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The results are in for the 2021 American Gem Trade Association (AGTA) Spectrum Awards, and a Jewellery Business contributor is among this year’s celebrated designers.
Llyn L. Strelau of Jewels by Design in Calgary took home the award for ‘Best Use of Platinum and Color,’ as well as third place in the ‘Business/Day Wear’ category, for his ‘Dreamweaver’ necklace.
The piece, which is part of the ‘Somewhere In the Rainbow’ collection, features multi-coloured akoya cultured pearls, along with a removable platinum pendant. The pastel three-beryl suite, which was cut by Stephen Avery, includes a 5.28-carat aquamarine, a 4.56-carat heliodor, and a 2.86-carat morganite, accented with diamonds (0.40 ctw).
“To wear ‘Dreamweaver,’ the male bayonets on the platinum arcs are pushed into the female findings in the gem-set centre piece with gentle pressure against the internal springs,” Strelau says of the neckpiece. “A slight rotation while maintaining this pressure and release locks them together. There is still some flexibility of the connection, which allows for it to adjust smoothly to the wearer’s neck.”
“The beauty of using the bayonet clasp system is that the main, gem-set component can be worn on alternative chains or pearl strands, and, potentially, the woven pearl neckpiece could also have a different centre piece,” he adds.
Strelau also won first place in Spectrum’s ‘Classical’ category for his ‘Luxuriant’ sautoir necklace, which features black and white South Sea cultured pearls, accented with diamonds, on strands of Japanese baroque keshi cultured pearls. Additionally, he took home manufacturing honours in the Men’s Wear category for his silver calcite and 24-karat yellow gold ‘Knotty’ cufflinks, which feature ruby, sapphire, tsavorite garnet, and diamond.
Judging for this year’s awards proved to be as lively as ever, says AGTA CEO Douglas Hucker.
“After a year and a half of dealing with the fallout from the COVID pandemic, we are gratified the coloured gemstone and cultured pearl community responded with strong support for our Spectrum Awards competition,” he says. “The entries this year once again showcased the creativity and resilience of lapidarists, designers, and manufacturers who participated in our industry’s premier design competition.”
This year’s judges were Judy Evans (Judy Evans Design Studio), Amber Gustafson (Amber’s Designs Fine Jewelry), Tony Logan (Jay Dean Winchester), Kelly Mitchell (Kelly Mitchell Fine Jewelry), and Matthew Trent (Matthew Trent). The panel evaluated each of the submissions based on beauty and wearability, innovation, material use, consumer appeal, and quality of gemstones and workmanship. The pieces’ ability to positively represent natural-coloured gemstones was also considered.
Read on for a list of this year’s top winners.
Best of Show
Adam Neeley, Adam Neeley Fine Art Jewelry – 14-karat rose and white gold ‘Galassia’ earrings featuring specialty-cut Tanzanites (24.84 ctw), accented with Akoya cultured pearls and diamonds (4.04 ctw)
Best Use of Colour
Adam Neeley, Adam Fine Art Jewelry – Suite of specialty-cut green tourmalines (47.80 ctw) and Tanzanites (12.69 ctw)
Best Use of Pearls
Michael Tope, Raintree, LLC – 18-karat yellow gold and platinum ‘Kalaimaia’ earrings, featuring black Tahitian cultured pearls, green tourmalines (6.30 ctw), yellow diamonds (0.58 ctw), white diamonds (0.40 ctw) and turquoise
Fashion Forward
Stanislav Petrov, Stanislav Petrov Inc. – 18-karat yellow and white gold ‘Violet’ ring with purple nano-ceramic coating, featuring amethysts (1.50 ctw), yellow sapphires (1.90 ctw) and diamonds (0.02 ctw)
Best of Single Entries (Spectrum)
Scott Keating, Somewhere In The Rainbow – 18-karat yellow gold ‘Hot Scarab Nights’ bracelet featuring specialty-cut blue zircons (10.12 ctw) and pink tourmalines (5.66 ctw) accented with sapphire melee (1.50 ctw) and diamond melee (0.32 ctw)
Best of Single Entries (Cutting Edge)
