schneider Design Studio for his platinum ring with trillion-cut tanzanite and diamond melee.

The winning design in Division II of the International category — a platinum, 18K gold, and tourmaline brooch from Bong Youn Cho of Jewelry Rubius, Tokyo, Japan.

Division II - $5,001 to $10,000 Retail Value
First Place: Gregory Morin for his 18K yellow and white gold seahorse brooch with 2.42 ctw. spessartite garnet, 4.10 ctw. sapphire, 0.57 ctw. diamond, 0.15 ct. black onyx, and 3 mm to 5 mm cultured pearls.

Second Place: Burdett Milkins of BAM Designs for his 18K white gold “Rainbow Boundaries” bracelet with 2.09 ctw. round sapphire and 1.15 ctw. princess-cut sapphire.

Third Place: Ernesto Moreira of Ernesto Moreira for 18K white and yellow gold earrings with 10 mm black Tahitian cultured pearls and 1.64 ctw. princess-cut ruby.

Honorable Mentions: Brenda J. Warburton of Austin & Warburton for a platinum “Rainbow Pendant” with amethyst, ruby, pink sapphire, citrine, emerald, peridot, blue sapphire, fan-cut amethyst, and pear-shape tanzanite; Emmanuel Himmelberger of Emmanuel Himmelberger Designs for a platinum and 18K green gold ring with green beryl.

Division III - $2,501 to $5,000 Retail Value
First Place: Joe Kremer of F. Joseph Kremer, Goldsmith Inc. for his 14K gold “Jurbelle Rolling Gems” bracelet with amethyst, aquamarine, citrine, peridot, ruby, blue topaz, garnet, diamond, tourmaline, emerald, moonstone, and sapphire.

Second Place: Gabriel D. Ofiesh II of Gabriel D. Ofiesh II for a platinum “Orbit Ring” (patented design) with 1.60 ctw. suite of colored sapphire.

Third Place: Gregory Morin for his 18K white gold ring with 21.73 ct. oval chalcedony cabochon and 0.46 ctw. diamond.

Honorable Mentions: John C. Mason of Aurum/SCG for a platinum brooch “Queens 20th Spawn” with green Tahitian cultured pearl, black Baja keshi pearl, akoya pearls, emerald, green diamond, diamond, and agatized oolithic chert (“caviar agate”); Robert Gesler of Equatorian Imports for an 18K gold “White Christmas” pendant with mother of pearl, emerald, and red beryl.

A platinum, 18K gold, and tourmaline ring from Kim Eric Lilot — the winner of the Best Use of Color award and first place in Division IV.

Division IV - $1,001 to $2,500 Retail Value
First Place: Kim Eric Lilot for a platinum and 18K gold ring with 1.57 ct. tourmaline.

Second Place: Jason Baskin of The Gem Vault for his platinum and 18K gold ring with 2.43 ct. antique cushion-cut tourmaline.

Third Place: Kim Yanke of Yanke Design for an 18K white and yellow gold brooch with 3.17-gram stick pearl and 3 mm and 4 mm garnets.

Honorable Mentions: Troy Ingram of Treasures Custom Jewelers for an 18K gold pendant with trillion-cut scapolite and trillion-cut tsavorite; Sylvia Jaeggi of Sylvia Jaeggi Goldsmith for her 14K gold ring with peridot and diamond.

Division V - Up to $1,000 Retail Value

First Place: Ronald Davidson of Davidson Designs for his 18K gold and stainless steel ring with 2.57 ct. citrine, 0.55 ctw. tsavorite, and 0.05 ctw. diamond.

Second Place: Michael J. Boillot of Michael's Creative Jewelry for his 18K gold frog brooch with 6.75 ct. fire agate and 0.10 ctw. diamond.

Third Place: Peter J. Lees of PJL Designs for his 18K gold ring with 1.87 ct. opposed-bar-cut garnet.

Honorable Mentions: Nanz Aalund of Nanz Designz for platinum earrings with pink sapphire and Tahitian cultured pearl; Michael T. Kelley of NY Ferro Jewelers for a platinum and 18K gold pendant with trillion-cut tourmaline, garnet, and diamond.

“20 Years on the Rocks,” a Tahitian pearl, ruby, tourmaline, black jade, and synthetic corundum brooch from John Strobel, which won the AGTA 20th Anniversary Award and a Platinum Honors.

AGTA 20th Anniversary Award: John Strobel of John/Christine Designs for “20 Years on the Rocks” platinum and 18K gold brooch with Tahitian cultured pearl, 0.41 ct. ruby, 4.12 ct. tourmaline, freeform black jade, and 2.86 ct. synthetic corundum rod. Anthony Vela of A. James Ltd. for his platinum necklace with 0.36 ct. emerald and 0.30 ctw. diamond.

