Izidor Kamhi grew up in Istanbul, Turkey. His parents sent him to the United States for college, where he studied mechanical engineering. While there, he met his wife (of 40 years!) and began working for her family’s jewelry manufacturing business after school. He worked in the shop, learning how to create fine jewelry—he even traveled as one of their salesmen.
In 1992, Izidor ventured out on his own and started Izi Creations. “I found I had a passion for color stones; I loved playing with all sorts of designs that involved color,” says Izi. “I have traveled all over the world in search of beautiful gems. Many of the styles that I create start with that unique gem that catches my eye.”
Izidor says Izi Creations does a lot of custom work to help clients make their clients’ dreams and visions come true.
selecting rubies and sapphires in Thailand.
“People send me their diamonds and color stones to work with, and luckily, we have some very happy ladies out there! I work tirelessly to bring my customer the finest color stones at a very reasonable price, and they have come to know that when they buy an Izi piece, they are getting a fine piece of jewelry. I like to think that I create modern heirlooms—jewelry that is fresh and can be passed down for generations.”
Now in their 30th year, Izi Creations has seen ups and downs, and styles come and go. Izi explains that his early days of jewelry education have stayed with him and are evident in each piece that gets the izi stamp.
Izi Creations has seen success with their multi-shape stone collection. “We have made bracelets, pendants, earrings, and rings using a variety of different-shaped stones of the same type. No two are exactly the same.” Izidor adds, “We will be expanding that group to include many other stones, such as tourmaline and topaz, that will add some beautiful colors and a variety of price points to an already successful group.”
In 2020, Izi Creations joined the AGS community. Izidor shares that later in his career, he’s learned that it is best to join organizations that help connect you to other fine jewelers. “The AGS label gives you a helping hand; jewelers are confident when buying from you and are a great resource for information. Networking with other industry people is always helpful; you are never too old to learn something new.”
Learn more about Izi Creations at izicreations.com.
