Get this stunning Hazorfim candelabra at a 10% discount at World of Judaica! Just enter HAZORFIM10 upon checkout.

The legend of silver products of judaica bears a long history of Jewish tradition and culture. The Israeli company Hazorfim represents this rich history in magnificent modern pieces of silver judaica art.

Founded in 1952, Hazorfim is famous for elaborate works of the highest quality of sterling silver available. This rich material makes Hazorfim the ideal supplier for artistic pieces of judaica.  Hazorfim was created when Yosef Merdinger, Wilhelm Kerner, and Michael Steinmetz studied silversmithing together in Romania. After World War II, the three friends traveled to Israel together only to be placed in an internment camp on the island of Cyprus. In 1949, Merdinger and his partners finally made it to Israel and began building the modern wonder that is Hazorfim.

Now, Hazorfim is well known for making a wide variety of desirable Jewish art including a stunning collection of Hanukkah menorahs and Kiddush cups. All of these Hazorfim products represent the finest of judaica in their own respectful categories. Hazorfim Hanukkah menorahs generally shine as bright as the moon and reflect a modern take on an ancient tradition or design. These menorahs are usually kept slender and smooth allowing for the simple aesthetics of shape and their sterling silver material to create all the beauty required to make your candle lighting ceremonies the finest experiences possible. Shabbat candlesticks are also available from Hazorfim having similar designs and effects.

Hazorfim Kiddush cups add to the ranks of beautiful silver items from the master silver smiths with a multitude of designs. Again, these are kept fairly simple so that the fine Hazorfim silver will stand out in reflective beauty. These designs that are present in most Hazorfim pieces are simple rows of appropriate decorations. At their most fancy, Hazorfim Kiddush cups come with an accompanying saucer and both pieces are exceptionally crafted with intricate images of leaves or something of the sort.

Though Hatzorfim certainly represents the finest of silver judaica available, they aren’t alone. Another exceptional supplier of rich pieces of judaica art is Hadad Brothers who are also known for Moreshet, their line of silver plated Judaica. Hadad Bros. pieces are often similar in design to Hazorfim pieces, and one is certainly no better than the other. Though Hadad Bros. also uses sterling silver in much if their work, they have also branched off from the strictly sterling silver products from Hazorfim. Hadad Bros. also supplies a large line of silver plated copper Judaica products. Though the price differs between the sterling silver and silver plating, the immense beauty and timeless tradition from both Hazorfim and Hadad Bros. does not.

Get a 10% discount on this item at World of Judaica by typing TALLIT10 upon checkout!

Tallitot represent the traditional piece of Judaica art as one of the most important items in Judaism. As some are worn under your clothes every day, it is also very important that the tallit make you feel your best as a comfortable garment. Luckily, high quality talits are available in wide variety at the World of Judaica where all products of Judaica art from Israel including tallit bags, atara, and tallit clips are sold at the best prices and with the most dependable service.

The talit has a long history and is connected to intricate practices and traditions. The first known tallitot date back as far as 1800 BCE making them one of the oldest items of Jewish tradition to still be in use today. That’s impressive considering that the Jewish faith is one of the oldest surviving religions.

In their origins however, tallitot were designed and used much differently than today. There was no atara or tallit clips and there were no special tallit bags to protect and carry tallitot. There is no religious text commanding the use of tallitot themselves. Instead, Jews are commanded to wear garments with added fringes (tzitzit in Hebrew). The talit was invented so that the tzitzit could be worn on one piece of clothing instead of adding the fringes to all garments. Therefore the first talits were simple pieces of cloth with the tzitzit in all four corners. These plain pieces could be used as every-day clothing, prayer shawls, or as covering during burial.

With the development of artistic design and the need to adapt tallitot to more modern clothing, two different forms of the tallit came into being. Jews are expected to sport tzitzit every day of the week with a few special exceptions. Most now do this by wearing the comfortable, stylish Tallit katan (or small tallit) underneath the rest of their clothing. The tallit katan fits like a poncho over your head and according to text symbolizes a Jew’s “remembrance of all the commandments of the Lord.” To keep these pieces simple, the don’t include the elegant atara that was added to the larger prayer shawl.

