The 2022 AGTA Spectrum Awards entries were displayed at Arkenstone Fine Mineral gallery for the press to admire.

Good morn

ing, my darlings!!! I’m past excited to inform you that I just lately attended the 2022 AGTA Spectrum Awards Editor’s Day, aka coloured gemstone heaven. And sure, I took photos for you!

AGTA stands for the American Gemstone Trade Association, which represents the coloured stone and cultured pearl industries within the US and Canada. AGTA and its members lead the business in academic assets, moral practices, and the best coloured gem stones and cultured pearls.

AGTA stands for the American Gemstone Trade Association, which represents the coloured stone and cultured pearl industries within the US and Canada. The Spectrum Awards is AGTA’s legendary annual jewellery design contest, which was created to acknowledge and promote each jewelers who use coloured gem stones and cultured pearls in distinctive effective jewellery designs and likewise lapidary artists who create extraordinary faceted gems and pearls, carvings, and objects of artwork.

I first attended the Spectrum Awards Editor’s Day in 2015 and I had the dignity of internet hosting the Spectrum Awards Gala Red Carpet throughout AGTA Gem Fair Tucson in 2017.

The Arkenstone is a magical playground for gem nerds. Any time I appeared up from the tables stuffed with completed jewellery, I used to be greeted by cabinets full of otherworldly mineral specimens, uncooked gem stones, and fossils. The juxtaposition between how these minerals emerge from the earth and what they’re able to when labored by human palms made your complete expertise much more poignant.

Shout out to the stunning Mr. DitL, my wonderful husband (above), who got here alongside to assist out!

Enough speak. Let’s get to the jewellery!

Kicking issues off with probably the most memorable items from the 2022 AGTA Spectrum Awards…that is The Underworld Ring by Third Eye Assembly. Made from 18K yellow gold, platinum, 22k rose and inexperienced gold, 24K yellow gold and 18K white gold, The Underworld Ring incorporates a 1.62 ct. black Opal, tsavorite Garnets, sapphires, and diamonds and is exquisitely detailed with mythological and astrological scenes.

According to Third Eye Assembly’s Instagram, this outstanding piece is supposed to be an “astrological self portrait” of the artist (a Scorpio). In the designer’s personal phrases:

“Depictions of Hades and Hecate, the female and male greek gods of the underworld, flank the east and west sides of the ring. Earth and Mars are depicted on the North and South sides of the ring together with diamonds and sapphires that align with the Scorpio star constellation.”

18K white gold floral earrings with diamonds and pink sapphires. By Caroline Chartouni of Caroline C Jewelry, at the 2022 AGTA Spectrum Awards.

I didn’t see fairly as a lot pink as I’d have anticipated, given the colour’s present reputation, however the pink I did see was extraordinarily noteworthy. Look on the almost-neon Barbie shade of the pink sapphires in these earrings!!

These beautiful floral earrings are by Caroline Chartouni of Caroline C Jewelry and have two luscious pink sapphires totaling 10.94 carats, surrounded by 14.75 carats of diamonds and an additional 9.45 cts of pink sapphire. Can you think about these on a bride, or with a pink carpet robe? Yes please.

Sapphire engagement rings from the AGTA Spectrum Awards! By J.R. Dunn Jewelers, Skatell's Manufacturing Jewelers, and Nicole Mera.

What I did see plenty of was attractive sapphire engagement rings. A few pinks, one actually jaw-dropping purple, after which a sea of enchanting vibrant blue. These three sapphire engagement rings are by J.R. Dunn Jewelers, Skatell’s Manufacturing Jewelers, and Nicole Mera.

The sapphire middle stones themselves have been breathtaking, however I additionally cherished the creativity evident within the design particulars of the settings. Look at these two, by Pompos Jewelry (left) and Robert Pelliccia of J.R. Dunn Jewelers (proper).

The Pompos Jewelry ring incorporates a 6.29 ct Ceylon sapphire and the J.R. Dunn ring options an 11.32 ct cushion reduce sapphire. These are critical stones.

18K green gold 'Princess of the Sea' necklace with Mother of Pearl, diamonds, ruby, tsavorite Garnet, and sapphire. Almaza Jewelers

This necklace was one other certainly one of my private favorites. I’ve at all times cherished the bewitching iridescence of Mother of Pearl, and I cherished how this inexperienced gold Almaza Jewelers necklace consists of complimentary diamonds, rubies, tsavorite garnets, and sapphires to assist deliver out all the Mother of Pearl’s diversified hues.

One of the good issues about this necklace was the again, which I in some way didn’t {photograph}! Each of these Mother of Pearl ovals has a gently wrought gold sea creature on the again. It’s attractive and so enjoyable! Keep a watch out on Instagram – I’ll publish a video of this necklace and add a hyperlink to it right here

Not technically a chunk of jewellery, this unbearably lovely object d’artwork was one of many first items that caught my eye. Isn’t it unbelievable? It’s an itty bitty Harley Davidson bike made from 18K rose gold, lined in diamonds and a 1.59 ct. blue pure Burma sapphire as its seat.

This little magnificence is the work of Rodney Rahmani of Brilliant Stars. The wheels actually flip, the handlebar actually steers, and sure, I did drive it up and down my arm whereas making “vroom vroom” noises.

18K yellow gold and ruthenium-plated with Tourmaline (4.84 ctw.), round Tourmaline, and diamonds. By Ian Delucca of Khobe Delucca.