Misael Angel Rodriguez, Gem Arts International – 24-piece jewellery suite of cat’s eye’s emerald cabochons (37.90 ctw)
Best Use of Platinum and Colour
Llyn Strelau, Somewhere In The Rainbow – Platinum ‘Dreamweaver’ necklace featuring multi-coloured Akoya cultured pearls with a removable platinum pendant with a specialty-cut beryl suite (including a 5.28-carat aquamarine, a 4.56-carat heliodor, and a 2.86-carat morganite, accented with diamonds (0.40 ctw)
Best Use of Platinum Crown
Lindsay Jane Chatham, K. Jons Jewelry Co. – Platinum ‘Love You Forever, Love You for Always’ ring, featuring a 7.47-carat round yellow zircon accented with diamonds (1.04 ctw) and lavender sapphires (0.90 ctw)
Bridal Wear
First Place (and PGI Platinum Honors)
Suna Bros., Suna Bros. – Platinum ring featuring a 9.18-carat oval lavender moonstone cabochon, accented with lavender sapphires (1.36 ctw) and diamonds (0.56 ctw)
WJA Gem Diva Award
Sherry Bender, The Goldsmith Ltd., of Chicago – 18-karat yellow gold earrings, featuring moonstones (19.17 ctw), opals (2.96 ctw), orange sapphires (2.91 ctw), accented with peridots (0.87 ctw), cultured pearls, and spessartite garnets
Business/Day Wear
First Place
Niveet Nagpal, Omi Privé – Platinum pendant, featuring an 8.12-carat pear-shaped moonstone cabochon, accented with Paraiba-type tourmalines (0.86 ctw) and diamonds (0.96 ctw)
WJA Gem Diva Award
Rosa Van Parys, Rosa Van Parys Jewelry – ‘Snow White’ necklace, featuring an 18-karat yellow, rose, white, and black gold pendant with a 15.3-mm white cultured pearl, accented with rubies, tsavorite garnets, pink sapphires, and multi-coloured diamonds on a strand of white akoya cultured pearls
Classical
First Place
Llyn L. Strelau, Jewels by Design – 18-karat yellow gold ‘Luxuriant’ sautoir necklace, featuring black and white South Sea cultured pearls, accented with diamonds (3.50 ctw) on strands of Japanese baroque keshi cultured pearls
WJA Gem Diva Award
Beatrix Laura Jessner, B & W Jewels, LLC – Platinum ring featuring a 20.49-carat emerald-cut aquamarine, accented with diamonds (8.31 ctw)
Evening Wear
First Place
Adam Neeley, Adam Neeley Fine Art Jewelry – 14-karat rose and white gold ‘Galassia’ earrings, featuring specialty-cut Tanzanites (24.84 ctw), accented with akoya cultured pearls and diamonds (4.04 ctw)
WJA Diva Award
Caroline Chartouni, Caroline C – 18-karat white gold bracelet, featuring nine oval Paraiba tourmalines (29.56 ctw), accented with diamonds (11.16 ctw) and Paraiba tourmalines
Men’s Wear
First Place
Rodney Rahmani, Brilliant Stars – 18-karat yellow gold and platinum ring, featuring a 12.86-carat cat’s eye chrysoberyl cabochon, accented with diamonds
Cutting Edge
All Other Cut Gemstones
First Place
Sailesh Lakhi, Sparkles and Colors USA, Inc. – 30.50-carat oval, brilliant-cut untreated Mandarin garnet
Carving
First Place
Larry Woods, Gem Arts International – 67.75-carat ‘Eye of the Dragon’ bi-coloured Oregon Sunstone carving
Classic Gemstone
First Place
Allen Kleiman, A. Kleiman & Co. – 4.35-carat round Mozambique ruby
Innovative Faceting
First Place
Larry Woods, Gem Arts International – 43.80-carat specialty-cut green tourmaline, titled Celestial Compass Rose’
North American Mined Gemstones
First place
Brad Payne, Somewhere In The Rainbow – 12.86-carat modified pear-cut rhodochrosite from Sweet Home Mine, Colo., titled ‘Colorado Candy Crush’
Objects of Art
First Place
Yanqing Zhang Asdurian, Yanqing Asdurian – Jadeite carving of a boot
Pairs and Suites
First Place
Hemant Phophaliya, A G Color, Inc. – Pair of almond-shaped Tanzanite drops (59.54 ctw)
Phenomenal
First Place
Misael Angel Rodriguez, Gem Arts International – 24-piece jewellery suite of cat’s eye’s emerald cabochons (37.90 ctw)
For a complete list of this year’s winners, click here.
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The post JB columnist wins big at Spectrum – jewellerybusiness.com first appeared on Magikal Journeys Jewelry Handmade.
