Paz Creations Announces the Launch of Its New Signature Fine Jewelry Collection, the Danny Newfeld Jewelry Collection

Israeli based Jewelry designer and manufacturer, Danny Newfeld, is back at the drawing board designing and launching his brand new signature line of jewelry, the Danny Newfeld Jewelry Collection.

Danny Newfeld, QVC Jewelry Designer, and owner of Paz Creations, boasts over 25 years in the industry. Newfeld has been involved in every step of the jewelry production process; from design to manufacturing, from distribution to retail. A recognizable face for over a decade on QVC with his popular Sterling Silver Collection (Or Paz) and heirloom quality 14K Gold Collection (Adi Paz), Danny’s deep commitment to ensuring that the craftsmanship, quality and design of each and every item in his collection is evident in its beauty, function and durability.

What I love most about designing for QVC are the connections that I have built with my community. With the launch of my new collection, I transformed that relationship and designed a collection including earrings, bracelets, bracelets, rings, necklaces inspired by customer feedback. With personalized, engravable and options (such letters, names or birthstone choices) every treasure tells its own story.

Danny Newfeld

Israel is a dynamic country and the Danny Newfeld collection draws inspiration from its beauty and geography. Danny’s enthusiasm comes from his community. “My connection to my customers really deepens when I receive pictures of thrilled customers wearing my jewelry”.

The new Danny Newfeld Jewelry Collection, available in 925 Sterling Silver or 14K Gold, is identifiable for its smooth lines, beaded edges and attention to detail. Ageless and timeless, each item has unique and designer appeal. Designed in Israel, by Danny and his team of top Israeli artisans, each item is hand-finished and has options for customization, including engraving or the addition of birthstones.

Danny’s passion, energy and zest for creativity extends beyond his jewelry collection. He is a marathon runner and loves traveling. His three boys who are a source of tremendous joy and pride and as a newlywed; he is embarking on two adventures simultaneously!

Check out Danny’s new jewelry collection! Whether you’re shopping for gifts, or just because, it’s easy to find the perfect piece for every occasion. The Danny Newfeld Collection can be found exclusively at Danny Newfeld.

August Birthstone: Peridot and Sardonyx

Two birthstones are available for August birthdays: Peridot and Sardonyx.

Peridot

Peridot is said to host magical powers and is associated with rebirth, renewal and healing properties to protect against nightmares and to bring the wearer power, influence, and a wonderful year.  As peridot is a gemstone that forms deep inside the Earth and brought to the surface by volcanoes, in Hawaii, peridot symbolizes the tears of Pele, the goddess of fire and volcanoes.

Today, most of the peridot supply comes from Arizona; other sources are China, Myanmar, and Pakistan.  This gemstone comes in several color variations ranging from yellowish green to brown, but most consumers are attracted to the bright lime greens and olive greens.  Peridot, in smaller sizes, often is used in beaded necklaces and bracelets.

 

High Jewellery necklace Bvlgari, Giardini Italiani collection
18K yellow gold and mother of pearl elements with 40 round rubellite beads (217.94 ct), 28 pear and round peridot beads (184.03 ct) and pavé diamonds (5.33 ct).

Cartier 18k gold peridot Menotte ring

 

Peridot and diamond 18k yellow gold buckle ring

 

The green gemstone peridot is associated with rebirth, renewal, prosperity and compassion. This makes is a stunning, yet rare, choice for gemstone engagement rings, symbolizing the next chapter in the wearer’s life. Women with August birthdays might enjoy receiving a peridot engagement ring, in particular.

Sardonyx

Sardonyx  is a form of onyx and is recognized by its layers of reddish brown and white banding.  It was popular with the ancient Greeks and Romans who carried into battle talismans of sardonyx engraved with images of heroes such as Mars or Hercules, believing that this would bring courage and victory.  Because of its attractive banding, sardonyx has long been used to fashion cameos (carved raised figures) and intaglios (the reverse of cameos). This gemstone is found throughout the world.

