August 2002 Precious Metals/News Rio Grande Announces Saul Bell Winners Contest honors original, innovative designs Seven winners and one grand prize winner were selected from hundreds of submissions to the second annual Saul Bell Design Award Competition sponsored by Rio Grande, Albuquerque, NM. The contest is named for the company’s founder and honors designers in four categories: gold/platinum, Precious Metal Clay,® beads and silver. Judges were jewelry designer John Atencio; metalsmith John Cogswell; Peggy Jo Donahue, editor in chief of Professional Jeweler; Carrie Soucy, senior editor of JCK; Rich Youmans, associate publisher of AJM; and Esther Fortunoff, executive vice president of Fortunoff. Winners received Rio Grande gift certificates of $10,000 for the grand prize, $2,500 for first place and $1,000 for second place. The Swarovski award carries a $5,000 cash prize. For information about the 2003 contest, call Rio Grade at (800) 545-6566 or visit www.saulbellaward.com. BEADS CATEGORY First Place and Grand Prize David C. Freda Out of the Blue Studio San Clemente, CA (949) 498-9119 “Stag, Beetles, Grubs and Raspberries” is a fine silver and sterling silver necklace with enameled glass beads and 24k and 18k yellow gold accents. Second Place Timothy Grannis Grannis Gallery Burlington, VT (802) 660-2032 The necklace is constructed of 26 16mm 14k and 22k yellow gold beads made using various techniques and accented with four diamonds. SWAROVSKI SPECIAL AWARD Nancilee Woodyard Nankaii Jewelry Design Gulf Breeze, FL (850) 291-2440 Flex wire necklace has 42 6mm bicones, six 4mm rounds, 205 4mm bicones and 250 sterling silver crimp beads. The bicone and round beads are from Swarovski. GOLD/PLATINUM CATEGORY First Place Douglas May Gold Rush Original Jewelry Clovis, CA; (559) 298-8148 18k and Gibeon meteorite bolo tie features sapphires and near-colorless and champagne diamonds. One end of Neoprene cord has Gibeon meteorite tip with moonstone accent; the other has a meteorite, diamond and gold. Second Place Emily Benoist Ruffin Emily Benoist Ruffin Design Taos, NM; (505) 758-1061 18k yellow gold and platinum “Stirrup Ring” has 17 diamonds. PRECIOUS METAL CLAY CATEGORY First Place Wendy Wallin Malinow Wallin Malinow Illustration Portland, OR; (503) 697-3877 “Sea Jewels” necklace is silver PMC+® and coral with reversible mermaid/fish bead and pearl, aquamarine, peridot and amethyst accents. Second Place Candice Wakumoto Mililani, Hawaii candicewakumoto@msn.com “Ipu” necklace has a silver PMC+ pendant with removable top with 14k, 22k,and 24k gold accents, sterling and an amethyst. SILVER CATEGORY First Place Ronda Coryell Revere Academy of Jewelry Arts San Francisco, CA (925) 284-1142 Sterling silver and 22k yellow gold bracelet has blue sapphire accents. Second Place Sessin Durgham Sessin Durgham Original Jewelry Designs Columbus, OH (614) 326-3623 Round stock and patterned 22k yellow gold sheet and silver bracelet has hand-cut chrysoprase accents.