That first-place design — Quinn drew it on his phone

Terry Quinn was on an airplane on his way to see his mother in Boston when he sketched the winning design.

The jeweler whipped out his Samsung Note smartphone, pulled out the stencil pen, and started drawing lines on the screen. He sketched what would eventually become a $60,000, award-winning piece of custom jewelry.

Quinn created a 14 karat white gold necklace with an eight-karat blue sapphire and diamond bezel set with accent diamonds. It won first and second place prizes at the Independent Jewelers Organization conference in Orlando, Fla. earlier this month.

“This is a prize given to me by my peers, so it means a lot,” said Quinn.

The winning piece now belongs to his wife, Joy. Quinn sells reproductions of his work in both of his shops, in Occoquan and Woodbridge.

Creating jewelry by hand is something Quinn has become known for over the years. His work is often inspired by nature, with falling raindrops, and shooting stars worked into his pieces.

His pieces are done half in a wax mold, and the other half in wire work. Once a frame is in place, Quinn then adds stone and gemstone to set off the piece.

“I bring them all together to make one,” he said.

This is the jeweler’s 5th first-place win in five years. This latest win comes as Quinn’s two at Potomac Town Center at Stonebridge next to Wegmans is celebrating five years in business.

The accolades and his multiple locations make his company unique. But don’t expect Quinn to open a new jewelry store anytime soon.

“If I open a new location, it will probably be a gallery where I can show my work,” said Quinn. “For so long, people have been bringing me their ideas and asking me to make jewelry for them. I want to be able to show off jewelry we make for us.”

Recent expansion is allowing him to do that. Last year, Quinn partnered with 200 independent jewelers across the U.S. who will sell his works in their stores.

For Quinn, it’s a way to make a commission on each sale. But more importantly, he can now showcase his designs to a wider audience.