CrimeSep 02, 2026
CA Jeweler Gets 5 Years in ‘Phantom Rolex’ Ponzi SchemeNelson Holdo of Newport Beach pleaded guilty to multiple counts of felony grand theft and writing bad checks and was sentenced Monday.
SourcingJan 29, 2020
20 Cutters Collaborated to Make This Gemstone Baby Mobile
What started out as a gift for a granddaughter turned into an epic project with an aspect of giving back.
Shelly Sergent, curator of Somewhere in the Rainbow, wanted to create a gemstone mobile for her granddaughter. The idea transformed into a project involving 20 gem cutters.
Phoenix—It started out as a project to create something special for a grandchild and soon became something larger.
Shelly Sergent, curator of the Somewhere in the Rainbow gem and jewelry collection, told National Jeweler the idea of a baby mobile comprised of colored gemstones came to her in early 2018 when her daughter, Bri, was four months pregnant with her granddaughter, Jenova.
“It literally woke me up at about 2:30 in the morning, and I said, ‘You know what? I’ve never seen a gemstone mobile. What a great legacy gift for me to leave my granddaughter.’”
To kick things off, Sergent sent a private Facebook message to several gemstone cutters asking them to participate.
Baby Jenova Grace sees her gemstone mobile for the first time.
The next thing she knew, cutters she hadn’t even asked were reaching out, asking to be a part of the project.
Sergent gave the group a budget, but ultimately let each cutter decide the material they wanted to use, and let them go to work creating one-of-a-kind pieces.
A total 20 cutters were involved in the project: Victor Tuzlukov, John Dyer, John Bradshaw, John Burleyson, Jeff Hapeman, Craig Oliveira, Nolan Sponsler, Dalan Hargrave, Alina Drobovich, Laura Phillis, Tom Munsteiner, Nick Alexander, Darryl Alexander, Ryan Anderson, Derek Katzenbach, Jeffrey Hunt, Kell Hymer, Wild & Petsch, Austin Burleyson and Bridges Tsavorite.
“It’s very rare to see so many artists collaborate for one piece, so I thought it would be a fun opportunity to be part of something special,” Katzenbach said.
Overall, the group used seven different types of material: quartz, olivine (peridot), danburite, spinel, tsavorite garnet, pearls, and beryl (aquamarine).
Though each cutter wasn’t aware of what the others were doing, five alone ended up using ametrine (a quartz).
Katzenbach was one of them. He said he chose the stone because it’s one of his favorite gems to cut, due to its mix of colors and how they look in fantasy- or ultra unique-cut gemstones.
Another was Hargrave, who took the opportunity to carve his ametrine into a 54-carat piece depicting the Rose Window in St. Mary’s Cathedral in Sydney, with the citrine oriented so it gives the effect of sunlight shining through (pictured below, at left).
“Although this project was a mobile for a baby, the longer-term purpose of passing these gemstones on to Shelly’s grandchild gave me an opportunity to create a gemstone with a significant meaning,” he said.
It features an inscription that means: “The Lord is with you.”
Nolan Sponsler, meanwhile, created a 65-carat amethyst with an elephant carving, perfectly matching the animal theme of baby Jenova’s nursery—though he didn’t know it at the time.
And it was cutter Darryl Alexander, who also created a piece for the mobile, who found a way to hang each gem.
He bezel-set each in sterling silver; some are finished in gold plating depending on the color of the stone.
Each bezel has a stationary jump ring on top, which Alexander tied off with fishing wire, to make the stones look as if they were floating and give them movement.
He also created the wooden box to hold the mobile’s music player housed at the top, which plays “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.”
The mobile ended up featuring about 30 floating gems.
“As far as anyone knows, we can’t find a larger collaboration of gemstone cutters in one project,” Sergent said, insofar as the identity of each specific cutter is known.
Most of the gems had been cut by late December 2018—just a couple weeks after Jenova was born—so it was during the Christmas holiday that Sergent showed her daughter the stones.
“She just lost it,” Sergent said.
Bri and Jenova saw the final piece in June 2019, and there was another tearful reaction.
There is another another touching, unexpected aspect to the project—as the cut gemstones started rolling in, to Sergent’s surprise, none came with invoices.
Some of the cutters wrote notes or cards for the baby, but none took money for the pieces.
“I thought to myself, I’ve got this money that’s just sitting here. I can’t keep it; that’s not the right thing to do. I have to do something with it.”
So, she circled back to the group of cutters and let them decide where the money would go.
The idea they came up with benefitted both one of their own as well as a generation of new cutters: donating the money to Hargrave to go toward the lapidary arts classes he offers in Texas.
Hargrave used the funds as a sort of scholarship, offering discounts to several students who were having trouble coming up with the funds for classes.
“To many of these younger students, it can make a substantial difference to receive the training we offer,” he said. “To date we’ve offered discounted tuition to at least a dozen students, many of whom had some kind of hardship, and they were elated to receive assistance.
“Education is the key to preserving and advancing the lapidary arts, and we were blessed to be the recipient of Shelly’s generous contribution.”
The project has been named “Grace,” after Jenova’s middle name.
Sergent and her family aren’t keeping the mobile to themselves. It will make its debut in Tucson next month, on display at Somewhere in the Rainbow’s AGTA GemFair Booth 1950 all week.
“I think it really lends itself to the story of how connected our industry really is,” she said.
“We’ve really become, I think, an industry where collaborations are much more common and much more welcomed, and on this level, it goes on to verify for people that it’s OK to work together. Look what happens when people come together.”
