The American Gem Trade Association (AGTA) recently announced that the prestigious annual design competition, the AGTA Spectrum Awards, is moving to Summer 2016. Deadlines for entries will be June 17, 2016, with the New York drop-off taking place on June 28, 2016. “The Spectrum Awards are one of our biggest promotional efforts and we are always looking for ways to increase participation and to make participating even more beneficial to the entrant,” AGTA CEO Douglas K. Hucker said. “We felt if we changed the dates to summer, this would be better for the designers and manufacturers, because it wouldn’t remove their inventory during the holiday selling season, and what better publicity during that time, than to promote a Spectrum Award-winning piece.” In its 33rd year, the AGTA Spectrum Awards is the world’s premier coloured gemstone and pearl jewellery design competition with categories in Evening Wear, Bridal Wear sponsored by The Knot, Business Day Wear, Classical Wear and Men’s Wear, the association said The awards also features the Platinum Honors sponsored by Platinum Guild International and the newest category, the Savor Silver Awards sponsored by the Silver Promotion Service. The AGTA Cutting Edge Awards honours loose coloured gemstones in everything from Classic Gemstones to one-of-a-kind Carvings, Pairs and Suites to Objects of Art. The competition is open to US and Canadian designers and cutters. |  This suite of Paraiba tourmalines, with a total weight of 58.07 carats, carved to mimic the shape of nautilus shells by Allen Kleiman of A. Kleiman & Co, wins the ‘Best of Show’ award at the 2016 AGTA Spectrum Awards. This suite also placed first in the Carving category of the Cutting Edge Awards Photo credit: Image provided by AGTA |
[Source:- Jewellerynewsasia]