 

Extraordinary Edwardian 18k yellow gold cameo,  inspired by the acient Greek and Roman models,  fearuring a sardonyx hard stone cameo with a bust of a woman with very curly hair. Extremely detailed and and wonderfully crafted, this brooch is highly unusual in that it was custom made to also be worn as a pendant. The elaborate fixture is removable so it can be worn as a brooch.

The most attractive specimens are found in India, but material also is mined in Czechoslovakia, Brazil, Uruguay, Germany, and in the United States.

by Jean Amr

 

 

July Birthstone: Ruby

There’s no better way to demonstrate your love than by giving a ruby in celebration of a July birthday. Rubies arouse the senses, stir the imagination, and are said to guarantee health, wisdom, wealth and success in love. Ruby is a variety of the gems species corundum. It is harder than any natural gemstone except diamond, which means a ruby is durable enough for everyday wear. Fine-quality ruby is extremely rare, and the color of the gem is most important to its value.

Rubies do not age. The fire that was locked in their hearts millions of years ago still burns, even after the emperors and empires that fought for them have crumbled to dust and ashes

The most prized color is a medium or medium dark vivid red or slightly purplish red. If the gem is too light or has too much purple or orange, it will be called a fancy-color sapphire.

 

 

Two-sided ruby and diamond Art Deco bangle, Boucheron, circa 1935

 

 

Van Cleef Arpels yellow gold, ruby Mystery Ring

 

Two round rubies and a center brilliant diamond make this ring truly dazzling.

Ruby and diamond engagement yellow gold ring

 

Bow ruby necklace by Garrard, ruby beads, diamonds & white gold

Ruby engagement rings are said to symbolize love, passion and courage, perfect for a colorful engagement ring that represents your relationship. For those born in July, ruby rings are particularly poignant. If your loved one’s birthstone is the ruby, it is worth considering whether a ruby center stone or side-stones would be a gorgeous choice for their engagement ring.

by Jean Amr

June Birthstones: Alexandrite, Moonstone and Pearl

Alexandrite,

A relatively modern gem, Alexandrite, was first discovered in Russia in 1831 during the reign of its namesake, Czar Alexander II, and is an extremely rare chrysoberyl with chameleon-like qualities.  Its color is a lovely green in both daylight and fluorescent light; it changes color to a purplish red in incandescent light.

White gold diamond and 1.20 ct Alexandrire emerald cut ring

 

Due to its rarity, some jewelers stock synthetic versions of this enchanting gemstone.  (Synthetic gemstones are man-made alternatives to the natural material, possessing the same physical, optical, and chemical properties as the natural gemstone.)

Moonstone,

The third birthstone for June is the Moonstone.  It was given its name by the Roman natural historian Pliny, who wrote that moonstone’s appearance altered with the phases of the moon — a belief that held until well after the sixteenth century.  A phenomenal gemstone, moonstones show a floating play of light (called adularescence) and sometimes show either a multirayed star or a cat’s eye. Considered a sacred stone in India, moonstones often are displayed on a background of yellow (a sacred color) and are believed to encapsulate within the stone a spirit whose purpose is to bring good fortune.  Part of the family of minerals called feldspar, moonstone occurs in many igneous and metamorphic rocks and comes in a variety of colors such as green, blue, peach, and champagne.

 

Mauboussin pair of platinum earrings with eight cabochon moonstones weighing approximately 23.75 carats, accented by round diamonds weighing approximately 8.45 carats (Click photo to enlarge).

The most prized moonstones are from Sri Lanka; India, Australia, the United States, Mayanmar, and Madagascar are also sources.

 

Pearl,

Historically, pearls have been used as an adornment for centuries.  They were one of the favorite gem materials of the Roman Empire; later in Tudor England, the 1500s were known as the pearl age. Pearls are unique as they are the only gems from living sea creatures and require no faceting or polishing to reveal their natural beauty.