The second of the tallitot now commonly used is the tallit gadol (or large tallit). The tallit gadol is the more commonly known prayer shawl worn on Shabbat, Jewish holidays, or any other prayer time. These tallitot prayer shawls include the required tzitzit and atara and are draped around your shoulders or cover your head during prayer. Over time, the prayers shawls have become recognized as keystones of Judaica with their often rich materials such as silk or hand embroidered cotton and designs that can easily be carried in a tallit bag.

With their widespread use, demand for well decorated tallitot prayer shawls has sky-rocketed. Now, many different Judaica artists such as well-known creator Yair Emanuel create tallitot of rich and meaningful design, and it’s all available at the World of Judaica.

This Yair Emanuel tallit is now at a 10% discount on World of Judaica. Just type 'JUDAICA10' at checkout.

Yair Emanuel Judaica consists of the products that set the bar for a long and elaborate tradition of Jewish art. Yair Emanuel himself resides in Jerusalem where he also works. As a graduate from the Bezalel Academy of Art and Design, he is widely recognized throughout the Judaica world market for his elegantly modern twists in his designs depicting traditional, even ancient, symbols of Jewish religion and culture.

The beautiful products of Yair Emanuel Judaica are results of the life of Yair Emmanuel himself. The Israeli artist was born on Kibbutz Sha’alvim into religious Orthodoxy. He grew up in Jerusalem heavily involved in study and observing Jewish religious and cultural practices. Emanuel eventually chose to distance himself from orthodox religion, but the knowledge gained in his childhood would forever have an astounding influence on Yair Emanuel Judaica.

The principal designs of Yair Emmanuel display meaningful images and symbols of Judaism as works of useful Jewish art. The most famous of these include illustrations of pomegranates, Jerusalem’s skyline, the Tree of Life, and many different floral patterns all using stunningly bright colors that complement one another.

The materials of Yair Emanuel Judaica are also varied ranging from smooth silk, to sanded wood. Hand embroidery also makes up a large percentage of Yair Emmanuel products and his images are often painted onto silk or raw silk surfaces for a colorful effect of meaningful beauty.

Perhaps the best known and most loved collection is the line of Yair Emanuel tallit. The tallit of Yair Emanuel Judaica is one of the finest made and finest designed products on the Judaica market. It’s basically the Armani of religious items. One material used in Yair Emanuel tallit is raw silk which is delicately appliqued with unique colors of meaningful harmony.

Another popular item is the Yair Emanuel challah cover. These beautiful pieces are created with the same basic materials as Yair Emanuel tallit and follow the same themes of relevant and stunning design. Most Yair Emanuel challah covers display artistic illustrations that surround or somehow encompass English or Hebrew lettering reading “Shabbat ve yom tov” or, “Good day and Shabbat”.

An additional plus to the designs of Yair Emanuel Judaica is that there is no shortage of choices due to Yair Emanuel’s attempts to aide you in personalizing his products as much as possible. Many of his products are available in multiple sizes. Beyond this, many of his designs are created in a few different color options so that if you don’t like the blue, you can also choose the gold that is Yair Emanuel Judaica.

According to the Jewish mystical tradition of Kabbalah, the Star of David has multiple meanings. The star itself is comprised of King David’s name and he used it as his signature when signing important documents. In ancient Hebrew the letter “D” appeared as a triangle while the “V” has a numerical significance of the number six as in the six-pointed star. Another symbol of the six points is that the Creator rules and protects the entire world in all six directions which is why King David used this powerful symbol on his shield giving it its name. The triangles themselves represent the relationship between man and the Creator, symbolizing the give and take of goodness that humans are expected to give and the good we receive from above. 

