This month's issue

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Thank you for your participation in Colored Stone's annual Reader's Choice Award competition. It all began in February when we opened the floor for nominations for favorite designer on our Web site. The nomination process concluded with the creation of a panel of exceptionally talented individuals each possessing a unique knack for working with colored gemstones. Over the past three weeks you have voted on these distinctive jewelry designers — and here are the results:

Third Place: Thomas Dailing
Second Place: Janis Kerman

And the first-place winner is . . .

	James Kaya

James Kaya began his career in jewelry at a young age. During his years of apprenticeship, Kaya was trained in the traditional mode to be a "classic jeweler." After establishing his own design studio, Solair Jewelers, in Boston, Kaya was inspired by three-dimensional forms and started creating his collection, artfully blending classic with contemporary themes of design. Kaya’s handcrafted treasures reveal his vision to propel the age-old craft of jewelry design into the uncharted potential of the 21st century.

Kaya is a recipient of numerous international and American jewelry design awards. His talent and passion for designing jewelry was recently recognized by colleagues and was honored by the 2006 American Vision Awards for Platinum Distinction. This award has been given to him for the second year in a row. Kaya was also named The New Designer of the Year in 2005.

Kaya’s magnificent creations are simply elegant, simply amazing, and simply beautiful. For more information on James Kaya, please visit his Web site www.jameskaya.com.

As the winner of Colored Stone's Reader's Choice Award 2007, James Kaya will be featured in the July/August issue of Colored Stone magazine — the designer issue. This article will also appear online; look for it here in early July.

Here is what some of our voters had to say about him:

"I have been floored by James Kaya's ability to fashion unique, contemporary jewelry that still manages to have an air of mysticism about it."

"James' designs really take it to another level. It has opened my eyes to jewelry design."

"James Kaya's work is amazing; I love the designs. I find the designs are the beginning of the new era of jewelry."

"Love the sculptured look, engineered designs, [and the] contemporary but Victorian and Deco feel to some parts. Makes you stop and look from all angles. Beautiful."

"His work is amazingly intricate and has a really modern industrial twist on the old styles."

Congratulations to James Kaya and to all our finalists!

Click here to view all of the 20 finalists.