Coco Chanel’s favorite: Pearls

Begum Om Habibeh Aga Khan and her famous pearl necklace

Cartier, La Peregrina Necklace, 1972
La Peregrina a natural late 16th century pearl weighting 202.24 grains or 50.56 cts, 56 natural pearls, 4 cultured pearls, diamonds, rubies. Detachable pendant may also be worn as a brooch

Designed by Elizabeth Taylor with Al Durante of Cartier.

In the early 1900s, the first successful commercial culturing of round saltwater pearls began. Since the 1920s, cultured pearls have almost completely replaced natural pearls in the market.

April Birthstone: Diamond

History of the Diamond as the april birthstone

No wonder they are Cartier’s, Boucheron’s, Bvlgari’s,Chaumet’s, Van Cleef & Arpels (and all those other great jewelers) favorite stones! Diamonds are a thing of beauty and the ultimate gift for a loved one. Thought to be one of the hardest substances on the globe, diamonds date back billions of years. The diamond is the traditional birthst of April and holds significant meaning for those born in that month, thought to provide the wearer with better relationships and an increase in inner strength. Wearing diamonds is purported to bring other benefits such as balance, clarity and abundance.  It’s also symbolic of eternal love, and those fortunate to call April the month of their birth will enjoy the following history behind this rare gem.

Boucheron 3.91 carat briljant-cut diamond platinum engagement ring

Diamond gemstones

Adopted from the Greek work ‘adamas’, meaning invincible, diamonds come in a wide range of colors such as black, blue, green, pink, red, purple, orange and yellow. The color is dependent upon the type of impurities that are present in the stone. Yellow stones have minuscule traces of nitrogen while blue ones contain boron.

Tiffany & Co Jean Schlumberger white and yellow gold briljant-cut diamond ring

 The orgin of birthstones

It’s uncertain how the specific months became connected with the various stones. However, some speculate that their origins date back to biblical times when the breastplate belonging to a priest was decorated with 12 assorted colored gems. As time wore on, the 12 gems became associated with the zodiac and the months connected to it.

This started the tradition of wearing a colored stone each month as a sort of good luck charm. Initially people wore all twelve stones, rotating according to the month of the year to derive the greatest benefit of each stone. Believing that the various gems held magical powers for the individual born within a given month, people started to wear the stone associated with their birth month for the entire year. In 1912, the American National Association of Jewelers designed a list dedicating different gems to various months. What was once thought to be controversial based on its commercialism is now widely accepted as the official birthstone list.

Cartier white gold diamonds briljant ‘Trinity’ ring (Click photo to enlarge).

The history and beliefs surrounding the diamond

As told through the Encarta, Sanskrit texts dating back before 400 B.C. found that people associated significant value and wonderment with crystals. There is also significant research that dates back to the 1330s showing diamond cutting in Venice. The diamond trading business flourished towards the 15th century with the opening of Eastern trade routes. Ancient theories touting the magical powers of diamonds were prevalent: some thought lightning bolts formed diamonds, while other theories asserted that diamonds were the tears of god.

The Healing Powers of Diamonds

During the Middle Ages, diamonds were thought to hold healing powers and to cure ailments stemming from the pituitary gland and brain. By heating the crystal and taking it to bed, it was thought to draw out the harmful toxins that were crippling the body. It was believed that diamonds could also have an effect on an individual’s balance and clarity and could boost their energy when combined with other crystals like amethyst.

The diamond as the April gemstone has garnered the hearts of many and is the most coveted crystal to date. Deemed as the King of all birthstones, diamonds make the ideal choice for an April birthday gift. She’ll love you for it! Find a trusted diamond jeweler neer you…

March Birthstones: Aquamarine and Bloodstone

The two birthstones for March are aquamarine and bloodstone.