In Hebrew the word “magen” also means to defend or protect and for the last five hundred years this symbol has been worn and used to protect places, people and holy objects. Traditionally, Stars of David have been given as Bar and Bat Mitzvah gifts. The Bar and Bat Mitzvah is one of the most significant times and is an important rite of passage marking the entrance into Jewish adulthood and the ability to uphold Jewish laws and be counted as an adult in the community. According to Jewish tradition children “protect” the faith.
In a famous quote from the Talmud, or Oral Torah, children are the builders and will bring peace to future generations. In Judaism, the concept of repairing the world is paramount and something every young person is taught. Part of becoming a B’nei Mitzvah includes involvement with charity and an overall lifelong commitment to helping people in need. The Star of David therefore is the perfect gift as it serves as a beautiful lifelong symbol to protect and defend justice.

source: people.com

Beyoncé and Jay-Z concealed their marriage for a while after tying the knot in April of 2008. Though a little non-traditional where the silhouette of wedding bands are concerned, her wedding ring truly knocks the socks off many others. This 18 carat, flawless diamond ring by Lorraine Schwartz is worth over $5 million. She showed it off for the first time in a number honoring Etta James at New York City’s Radio City Music Hall.

Source: ohnotheydidnt.livejournal.com

Marilyn Monroe
Diamonds are a girl’s best friend, indeed. Marilyn’s eternity wedding ring, featuring 35 diamonds, was placed on her finger by Joe DiMaggio. It was one of very few real pieces of among her jewelry. Though she and Joe divorced, they remained friends and were rumored to be planning to re-marry soon before she died. Joe never married again and Marilyn’s ring was sold at a Christie’s auction in 1999. It was bought for $770,000.

jewelinfo4u.com

Kate Middleton
While it has been much publicized that Prince William won’t be wearing a wedding ring, Kate certainly will. Though the Prince gave Kate his mother’s ring for their engagement, the Queen Mum herself provided them with a wedding band for Kate’s finger. The wedding ring was created by the family jewelers in Wales. It was made from a nugget of Welsh gold and given to William by his grandmother not long after he and Kate announced their engagement.

Katy Perry

Source:novafm.com.au

Katy married Russell Brand in late 2010, in a traditional Hindu wedding ceremony in Rajasthan, India. Their wedding rings are just

as unique as the couple. The elaborate rings are wide, dark platinum bands set with over 100 yellow, champagne, and cognac diamonds, and ring in at an estimated $75,000 each.

Eva Longoria

Source: bigfatcake.com

Eva has a history of loving Piaget jewelry. In July of 2007, Eva and hubby Tony Parker exchanged Piaget Possession rings during a fairy tale wedding in Paris, in Saint Germain L’Auxerrois Church. The rings were engraved with personal messages inscribed in French. Her ring, valued at $25,000 was made of white gold and set with over two carats’ worth of brilliant cut diamonds and three carats of square cut diamonds. It features 107 gems: 80 brilliant cut diamonds arranged in two rows around the ring with the 27 square cut stones in between. Tony’s ring, a little less pricy at $1400, was more simple while staying very elegant – an 18k white gold band.

Heirloom. If you have a diamond engagement ring that’s been in your family for generations, you may have the perfect engagement ring on your hands, preloaded with sentimental family history and symbolism. Start by getting the ring professionally cleaned. If the setting still looks shabby, or the center stone is dull and poorly cut, it may be a better idea to either reset the center stone in a new setting or purchase a loose diamond to rejuvenate a classic setting.

National Chain Store. National chains, those stores at the mall with the shiny displays and perky salespeople, are convenient, and generally have a pretty wide range of setting styles. However, the salespeople may not know an awful lot about diamonds, which can be frustrating when you are trying to invest in the perfect loose diamond. Also, remember that the cost of all those sexy commercials is worked into the cost of your ring.

Independent Jeweler. Independent bricks-and-mortar jewelry shops can offer impeccable customer service, a wealth of knowledge about loose diamonds and settings, and often throw in perks like free cleanings. On the other hand, they tend to have the smallest selection of stones and settings of any engagement ring source, and their prices reflect the high cost of running an independent shop. Before you buy from an independent jeweler, make sure that he is trustworthy and sells only certified diamonds.

Online Retailers. More and more customers are turning to the Web for their engagement rings, for several reasons. First, the selection at an Internet-based store is much better than at a bricks-and-mortar. Second, without the costs of running a physical store, online retailers can offer certified loose diamonds, settings and rings online at significantly better prices. Some customers appreciate communicating with diamond experts via live chat or email instead of in a store, while others enjoy the convenience of literally being able to buy the engagement ring or wedding band wherever and whenever they feel like it.