This tourmaline ring by Ian Delucca of Khobe Delucca received the 2022 AGTA Spectrum Awards Editor’s Choice Award, which that the members of the press (together with yours actually) thought this piece deserved recognition. Isn’t it nice? I really like the colours, the unfavorable house, and the minimalist however eye-catching silhouette.

The ring is produced from ruthenium-plated 18K yellow gold and incorporates a 4.84 ct tourmaline accented with additional tourmaline and diamonds.

I’ve adopted Gary Roe Jewelry on Instagram for a while, however this necklace was the primary piece of the jeweler’s work I’ve seen in particular person. Isn’t it simply beautiful? It makes me need to frolic in a forest with an enthralling elf prince.

This attractive piece is 22K yellow gold and incorporates a 33 ct. bicolor Tourmaline, a pear-shape Tourmaline, and Tsavorite Garnets.

18K gold earrings with cushion-cut blue Zircons (10.8 ctw), Diamonds, and a carved Turquoise. By Pamela Froman Fine Jewelry.

Are you prepared for an additional pair of earrings? We’ve received extra attractive blue right here on this entry from Pamela Froman Fine Jewelry. That texture on the 18K gold is the designer’s signature look. These earrings function two beautiful cushion-cut blue Zircons (10.8 ctw) and a pair of carved turquoise drops accented with diamonds.

Pamela Froman had two pairs of earrings within the 2022 AGTA Spectrum Awards, however these have been my favorites.

I used to be so excited to be round jewellery once more that I weirdly forgot to attempt on very many items? I used to be so centered on touching it and photographing it that I didn’t mannequin a lot of it!

I did bear in mind attempt on this necklace – and thank goodness I did, as a result of it’s so excellent with my gown! It’s by Eddie Sakamoto for Somewhere within the Rainbow and it’s referred to as the ‘A Rose by Any Other Name’ necklace. It options 18K gold and platinum with a 21.83 ct rose-colored step-cut Tourmaline and diamonds.

Black opal ring with blue and yellow Diamonds and Opal necklace with Paraiba Tourmaline, Alexandrite, and Spinel. By Llyn Strong, entered in the  2022 AGTA Spectrum Awards.

How about two items in a single picture? These two opal stunners are by the identical designer, Llyn Strong. The opal necklace options Paraiba tourmaline, alexandrite, and spinel accents, whereas the ring is a black opal accented with blue and yellow diamonds. I really like how the accent stones of each items choose up the precise play of colour in every middle stone. You can inform how a lot thought went into these.

Llyn Strong really had certainly one of my favourite items within the first AGTA Spectrum Awards I ever attended, a beautiful opal insect brooch I noticed in 2015. I at all times get pleasure from seeing her inventive designs.

This Uneek Jewelry ring was certainly one of my favourite design moments on the 2022 Spectrum Awards. Look at its polka-dot shank! Sure, that 2.62 ct oval emerald within the middle is gorgeous, but it surely’s the Tsavorite garnet accents among the many pave diamonds on the aspect that actually get me. So inventive and enjoyable!

Jeffrey Bilgore peacock jewel pendant brooch with Padparadscha sapphire, bi-color Tourmaline, spinels, peridot, and diamonds.

How about this glamorous peacock brooch/pendant?

This magnificence is by Jeffrey Bilgore and incorporates a Padparadscha sapphire, bi-color Tourmaline, spinels, peridot, and diamonds. One of two very beautiful bird-themed items I noticed on the 2022 AGTA Spectrum Awards.

Here’s a more in-depth take a look at the cowboy hat you could have glimpsed on the desk within the prime picture! Isn’t it great? And so applicable for a Texas-based AGTA Spectrum Awards.

The hat incorporates a superbly detailed 14K yellow gold and turquoise hat band, crafted by Eric E. Wright of Village Goldsmith and Antiques. Yeehaw!

Platinum heart necklace with a 2.74 ct natural  purplish-red Tanzanian Spinel accented with rubies and diamonds. By Nicole Mera.

The most outstanding gemstone pattern of the 2022 AGTA Spectrum Awards was jaw-droppingly gorgous spinels. Like many individuals, I spent a few years not figuring out the phrase “spinel” in any respect, however they’ve turn out to be certainly one of my very favourite stones lately. This is certainly one of a number of spinels that took my breath away. Look at that coronary heart! It’s incendiary.

This platinum coronary heart necklace incorporates a 2.74 ct pure purplish-red Tanzanian Spinel accented with rubies and diamonds, and is by Nicole Mera.

For a direct distinction: right here’s one other beautiful spinel!

This is the platinum ‘Stadium’ ring by Benny Hayoun of B&V Diamonds. It featires a 6.66 ct pure Spinel with graduated rows of platinum lined in diamonds (3.77 ctw.) and sapphires (.72 ct) alongside the aspect.

An incredible pair of cowboy boot shaped amethyst geodes on display at Arkenstone Fine Mineral Gallery in Dallas, TX during the 2022 AGTA Spectrum Awards.
A pair of cowboy boot formed amethyst geodes on show at Arkenstone Fine Mineral Gallery in Dallas, TX.

I feel this publish has gotten lengthy sufficient…so it’s going to should be a two-parter! Click right here for Part 2, which is now reside!

If you want what you see right here, you must take a look at my AGTA Archive to see treasures from different AGTA occasions I’ve attended.

AGTA generously took care of my journey bills for this journey, however my opinions stay my very own.


Source link