Aquamarine

With its watery blue, pale green hues and crystal clearness, the gem’s name, aquamarine, is derived from the Latin words for water (aqua) and sea (marina), or ‘water of the sea’, so it’s no coincidence that the aquamarine has long been associated with the ocean.  This gemstone was believed to protect sailors, as well as to guarantee a safe voyage. Ancient legends claim that the aquamarine was found in a Mermaid’s treasure chest, as evidenced by the ancient philosopher Pliny, who paid tribute to this gem of vitality, stating, “the lovely aquamarine, which seems to have come from some mermaid’s treasure house, in the depths of a summer sea, has charms not to be denied”. In the Christian era, the Apostle St. Thomas is identified by the aquamarine as it resembled the blue skies and sea he frequently journeyed by to preach salvation.

Verdura, 18kt yellow gold and aquamarine necklace

Other popular associations of the aquamarine is that with love, marriage and everlasting youth.  According to Roman beliefs, the gem was believed to absorb the atmosphere of young love and was frequently given to brides at weddings so that the auras of the newlywed bliss would blend in with the aquamarine, preserving and increasing their mutual love, confirmed by the Roman Camillus Leonardus, “it renders the bearer cheerful and increases and preserves married love.”  During Medieval times, the aquamarine rekindled the love of married couples and was thus a popular gift to give on certain milestone wedding anniversaries.

Cartier 18kt white gold, aquamarine, diamond cocktail ring, 1970’s

Similar to other gemstones in pre-modern medicine, the aquamarine was often used to cure certain ailments throughout history.  The aforementioned ancient Roman Camillus Leonardus stated that “it cures distempers of the throat and jaws, and is good for indispositions of the live and disorders of the stomach”.  In the dark about modern medicine, the Middle Ages often turned to gemstones for their supposed spiritual and healing powers.  At the end of the eleventh century, Marbodus, the bishop of Rennes, wrote the influential Liber Lapidium (Book of Stones), in which he defined the magical qualities of sixty stones.

Chanel Café Society Cruise necklace set with a 28.30ct brilliant-cut aquamarine, diamonds, aquamarine beads and black spinels.

During antiquity, Sri Lanka and Burma were major sources for aquamarine and, according to Pliny, it was also found in India and the Ural Mountains.  Today, the major source of aquamarine, as well as the source of the finest specimens, is Brazil, where the crystals occur most commonly in pegmatites whose cavities allow the crystals to grow to large sizes.  The finest aquamarines originate from the pegmatite deposits of the Minas Gerais region in Brazil, which is also where the largest ever aquamarine was found in 1910 with a weight of over 110 kg.  Apart from Brazil, aquamarine can be found in the mines of  Colombia. Pakistan , Madagascar, Mozambique, Zambia, Malawi, Tanzania, Kenya, Nigeria and Namibia.

Chanel Café Society Cruise secret watch with an aquamarine bead bracelet contrasted with black spinels and diamonds.

The serene color of aquamarine is said to cool the temper, allowing the wearer to remain calm and levelheaded. Its pale, cool color beautifully complements spring and summer wardrobes.  Aquamarine is most often light in tone and ranges from greenish blue to blue-green; the color usually is more intense in larger stones. Because of these tones, you can’t go wrong, it suits with every outfit. Also this year the aquamarine is highly populair!

Bloodstone

The second birthstone for March is bloodstone, a dark-green jasper flecked with vivid red spots of iron oxide.  This ancient stone was used by the Babylonians to make seals and amulets and was believed to have healing powers — especially for blood disorders.  It is sometimes called the martyr’s stone as legend tells that it was created when drops of Christ’s blood stained some jasper at the foot of the cross.

Cartier Vintage 18k Yellow Gold Bloodstone Ring, 1970’s

Generally found embedded in rocks or in riverbeds as pebbles, primary sources for this stone are India, Brazil, and Australia.

February Birthstone: Amethyst

Amethyst

Amethyst, the gemstone believed by ancient Greeks and Romans to ward off the intoxicating powers of Bacchus, also is said to keep the wearer clear-headed and quick-witted.  Throughout history, the gemstone has been associated with many myths, legends, religions, and numerous cultures.  English regalia were even decorated with amethysts during the Middle Ages to symbolize royalty. It has been associated with many myths, legends, religions, and numerous cultures. Amethyst is purple quartz, a beautiful blend of violet and red that can found in every corner of the earth. Historically, the finest amethyst were found in Russia and were featured in much royal European jewelry.

