Spotlight on Design: Richard Paille

Capture the Essence of Richard Paille's one-of-a-kind jewels with this Tourmaline Pendant Necklace crafted from 14k and 18k gold. Photo ©2014 EraGem Jewelry. This stunning natural green tourmaline, weighing over 7 carats, has been beautifully cut in the emerald fashion. Mounted bezel style in an 18k gold frame with bezel-set diamond and gold granulated embellishments, this beautiful designer pendant has been attached to a 14k gold fancy link chain. This gorgeous necklace was lovingly crafted by Seattle designer Richard Paille. Richard Paille has spent more than 40 years investing in the world of jewelry. He began as a student, studying for his gemological credentials with the GIA during the day and studying economics at night in the early 1970s. After graduating, he opened his first retail store in Seattle's University District. There he developed skills in fabrication and lost wax techniques. As his reputation grew, so did the administrative tasks of running a full-time business, visiting annual trade shows, and writing monthly newsletters. A man of many interests, Mr. Paille enjoyed all aspects of his venture, but his desire to return to the bench led him to sell his store and return to the sheer delight of designing and making jewelry. He continued designing jewelry for many years, while at the same time developing a burgeoning passion for ham radio operation, film making, and adventurous travel. In the 1990s, Richard had the opportunity to merge several passions into one pursuit. He set out to visit Australia's opal mines in order to experience the thrill of discovering opals for himself while making a documentary. By walking through the open door to Alice Springs, Mr. Paille found another open door to the Cook Islands. With his crew, he filmed another documentary about Black Pearl farming. This experience in the pristine waters of the South Pacific led to a whole different direction for the artist. He was instantly hooked on the rush of discovery that comes with opening oysters to find pearls. Inspired anew, he undertook a bit of pearl farming himself and used what he found to fashion beautiful jewels from these 'gifts of Neptune'. Today, Mr. Paille focuses his efforts on passing on his own gifts, the 'jewels' he's picked up along the many roads of his adventure. He spends his hours teaching, lecturing, and writing about his experiences, taking every opportunity to impart his Joy of Discovery philosophy to any and all who will listen. "Discovery is part of all art, it's part of learning and it's part of growing. Getting involved in something, pursuing an interest, staying curious & asking questions...that's a Big part of living too! What I tell students: 'Invest in Yourself...Make Something New, Learn Something New, Discover Something New" {cited}.