THREE YEARS IN A ROW, MOST EVER IN THE STATE
“CUSTOM JEWERY DESIGNER OF THE YEAR” AWARDED TO RICHARD MELANCON

Their record speaks for itself: 5 times awarded Louisiana’s Overall Custom Jewelry Designer of the Year,
3 times National First Place Winner, 11 times First Place Winner in Louisiana and over 20 Second and Third Place
winners for Louisiana and Nationally. They have over 100 years of Design Experience producing and winning more
Custom Jewelry design awards than other jeweler in the state!

Jewelers of Louisiana announced that Richard Melancon was there pick for Custom Jewelry Design of the 2011.
It was presented at the Jewelers of Louisiana convention in Lafayette, La. Jewelers of Louisiana is represented
by national and local jewelry sale representatives, jewelry store owners and employes form across the state.
The main purpose of the conclave was to participate an outstanding educational forum, networking, socializing
and to show case the custom made jewelry from around the state.

This beautiful 4.06 carat total weight Dinner Ring is a symphony of yellow colors and different shapes to include:
8 pears, 2 hearts, 1 marquise, 2 cushion, 2 radiants, 1 emerald cut, 2 kites, 3 trillion and 2 oval cut diamonds. Each
piece of this creation was hand fabricated by Richard and Master goldsmith, Kenneth Ray Hardy. Their
collaboration goes back almost 30 years.

It all started with a parcel of natural fancy yellow diamonds that Richard picked up on one of his buying trips. We
hand selected 5 pear shape diamonds for last years winner, the Croix du Soleil. The rest of the parcel I envisioned
a beautiful collage of different shaped yellow diamonds in a dinner ring. The first basic sketch was tweaked into
the design that you see today. The actual drawing was replicated in 14 karat white gold with the dramatic contrast
in the intense color of the yellow diamonds. Another interesting fact about this ring is that the shank of this ring in
made from one continous piece of gold. Like a cork screw from the front to the back. From conception to completion
it took approximately 44 hours of work to complete this design.

As a tradition, the designers at Melancon Jewelers name their design. The formulation of the names come in a number
of way; a dedication, the look or most often they just name themselves. Last year we had such a wonderful time
with “Naming contest” that we decided to do it again this year. We has a lot of great name submitted last year and
expect more again! $100 certificate will be again awarded to the individual that comes up with the best name.
Register the name at Melancon Jeweler’s, via email (richard@mjewelers.com) or at our face book page.
All entries must have a date and time stamp verification. We had some duplications of names last year, so get your
entry in soon. First entry in has the rights to the name submitted. So name this spectacular ring and walk away
with $100 certificate to Melancon Jewelers.

Their love of custom jewelry design and the art of a Master Goldsmith produced a number of custom design through
the years. A small fraction of these designs have been submitted to state and national contest always being a constant
winner. Also capturing first place in several national contest. Richard has collected pictures and paraphernalia
through out the years and turned it into a photo book entitled “The Art of Custom Jewelry Design” It show all the
design pieces enter into contest since they started designing jewelry. A spinet of it can be previewed on their website,
Mjewelers.com or in person at Melancon Jewelers.

Designing is a family affair with LaNell Melancon’s design being awarded second place at this year Jewelers of Louisiana
convention. This spectacular hand made 3 diamond necklace is a sentimental pieces designed for herself. This is the
essence of what we do. From a poem by Peggy Cunningham one the verses is “Jewelry takes on it’s own meaning”
As with this piece, that she custom designed for herself including diamonds that are very sentimental to her.(not for sale)