Secret treasure is the theme of the 12th Annual Design Project Collection from the American Jewelry Design Council, a nonprofit education group. Member interpretations of the theme include jewelry and art objects. All pieces become part of the AJDC Collection, a traveling exhibition to museums and galleries throughout North America, and items are never sold. “The purpose of our annual collection is to take the skills and techniques we have built in our careers and apply it to jewelry purely as artistic expression,” said Alan Revere, AJDC president, to the media.

Notable pieces this year include items from Kent Raible and Mark Schneider. Raible’s Cosmic Clam ring highlights the artist’s skill in granulation; a granulated clamshell opens to reveal a gold and platinum ring encrusted with chrysacolla, diamonds, pearls, and sapphires. Schneider’s Secret Treasure Box comprises 18k gold, diamonds, emerald, topaz, and ebony. Opening the box means removing and manipulating key components of it.

For more information about the projects or AJDC, phone Revere at (415) 391-4179 or visit www.ajdc.org.