He lives and works on a houseboat, designs jewelry on cocktail napkins while in midflight and often hears customers ask for something that will "get them out of the doghouse." Oh, and jewelry diva that he is, he only goes by one name. Marco, of Marco Designs, is a custom jeweler who understands the old adage of knowing the rules, and then throwing them overboard. He likes to work with sunstone, an Oregon-exclusive gem, just as much as he does with diamonds and pearls. And nothing he makes is small. "My motto is go big or go home," Marco says. Yet, the crisp, clean lines of his rings, necklaces and earrings keep individual customers - and stores such as Nordstrom - coming back for more. One of his newest creations is a functional bow tie made from 18K yellow gold.

- Shanna Germain