Robert Ackermann is an accomplished goldsmith, jewelry designer, gemologist, business owner and educator with more than thirty-five years of experience . Robert was privileged to learn the trade from the bottom up in the Swiss dual education system under master goldsmiths in Zurich (Switzerland) from the post-Bauhaus period in a studio with an international reputation among collectors. After graduating with the Federal Diploma of Competence as a goldsmith ( Eidgenössisches Fähigkeitszeugnis, Goldschmied), Robert went on to work in Zurich, Victoria, BC, (Canada) and Montreal, QC, where he established a studio with a reputation for creating handmade, contemporary jewelry. Imbued with the famous Swiss standards of quality and precision, Robert has won several awards and honors , among them two First Prizes at the American Gem Trade Association’s AGTA Spectrum Awards, considered among the most prestigious jewelry prizes in the world. Over the years Robert has taught jewelry design, CAD and studio techniques at major institutions across North America from adult school through college level. He also serves a clientele that looks to him for Rare and Lasting Pleasures: fine jewelry that pushes for innovation in design and the quality of craftsmanship . He continues his ongoing commitment as an educator at various institutions in southern California and as an always-curious, forever-learning master of his trade.