WAVE Diana Vincent “Where were you last year?” is what the many boutique owners in New York City squawked when viewing the handmade Plexiglas and Color-aid paper pins my boyfriend Vince and I unveiled before them. They all expressed their love for the pins but said the colors were last year’s colors. We left the city that day deciding that it might be better if, in the future we used classic precious materials for making our jewelry to avoid having to catch the trends. As luck would have it, we did get a commission to make those same pins with the addition of a famous pop star’s image in them. That earned us $300 dollars, which was the money we used to buy the first parcel of diamonds to be used in our future designs. After all, diamonds are forever, and they are never going to be last year’s color! My student budget while at Tyler School of Art never afforded me the use of diamonds, but since designing with them I have garnered two De Beers Diamonds International Awards as well as many other De Beers diamond design awards. I find that diamonds are the most satisfying stones to use. I have always preferred to design first and add the stones later. With the use of diamonds in my designs I am never stifled with the fluidity and movement I work at capturing in a piece. My Wave necklace is a perfect example. 90