Furthermore, because of the placement of the two solid ends, as opposed to the four or six and up to twelve claws or prongs you see in traditional settings, tension set wedding rings for women  allow much more light to enter the diamond or other precious stone, thereby increasing the brilliance of the stone.

Tension rings, therefore,  need to be designed with not only with heavy gauge metal, but also special alloying, hardening and treatment processes for the necessary strength to hold the stone in place.  Common metals used in tension set rings include titanium due to its strength and durability as well as platinum, white and yellow gold of around 18 or 14 karat.

Pure 22 karat gold would likely not be suitable due to its softness.  Because of the pressure of the tension setting, stones need to be hardness on the MOS scale of 8 or more, which means that only the very hardest stones such as diamonds, rubies, and sapphires can be used in this setting style.

Additionally, stones used in tension settings must be of excellent quality with absolutely no cracks, fractures or faults.  The classic designs are often the simplest and a round diamond held within the band is considered the best by many but other options such as angled settings are becoming more popular.

Disadvantages

If you are planning to buy wedding rings online, you will notice that tension rings in general a more expensive than traditional rings, as tension rings use two to three times the amount of metal.  At the same time there is less protection to the girdle of the stone so if the tension setting is not properly set the stone may not hold.

Therefore, tension settings are recommended for less active people or for special occasions only but not every day wear.  Another downside is that a tension set rings cannot be effectively re-sized.  This is due to the inherent properties of any metal with a spring characteristic.

It’s the spring property of the metal that literally squeezes against opposing sides of the stone, thus the term tension set.  To alter the size of such a ring by conventional methods creates in the metal a portion that will not be capable of imparting the force needed to effectively hold the stone in place.  Finally, tension setting rings are not something any jeweler can just make; they have to be customized for a specific diamond as well as finger size and are usually only obtainable at exclusive jewelry designers.

Argyle Cushion Diamond

The Argyle Diamond Mine, located in the East Kimberley region of Western Australia was first explored by Ashton Mining Ltd in 1972. Following a merger with CRA Ltd and a subsequent merger with Rio Tinto Ltd, diamonds were first produced from the mine in 1983. Diamonds extracted from the Argyle Mine are marketed as Argyle Diamonds.

The Argyle mine is the largest diamond producer in the world by volume, however produces only a small number (5%) of gem-quality diamonds (predominantly cognac). Annual production averages 35 million carats (7,000 kg), or about one third of global production of natural diamonds.

The signature stone of the Argyle Mine is the natural fancy color pink diamond. Over 90% of the natural fancy color pink diamonds produced in the world emanate from the Argyle mine. Additionally, Argyle provides a large proportion of other naturally colored diamonds, including champagne, cognac and rare blue diamonds.

Beginning in 1985, approximately 35 carats of polished pink Argyle Diamonds are offered as part of an exclusive annual sale known as the Argyle Pink Diamond Tender. Since 1985, more than 750 stones have been offered for sale at the tender at a total weight of almost 600 carats. Access to event is invitation only and even the tender catalog and website access are highly sought after.

In 2009, Argyle announced their first ever tender of rare blue diamonds. The “Once in a Blue Moon” collection was sourced over several years and comprised a range of preci

Argyle Diamond Mines

ous blue and violet diamonds weighing a total of 287 carats (57 g).

The majority of Argyle Diamonds are sold as “rough” or uncut stones. Initially, the majority of tones between the years 1983-1996 were sold to De Beers. This association set the imprimatur of the established De Beers name on the new production from Argyle. It helped provide consumer, investor, and industry confidence in the Argyle product.

Following the expiration of the sales agreements with De Beers, Argyle Diamonds had established their name and reputation in the marketplace and Rio Tinto was ready to forge a direct path in the marketing and sales.

The Argyle Mine has been producing diamonds for almost 30 years. The transition from open-cut to underground mining has taken place, and the next 30 years of reserves of famous Argyle Diamonds are soon to be accessed. What awaits diamond lovers from this yet to be mined ore is a complete mystery. One thing is known with total certainty though, the bounty of Argyle is a once in a lifetime discovery that has both defined and redefined the diamond industry.

