40th Anniversary: AGTA’s 2024 Spectrum & Cutting Edge Awards Are Open for Entries

40th Anniversary: AGTA’s 2024 Spectrum & Cutting Edge Awards Are Open for Entries

Press Release –
AGTA –

The American Gem Trade Association (AGTA) is pleased to announce the opening of its 2024 AGTA Spectrum & Cutting Edge Awards, which mark an important milestone this edition—the 40^th anniversary of Spectrum. (The Cutting Edge Awards for loose gems debuted in 1992.)

The AGTA Spectrum & Cutting Edge Awards is the benchmark for design excellence in the world of colored gemstones and cultured Pearls. Each year, AGTA Spectrum & Cutting Edge Awards winners set the standard for beauty and innovation, launch trends, and earn worldwide recognition. Award winners receive countless mentions in the press and on social media and are fêted at the Spectrum & Cutting Edge Awards Gala during AGTA GemFair Tucson at the recently renovated Tucson Convention Center.

Over 40 years, myriad Award recipients have launched careers with groundbreaking works of jewelry recognized by a carefully vetted panel of judging peers.

“Lives are changed by winning Spectrum & Cutting Edge Awards,” says John W. Ford, Sr., CEO of AGTA. “I know mine was—my awards helped put my company name on the map in the gemstone and jewelry world. AGTA is excited to see this year’s entries and who will take the top prizes.”

“The Spectrum Awards have made household names out of emerging talents in design and gemstone cutting,” adds Kimberly Collins, AGTA Board President and Owner of Kimberly Collins Colored Gems. “Due to the overwhelming number of entries in Bridal, we broke that category into two—Bridal Wear and the new Engagement Ring category. Through a stringent judging selection process and criteria for winners, fresh eyes each year choose the best of the best that our industry has to offer. Plus, AGTA’s Awards offer the biggest bang for your buck when you consider the cost of other jewelry awards and what they offer. The Spectrum & Cutting Edge Awards are an incredible value with career-launching momentum.”

The Early Bird deadline is Friday, Sept. 20, 2024—to qualify for that pricing, entries must be paid for and received by that date—and the final deadline is Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024.

There are many ways to win in the Spectrum & Cutting Edge Awards because there are so many categories—some you choose yourself and others that are assigned to pieces during judging. Entrants choose their own categories for Spectrum & Cutting Edge, but Special Awards and Sponsored Awards are selected by judges and representatives of sponsored categories.

Here are all of the winners from last year’s awards, published here in the Roskin Gem News Report.

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Here are all the awards that your creations could win.

Spectrum Awards (finished jewelry)

·      Bridal Wear (jewelry to accessorize the bride)

·      NEW FOR 2024—Engagement Rings

·      Business/Day Wear

·      Classical

·      Evening Wear

·      Men’s Wear

Cutting Edge Awards (loose gems and non-wearable items)

·      All Other Cut Gemstones

·      Carving

·      Classic Gemstones

·      Innovative Faceting

·      North American Mined Gemstones

·      Objects of Art

·      Pairs & Suites

·      Phenomenal Gemstones

Special Awards (chosen by judges)

·      Best of Show Spectrum

·      Best of Show Cutting Edge

·      Best of Single Entries Spectrum

·      Best of Single Entries Cutting Edge

·      Best Use of Color

·      Best Use of Pearl

·      Fashion Forward

·      Manufacturing Honors

·      Editor’s Choice Spectrum (chosen on Editor’s Day)

·      Editor’s Choice Cutting Edge (chosen on Editor’s Day)

·      Buyer’s Choice Spectrum in Tucson (chosen by buyers during GemFair Tucson 2025)

·      Buyer’s Choice Cutting Edge in Tucson (chosen by buyers during GemFair Tucson 2025)

Sponsored Awards (chosen by sponsoring parties)

The Alfie Norville Women in Excellence Awards

This award is sponsored by Allan Norville and family and highlights female designers in Bridal Wear, Classical, Engagement Rings, Evening Wear, Business/Day Wear and Men’s Wear categories. The Alfie Norville Women in Excellence Awards are open to all women entering these categories who indicate eligibility on their Entry Form.

Platinum Guild International Platinum Honors Awards

This award recognizes the outstanding use of platinum in colored gemstone and/or Pearl jewelry in the six Spectrum Awards categories and for Best Use of Platinum and Color and Best Use of Platinum Crown.

The AGTA Spectrum & Cutting Edge Awards are open to all companies and individuals in the United States and Canada; AGTA membership is not required. Click here to see the full list of eligibility requirements and judging criteria. Click here to enter.

Judging takes place in the fall in Dallas, followed by an invitation-only Editor’s Day event.

All winners will be photographed by Jeff Mason Photography and will appear in Volume I 2025 Prism, while Best of Show Spectrum and Best of Show Cutting Edge recipients will be featured on the cover.

Deadlines and fees are as follows:

Early Bird Deadline – September 20, 2024*
Early Bird Entry Fees, 1st entry $265, all subsequent entries $205 each

Final Deadline – October 09, 2024 
1st Entry $295, all subsequent entries $225 each

* To qualify for Early Bird pricing, entries must be paid for and received by the Early Bird deadline. Entries that do not meet this deadline will be charged/invoiced the difference in price for the regular fee.

This year’s sponsors include Omni Hotels & Resorts, Platinum Guild International, and Allan Norville and family.

Judges for the Awards will be announced in the coming weeks. Questions? Reach AGTA at 800-972-1162 or email info@agta.org.