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Two pieces by James Currens of J.W. Currens in New York, a moonstone ring and an emerald brooch, tied for best of show at the AGTA Spectrum Awards.

New York--Pretty and practical won out at the 2010 AGTA Spectrum Awards, where many of the winning pieces seemed easily wearable--and given the use of more affordably priced colored gems--saleable in a tough economic climate, too.

An editor's preview of the Spectrum Awards--now in its 26th year--was held on Monday at a penthouse studio in New York City's Greenwich Village and hosted by the Dallas-based American Gem Trade Association (AGTA). The event also showcased lapidary arts as part of the AGTA Cutting Edge Awards.

This year, moody, luminous moonstones seemed to be having a moment. The top winner, tied for "Best of Show" and winning "First Place Evening Wear," was James Currens of New York-based J.W. Currens Inc., who took honors for a platinum and silver "Empress" ring featuring a 15.58-carat pear-shaped moonstone encircled by rows of diamonds, color-change garnets and oval-shaped moonstones.

But classic stones were big players, too. The piece that tied for "Best of Show," which also took third place in the evening wear category, was "The Quiet Moment" brooch, featuring 66.15 carats of oval-shaped emeralds.

Gems that played prominently among the winning selections included not only moonstone, but sapphires, garnet and tourmaline--all appearing in various and often unexpected colors. Winning designs were also generously sprinkled with colored and colorless diamonds as accents, and even rough-diamond slices made their way into the designs.

More at: http://tinyurl.com/yf38mc7