The Latest
AuctionsSep 02, 2026
If You Love Cats, This Jewelry Auction Is for YouCat ladies of the jewelry world, unite. Sandy Lerner’s “significant” collection of cat jewelry and other objects is going up for auction.
MajorsSep 02, 2026
Messika Names Former Omega Exec as New President, CEO of AmericasArnaud Michon, the former Omega USA President, will now lead Messika’s Americas region during its international development.
Brought to you by
Your Piece Could Be the One Editors Talk AboutSubmit your pieces for a chance to win in this year's competition.
Events & AwardsSep 02, 2026
Emerald’s New Owner Introduces ‘Glitter in the Grove’The branding references the back-to-back jewelry shows that new parent company Forge will host in Miami's Coconut Grove this November.
Weekly QuizAug 27, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
AuctionsSep 01, 2026
UK Woman Uncovers Rare Patek Philippe Watch in Mom’s Jewelry BoxThe stainless steel Patek Philippe “Calatrava” watch from the 1930s sold for nearly $80,000 at a recent Hansons Cornwall auction.
ColumnistsSep 01, 2026
Your Jewelry Marketing Has a Bridal ProblemEngagement rings are important but don’t ignore the customers who are buying jewelry “just because,” Emmanuel Raheb writes.
Brought to you by
Why More Jewelry Retailers Are Hosting Turnkey Estate Buying EventsRetailers are seeking new ways to attract customers, increase traffic, and create revenue – Estate buying events are a popular solution.
MajorsSep 01, 2026
Kering Names New Pomellato, DoDo CEOsFormer Pomellato CEO Sabina Belli has been named president of Kering Italia amid a shakeup of Kering's new Jewelry division.
MajorsSep 01, 2026
Anne Marie Shulman Joins GPA GlobalThe veteran luxury packaging executive was appointed to help the company grow its North American business.
CrimeAug 31, 2026
$4M Van Cleef & Arpels Diamond Necklace Snatched From Vienna Museum Once the property of an Egyptian queen, the necklace was part of a larger exhibition of VCA jewelry at the Museum of Applied Arts (MAK).
GradingAug 31, 2026
GIA, Gübelin Gem Lab Confirm New Paraíba Tourmaline Deposit in EthiopiaThe labs’ separate investigations each determined that the East African country is producing copper-bearing tourmaline.
Events & AwardsAug 31, 2026
Wisconsin Museum to Host Jewelry Exhibition“Chicago Collects: Jewelry in Perspective” at the Oshkosh Public Museum will feature works by Fabergé, Lalique, and Louis Comfort Tiffany.
CollectionsAug 31, 2026
Catbird Launches First Men’s Jewelry CollectionThe “Worn Well” collection is Catbird's take on classic men's jewelry.
CollectionsAug 28, 2026
Dolly Parton Would Have Loved This Butterfly Necklace This Buddha Mama butterfly is our Piece of the Week honoring the legend, who embraced the beautiful insect as her symbol.
IndependentsAug 28, 2026
Day’s Jewelers Honored With 3 Workplace AwardsThe employee-owned jeweler was named a “Best Place to Work” in Maine, New Hampshire, and for women.
CollectionsAug 27, 2026
Pandora Expands ‘Talisman’ Collection as Lawsuit Continues The second iteration of the jewelry collection was inspired by the zodiac and the four elements: earth, water, air and fire.
CrimeAug 27, 2026
Customs Seizes Nearly 900 Pieces of Counterfeit JewelryThe package, intercepted in Indianapolis, contained fake Cartier, Tiffany & Co., and Van Cleef and Arpels jewelry.
IndependentsAug 27, 2026
Jessica McCormack to Open First West Coast StoreThe new location in Costa Mesa, California, marks the brand’s second store in the United States and fourth standalone location worldwide.
FinancialsAug 27, 2026
Movado’s Q2 Sales Up As Younger Consumers Take Interest in WatchesThe fashion watch category was once threatened by the Apple Watch, but consumers are now opting for new wearables, said Movado’s CEO.
SurveysAug 26, 2026
5 Jewelry Insights From The RealReal’s Resale ReportThe report delves into trending styles, the most popular jewelry brands by city, and why Belle Époque jewelry could be the next big thing.
Lab-GrownAug 26, 2026
AGTA Now Requiring Members to Call Lab-Grown Gems ‘Synthetic’The association added the requirement to its revised "Code of Ethics" and released the 17th edition of its “Gemstone Information Manual.”
SurveysAug 26, 2026
Consumer Confidence Dips in August Amid Anticipatory Anxieties Respondents were concerned about the future of the labor market and their income as well as the rising prices of gas and groceries.
TrendsAug 26, 2026
Boucheron’s New Campaign Celebrates Its ‘Question Mark’ NecklacesThe campaign highlights the asymmetrical high jewelry necklace style that the jeweler first created in 1879.
Events & AwardsAug 26, 2026
Harry Winston Exhibition to Open in ShanghaiIt will explore the life of “The King of Diamonds” and showcase more than 165 creations from the brand.
CrimeAug 25, 2026
Florida Woman Scammed Out of $1.5M in Jewelry, Precious MetalsTwo suspects have been arrested in connection with the complex phone scam.
ColumnistsAug 25, 2026
Proof Before Purchase: The Gen Z Way to BuyIn her first column for National Jeweler, Jennifer Shaheen asks jewelers if they know how to connect with the next generation of consumers.