Channel Set 18K Yellow Gold Eternity Ring

A ring can mean so much when it comes to love. It is the precious, and one of oldest symbols of your commitment to another person. An engagement ring, a wedding band and of course, an eternity ring are the most popular. These will make exquisite anniversary gifts. We know what the first two symbolize, but what makes an eternity ring stand out? Why is it seen as so special? For one, the name itself gives us a clue.

An eternity ring means just that, eternal love. Most engagement rings are diamond because diamonds are one of the toughest minerals on Earth, if not the toughest. It is virtually unbreakable, which makes it perfect for an engagement ring. A promise, a promise of love and commitment that will not be destroyed. Now how can we make that promise, mean even more? What can we wear daily from a loved one, to remind us that no matter what, our love is forever? While one diamond can mean so much, the unbreakable bond, because a diamond is so durable, imagine what a whole band of diamonds can represent for your loved one.

14K White Gold Eternity Ring

It means forever, the diamonds go all the way around, meaning the love you have for that person is a continuous circle that never ends. When you give an eternity ring, it means that you will cherish that person for always, that nothing can break the love you two have for each other. Each diamond on the band can signify all the different moments you have already shared: first date, first kiss, year anniversary, engagement, marriage, honeymoon, and children. If your life has not lead you to accomplish all these important stages just yet, the ring can it can
still hold special significance, it will mean the future you want together with that person by your side. Each time your one and only looks down at her hand she will remember all that you two together have already shared, and will continue to do so.

Eternity rings are often given as the wedding band, with it raising in popularity the last couple of years. A perfect compliment to an engagement ring, its breathtaking design can also stand alone. Have you found the love of your life? Someone you love, respect and cherish?

People spend their whole lives looking for that one special person, why not make sure that person knows you are always thinking of them in your life now and in your future.

This post is sponsored by Since1910

Black Gemstone Ring

In general the most popular pieces of jewelry on the market are diamond rings, especially diamond engagement rings. However, other gemstones have been popular over the course of history and eclipsed the diamond in popularity until the discovery of massive diamond mines in South Africa in the 1800s. After that discovery, gemstones were considered to be a less valuable commodity. But gemstones have enjoyed new-found popularity over the course of the last year or two and seem to be becoming increasingly popular by the year. Here are some reasons why gemstone rings, especially gold gemstone rings, are newly popular and likely to be the next jewelry trend in the near future.

Gemstone rings are more affordable. While the prices of gemstones and gold have always been high, diamonds and platinum are the highest priced gemstones and precious metals. As a result, gold and other gemstones were less popular, more affordable alternatives. With the current economic environment, people have rediscovered that stones such as sapphires and emeralds are just as beautiful as diamonds – and sometimes even more so, but at the same time more affordable.

Colorful Gemstones Rings

Gold gemstone rings better reflect the “antique ring” trend. Recently, the antique or vintage ring

has become the most popular type of gemstone ring. This is mainly linked to the economic environment in that people now pine for the early 1900s when life is perceived to be simpler. As a result, there has been a surge in the number of vintage rings that have and do not have diamonds and instead feature other precious gemstones.

Royalty historically used gemstones other than diamonds. While diamond rings are currently the most popular type of

ring, this was not the case historically. Typically, engagement rings, wedding rings and other pieces of jewelry featured gemstones such as sapphires in emeralds. In fact, the British Royal family seldom used any diamond in engagement proposals. In addition, the ring used in the recent royal engagement was a sapphire ring that had some diamonds. Because of this, gemstones are newly popular, especially amongst those women who would like to feel like royalty upon their engagement.

Diamond gemstone rings show the wearer’s personality. As of now, people are increasingly wearing rings that reflect their personality, rather than that which the diamond or jewelry industry would prefer. As a result, there are now rings whose center stone is something other than diamonds that has some sort of sentimental meaning to them, such as a birth stone. However, diamonds are still used, but as accents rather than as the focus of such jewelry.