Jewelry Art Awards 2009 of Jewelry Artist Magazine

The 2009 Jewelry Arts Awards

Jewelry Artist magazine's annual competition yields 10 outstanding winners

Pins & Brooches

Naomi Sarna
First Place, Pins/Brooches
(Also Best of Competition)
FIRST WAVE
32mm x 23mm. 18K gold, Chinese freshwater pearl, VS diamonds, Montana sapphires, Contra-luz opals, Imperial topaz. Handmade lost-wax gold setting surrounding pegged and epoxy-set pearl. All stones are pave set with bright-cut finishing. Photo: Azad. sarna.naomi@gmail.com, naomisarnadesigns.com

Naomi Sarna
Second Place, Pins/Brooches
JUBILANT HEART. 38.5mm x 43.3 mm. 87.5 carat rose quartz, 18K gold, VS diamonds, Montana sapphire, Impreial topaz, Contra-luz opal. Lost-wax carved and gold-cast setting. Photo: Azad. sarna.naomi@gmail.com, naomisarnadesigns.com

Bracelets

Genevieve Yang
First Place, Bracelets
MOON PHASES CUFF. 2.0" x 2.5" x 1.75". Fine silver, sterling silver edge, and 24K gold. Spray of flush set VS F plus diamonds, Hand fabricated, forged, roller embossed, keumboo, flush setting. Photo: Hap Sakwa. genevieve@genevieveyang.com, www.genevieveyang.com

Alex Maryaskin
Second Place, Bracelets
UNTITLED. 8". 14K yellow gold, Australian opal, and diamonds. Filigree work, scroll work, and spiral and granulation detail. Photo: Ralph Gabriner. 757-596-0481, www.artoffiligree.com

Earrings

Nanz Aalund
First Place, Earrings
NAUTILUS EARRINGS
33mm x 5mm x 26mm each earring. 22K gold and epoxy resin. Corrugated 22K gold is spiraled with epoxy resin cast into the spiral. Fabricated ear clip. Photo: Doug Yaple. nanz@nanzaalund.com, www.nanzaalund.com

Pendants/Necklaces

Marie Scarpa
First Place, Pendants/Necklaces
TWENTY ONE. 3.25" x 3" x 5". 20-gauge Argentium sheet, 3mm Argentium heavy walled tubing, 12-gauge round Argentium wire, 36-gauge 3½% platinum silver wire, 34-gauge 18K yellow gold wire, 7mm 1.51 carat whirlpool cut citrine, 2.5mm round faceted black spinels, 4.5 round white freshwater pearls. Fabrication including sawing and soldering, hand weaving, stone setting and hand polishing, and texturing. Photo: Hap Sakwa. 707-765-6558, www.mariescarpadesigns.com.

Melissa Pedersen
Second Place, Pendants/Necklaces
CELEBRATION SPROUT NECKLACE. 25cm x 15cm x 3cm. Sterling silver, Argentium silver, 3mm fresh water pearls. Hand carved wax, lost wax casting, fused, constructed, and soldered. Photo by the artist. info@melissapedersen.com, www.melissapedersen.com.

Miscellaneous Jewelry

Jeffrey Appling
First Place, Miscellaneous Jewelry
BROKEN CIRCLE. 17" and 10mm. Sterling silver, 14K white gold, 14K yellow gold plate, 13mm faceted triangular black spinel, 2.0mm black diamonds, and 2mm colorless diamonds. Black rubber neoprene. Carved, cast, fabricated, flush set and tension set. Photo: Hap Sakwa. 760-322-2883, www.JeffreyAppling.com.

Robin Antonsen
Second Place, Miscellaneous Jewelry
OBJECT. 6". Sterling silver hair pin. Constructed, rolling mill, hydraulic press, and patina. Photo by the artist. brightshadow@cheerful.com.

Rings

Jeffrey Appling
First Place, Rings
SURFER RINGS. 15mm x 21mm x 29mm. Silver and copper with paint pigment cross-linked into the upper metal molecules, 2mm diamonds, 7.5mm freshwater cultured pearls. Carved, cast, tension set, flush set, baked. Photo: Hap Sakwa. 760-322-2883, www.JeffreyAppling.com.


L. Sue Szabo
Second Place, Rings
SWAY. 1.5" L x 0.375" W 1" D. Sterling silver, 4 carat pink sapphires, 0.33 carat burmese ruby. Hand fabricated, tube settings for gems. Photo: Ericka Crissman/Wired Images. www.lsueszabo.com

For information on entering your jewelry in the next competition, click here!

source : jewelryartistmagazine.com

News : Red-Hot Rocks - July’s Birthstone

Jewelry.com, 07/16/2008

There’s a saying that the ‘price of wisdom is above rubies’. That is certainly true, but hey, you can’t wear wisdom on your finger or around your neck. Ok – so wisdom is probably somewhat more useful than a ruby or two – but this saying just goes to show how highly prized these little red gems have been throughout history. Read More

Ruby : as a mineral

Ruby is a light pink to blood red gemstone, a variety of the mineral corundum (aluminium oxide). The common red color is caused mainly by the element chromium. Its name comes from ruber, Latin for red. Other varieties of gem-quality corundum are called sapphires. It is considered one of the four precious stones, together with the sapphire, the emerald and the diamond. Improvements used include color alteration, improving transparency by dissolving rutile inclusions, healing of fractures (cracks) or even completely filling them.

Prices of rubies are primarily determined by color (the brightest and best "red" called Pigeon Blood Red, command a huge premium over other rubies of similar quality). After color follows clarity: similar to diamonds, a clear stone will command a premium, but a ruby without any needle-like rutile inclusions will indicate the stone has been treated one way or another. Cut and carat (size) also determine the price.

more about ruby : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruby

Ruby
Ruby crystal before faceting, length 0.8 inches (2 cm)
General
Category	Mineral variety
Chemical formula	aluminium oxide with chromium, Al2O3::Cr
Identification
Color	Red, may be brownish or purplish
Crystal habit	Varies with locality. Terminated tabular hexagonal prisms.
Crystal system	Trigonal
Cleavage	No true cleavage
Fracture	Uneven or conchoidal
Mohs Scale hardness	9.0
Luster	Vitreous
Refractive index	~1.762-1.770
Pleochroism	Orangey Red, Purplish Red
Ultraviolet fluorescence	red under longwave
Streak	white
Specific gravity	4.0
Melting point	2050°C
Fusibility	perfectly
Solubility	none
Diaphaneity	transparent