International

Division II - $5,001 to $10,000 Retail Value
Bong Youn Cho of Jewelry Rubius, Tokyo, Japan, for a platinum and 18K gold brooch with 25.27 ct. tourmaline.

Division III - $2,501 to $5,000 Retail Value
Tom Munsteiner of Tom Munsteiner, Stiphausen, Germany, for his 18K gold ring with 7.48 ct. golden beryl.

A cultured pearl and tsavorite garnet bracelet from Jane Bohan, a Manufacturing Honors winner.

Manufacturing Honors:
An D. Nguyen of Lisa Kaye & Co. for a platinum pendant with 10.3 mm black South Sea cultured pearl, 0.07 ct. diamond, and 0.07 ct. fancy intense yellow diamond.

Anthony Vela for his platinum necklace with 0.36 ct. emerald and 0.30 ctw. diamond.

Joe Kremer for his 14K gold “Jur-belle Rolling Gems” bracelet with amethyst, aquamarine, citrine, peridot, ruby, blue topaz, garnet, diamond, tourmaline, emerald, moonstone, and sapphire.

Gabriel D. Ofiesh II for a platinum “Orbit Ring” (patented design) with 1.60 ctw. suite of colored sapphire.

Jane Bohan of Jane Bohan Inc. for her 18K green gold cultured pearl bracelet with freshwater and 8.5 mm to 9 mm Tahitian pearls and 0.39 ctw. tsavorite.

Platinum Honors:

A platinum, tanzanite, and diamond ring from Mark Schneider, an honorable mention in Division I and a Platinum Honors winner.

Division I - Over $10,000 Retail Value
Mark Schneider for his platinum ring with 12.11 ct. trillion-cut tanzanite and 1.89 ctw. diamond melee.

Holly K. Croft for her platinum necklace with Tahitian cultured pearl and aquamarine.

Mark Loren of Mark Loren Designs for his platinum two-finger ring with 7.89 ct. tanzanite and 0.81 ctw. baguette emerald.

Division II - $5,001 to $10,000 Retail Value
John Strobel for “20 Years on the Rocks” platinum and 18K gold brooch with Tahitian cultured pearl, 0.41 ct. ruby, 4.12 ct. tourmaline, freeform black jade, and 2.86 ct. synthetic corundum rod.

Gloria Stewart of London Gold for her platinum and 22K gold ring with 6.0 ct. bullet-shaped blue topaz holding 0.25 ct. and 0.65 ct. cone-shaped tourmaline, 2.13 ctw. pink sapphire, and 0.90 ctw. tube-shaped tourmaline.

Anisa Wiggington of Mark Loren Designs for her platinum ring with 16.40 ct. blue zircon, 1.12 ctw. orange sapphire, and 0.19 ctw. diamond.

Susan Drake of Drake Designs Inc. for her platinum and 18K gold earrings with round cone-shaped garnets (3.04 ctw. rhodolite, 3.13 ctw. Mandarin, 3.28 ctw. spessartite), 0.20 ctw. princess-cut diamond, and 0.14 ctw. diamond melee.

Division III - $2,501 to $5,000 Retail Value
Susan Drake of Drake Designs Inc. for her platinum and 18K gold ring with 2.44 ct. shield-shape red spinel, 6.50 ct. disc-shape garnet, and 0.06 ctw. diamond melee.

Scott Gauthier of Jewelry by Gauthier for a platinum and 18K gold ring with 10.5 mm golden cultured pearl, 0.33 ctw. tsavorite, 0.80 ctw. baguette diamond, and 0.58 ctw. round diamond.

Gabriel D. Ofiesh II for a platinum “Orbit Ring” (patented design) with 1.60 ctw. suite of colored sapphire.

Mark Lauer of Mark Michael Designs, for his platinum earring with Tahitian cultured pearls, 5 mm to 9 mm and 2.5 mm to 4 mm cultured pearls, and 0.36 ctw. diamond.

A tourmaline, garnet, and diamond pendant from Michael T. Kelley, an honorable mention in Division V.

Division IV - $1,001 to $2,500 Retail Value
Apichart Warrachart of Apichart Warrachart for a platinum and 24K gold ring with 1.36 ct. blue topaz, 1.07 ct. lemon quartz, and 0.01 ct. diamond.

Jason Bouchard of Jason Bouchard Fine Jewelry for his platinum ring with 10 mm cultured pearl and 0.43 ctw. diamond.

Travis Kukovich of Jewelsmith for a platinum and 18K gold ring with 0.40 ct. tsavorite.

Division V - Up to $1,000 Retail Value
Travis Kukovich for his platinum and 18K gold pendant with 2.53 ct. yellow sapphire and 0.07 ct. diamond.