Mimi So’s 18K Rose-Gold Necklace and Ben Kho’s 35.25-ct Kunzite Win AGTA

AGTA announced its 2025 Spectrum & Cutting Edge Buyer’s Choice winners at the Spectrum Awards Gala in Tucson, and National Jeweler reported on the association’s announcement on Feb. 12, 2026. Within that coverage, Mimi So’s work drew attention: "Mimi So’s 'Cotton Candy' necklace, crafted in 18K rose gold and set with a large pear-s" appears in the industry summary of the gala’s highlights.

The response was not limited to trade press. A social-media post singled out a Mimi So necklace as an "honorable mention" at the @agta_gems Spectrum awards and praised the piece’s aesthetic, writing in part, "... candy necklace from @mimisojewelry was honorable mention at the @agta_gems Spectrum awards this year and it was one of my favorites. 18kt rose" — a reaction that underscores how the saleability of award-season pieces often hinges on Instagram visibility as well as juried recognition.

Mimi So’s own product catalog supplies useful context about the design language behind a rose-gold centerpiece. The brand copy reads, "Playful spirit and modern style. The Mimi So 18k Gold Necklace collection features the signature Cloud Opal Necklace, Wonderland Bunny Pendant Necklace, and our classic Letter Pendant Necklaces. Mimi So Necklaces are designed in New York City and are crafted with 18k yellow rose, & white gold, ethically sourced diamonds, and precious gemstones." That roster, alongside item listings such as "Cushion Cut Diamond Solitaire Necklace_18k Rose Gold" and "Pink Multi Stones Couture Necklace Mimi So," makes clear the house regularly works in 18k rose gold and mixes colored stones with delicate, contemporary settings.

Technical specifics in the truncated report leave unanswered questions about the exact stone and cut in the "Cotton Candy" piece; the phrase ends at "large pear-s," and the full description of the gem and carat weight was not included in the excerpted material. Similarly, claims that Ben Kho’s 35.25-ct kunzite won a Buyer’s Choice award are not corroborated in the coverage and materials provided here; that attribution remains unconfirmed pending AGTA’s full winners list and accompanying captions or images.

Even partial visibility at AGTA matters. The Spectrum & Cutting Edge program in Tucson is a market-facing platform that elevates designers and colored gems to buyers, and a Mimi So entry described as 18K rose gold — whether a Buyer’s Choice winner or an honored mention — plays into the brand’s positioning as a New York–designed atelier that blends playful motifs with high-gold craft and ethically sourced stones. Until AGTA’s complete release and image credits are available, the most certain part of the story is this: Mimi So’s rose-gold necklace threaded through the Spectrum conversation, and that attention alone alters a piece’s path from studio sample to collector offering.