Today, while Brazil is the primary source of this gemstone, fine material can be found elsewhere, especially in Zambia.

Boucheron Amethyst Gold Band Ring

 

Verdura ‘Pebble’ Amethyst Bracelet

David Webb amethyst, diamond and emerald ring

Cartier 18kt yellow gold, amethyst and turquoise Menotte ring

 

 

Van Cleef & Arpels ‘VCA’ 18k yellow gold amethyst & diamond ring

 

Bvlgari ‘Mediterranean Eden’ Yellow 18k Gold Amethyst & Diamond Ring

Purple amethyst engagement rings are said to promote happiness, contentment and peace. If you and your partner value a calm relationship, free from tension and disagreement, an amethyst ring might be a style to consider. Amethyst is the birthstone for February, and thus would be extra meaningful for those born in the month.

 

 

 

January Birthstone: Garnet

Garnet in its famous red form (Click photo to enlarge).

Garnet, the birthstone for January,  signifies eternal friendship and trust and is the perfect gift for a friend.  Garnet, derived from the word granatum, means seed, and is called so because of the gemstone’s resemblance to a pomegranate seed.  References to the gemstone dates back to 3100 B.C., when the Egyptians used garnets as inlays jewelry.

Garnet is the name of a group of minerals that comes in a rainbow of colors, from the deep red of the pyrope garnet to the vibrant green of tsavorite (Click photo to enlarge).

Today, the most important sources for garnet are Africa, Sri Lanka, and India. From fiery orange to mysterious green, garnet gemstones are naturally found in a variety of vibrant hues and tones. A garnet engagement ring is said to ensure good health, prosperity and enduring happiness. Red garnets are often compared to rubies, representing passion and love with their depth of color. Orange garnets (called Spessartite) is said to channel the energy of the sun, suitable for creative dreamers. Green garnet is believed to instill confidence in the wearer.

Cushion-cut spessartite garnet and diamond halo ring, 18k rosé gold.

As January’s birthstone, garnet engagement rings are particularly sought after those born in the first month of the year.

by Jean Amr

Birthstones by Month

Traditionally, a birthstone is associated with each month of the year. For example, the birthstone for January is a garnet, while lucky babies born in April get a diamond as their birthstone. The origin of birthstones is believed to date back to the breastplate of Aaron which contained twelve gemstones representing the twelve tribes of Israel.

Verdura 18kt Yellow Gold ‘Pebble’ Amethyst Bracelet

It’s uncertain how the specific months became connected with the various stones. However, some speculate that their origins date back to biblical times when the breastplate belonging to a priest was decorated with 12 assorted colored gems. As time wore on, the 12 gems became associated with the zodiac and the months connected to it.

This started the tradition of wearing a colored stone each month as a sort of good luck charm. Initially people wore all twelve stones, rotating according to the month of the year to derive the greatest benefit of each stone. Believing that the various gems held magical powers for the individual born within a given month, people started to wear the stone associated with their birth month for the entire year. In 1912, the American National Association of Jewelers designed a list dedicating different gems to various months. What was once thought to be controversial based on its commercialism is now widely accepted as the official birthstone list.

 

 

A vintage 14kt white gold, turquoise, emerald, blue sapphire and diamond necklace, the clasp of which can be worn as a brooch.

The current list dates back to 1912 with only one addition since then, the tanzanite was added to December. There are numerous legends and myths about birthstone healing powers and their therapeutic influence. According to these legends, wearing a gemstone during its assigned month heightened its healing powers.

For the full effect, individuals needed to own all twelve and alternate them monthly.

More on birthstones and their fabulous jewels here at Yakymour at the first of every forth comming month….

by Jean Amr