Rare jewels: two West Coast designers turn their passion into profits - Style Notebook

You've seen rose gold, white gold and yellow gold. But Chris Aire, aka The Iceman, has developed red gold. He isn't saying how he created this red-hot amber-hued alloy--he has patented this special process.

Aire made a few detours before finding his calling. After receiving a degree in film from Cal State, Long Beach, he took a job at a jewelry company owned by a friend's father, and there he found his niche. In 1996, after a stint at the Gemological Institute of America, he established his own company, where he creates fine jewelry: from diamond-encrusted dog tags to jewel-bedecked timepieces. Aire's watches are sold at Saks Fifth Avenue and his other pieces on his Web site, 2awesomeint.com. Denzel wore his jewelry in Training Day and Will Smith wore his dog tags in Bad Boys II. Hale Berry is also a fan and client. His advice to aspiring designers: "Trust your instincts and intuition, and know that it's more important to stick to your convictions than to try to please everyone." If you're interested in Chris Aire's customized pieces, call (800) 288-9993.

Deborrah Hyde, M.D., loves working with her hands, so it seems fitting that the busy Los Angeles neurosurgeon finds time to create bold and seductive accessories out of sterling silver and semiprecious stones.

For years Hyde collected stones as she was traveling throughout the world, especially while in Ivory Coast, Egypt, Hong Kong and Turkey. Amethyst, amber and turquoise are her favorites. Two years ago, after friends started inquiring about the dramatic pieces she wore, Hyde decided to take her hobby seriously and started selling her custom-made creations. "I like to keep the designs simple, so that the soul of the stone is not overshadowed," she says of her pieces. Her biggest reward, she says, is "finding homes for them," For more information about Hyde's designs, call (818) 716-7003 or visit deborrahdesigns.com.

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