Neta Harpaz studied to be a goldsmith and jewelry designer over 15 years ago at the WIZO College in Haifa. Her final project received good reviews and was chosen to represent Israel in a design exhibit in Munich, Germany. Neta was motivated to continue crating and designing jewelry but then her daughter was born and Neta became a full-time mom – and stopped working. She had later started teaching, which she continues doing. A “slipped disc” a few years ago brought Neta to take a long leave of absence with a lot of free time on her hands: “Time for thoughts, time for ideas and my hands really started to yearn for all the tools I used to work with” says Neta.
Neta started designing her unique Mezuzahs and continued to create the medallions. Neta’s presentation at the 2006 Jovella exhibition received lots of interest which motivated Neta to design jewelry as well, in different styles.
A self-proclaimed lover of advanced design technology, Neta uses laser and computers in her design process but it is very important for her to conserve the ancient gold crafting “the work with the burner, placing, flattening, the hammers, in short – the manual work”.
Neta’s unique mezuzahs, a few of which you can see here, are all hand-made and so there are no two alike. They are all made of silver, gold plated silver and semi-precious stones and they definitely provide a personal touch at the very entrance to the house.
The inspiration for the jewelry Neta’s designs comes from a rather surprising source- while many jewelry designers spoke here about the nature and the people around them as source of inspiration, Neta, being highly technical, gets hers from the tools themselves. Watching the tools, different machines and machine parts are those inspire her creativity. She is also inspired by Judaism and one can see phrases from the bible incorporated in some of pendants.
Nets’a creations can be purchased in many shops in Israel and in her Kfar Vardim studio, where she works and creates.
Neta Harpaz

I’m happy to present to you today Lital Mendel, also a sophomore at the Shenkar College of engineering and design. Getting involved in jewelry design was not random to her but not obvious too and it happened following her re-acquaintance with an old friend who was studying at the Betzalel academy of arts at the time. Lital, who was studying for her BA at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, was then exposed to ‘professional’ designing and understood that she could seriously and professionally do something she used to consider a hobby. The road to jewelry design from there was obvious according to her: “Jewelry to me are something very personal with a deep emotional connection to the wearer, weather they were given as a gift, inherited or purchased.” The connection between the jewelry and the body and the way they affect each other, combine and change also intrigues her.
Lital’s designs which drew my attention at the Jovella exhibition (some of which you can see here) were part of a project with the Aviram Toledo company. The concept Lital dealt with was childhood memories and secrets and she set out to design “jewelry that have a secret only the wearer knows.” The idea was to give a twist to known objects that will demand a second look. Lital chose to use the clover that usually symbolizes luck and for her is related with childhood, innocence and wishes. She created the dog tag, a well known object, but with an unusual setting. She further created a ring with a revolving top showing clovers in different colors and a Bombay ring that appears simple on the outside, but made of embossments and engravings on the inside. You can also see here Lital’s creations from a bridal jewelry project with the Swarovsky company and here unusual perspective of heart jewelry in these too charming necklaces.

I’m happy to start today a new theme in my blog with tips and suggestions on how to match jewelry to our body built, the cloths we wear, the event we go to and more. This is a start of a wonderful (I hope) cooperation with Aliza Hershkovitz, a personal and business image consultant (and also the mother of Risi Bne Tora, a jewelry designer and blog beloved).
We will start today with some tips on how to choose the jewelry best suited to our body built and here are Aliza’s advices:
- The jewelry we wear attracts the beholders attraction to where it sits and so it’s very important to choose jewelry that will emphasize beautiful parts of our body.
- Women with a large bosom, who do not wish to emphasis it, should choose a necklace with a pendant that sits at 2 fingers below the base of the neck.
- Women with a short neck should wear long earrings that will create an illusion of a longer neck. If the earring is highly noticeable it is best not to wear a necklace with them.
- If we wish to maintain a solid look we should choose 2 pieces of jewelry of the same shade of color/ collection who will compliment each other.

Aliza wishes you all “to always be pretty and look your best” and you can approach her for more advice on the topic at:
Aliza Hershkovitz
Personal and business image consultant
Hakfar 1, Kiryat Ono, Israel
Phone: +972-3-6354087
Cellphone: +972-544-544111
Email: alizabet@smile.net.il

From a jewelry crafting course at Jerusalem’s Technological center, Orit had advanced to achieving her B.F.A at the Bezalel Academy of Art and Design and from there – to opening her very own jewelry design gallery in the picturesque and romantic Tel Aviv neighborhood of Neve Tzedek.
Orit says that as a child she used to spend most of her time cutting, painting, pasting and in short – creating! Her sources of inspiration today are varied but she focuses on the body and treats the jewelry she designs as item of clothing per say, communicating with the body and contacting it. She aspires to design unique jewelry according to the fashion trends. 
As well, Orit is always willing to try and design a dreams fulfilling jewelry for each of her customers according to their personal desires…
Orit Ivshin

A unique project is on its way at the Bituy College of Art & design in Hertzeliya – a new shop, named “TALENTO”, displaying young designers is being built on the college’s compound these days. The intent of this project, well implied in the name chosen, is to provide the jump start for new and talented designers, beginning their commercial career. The shop will display fashion designers, industrial designers and of course – jewelry designers.
“Bituy” college offers a variety of courses in the fields of art and design, many of which are recognized by the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Labor. Among the courses you can find a computer graphics and web design course, fashion design, interior decorating and more. The college also offers many preparatory schools, training students who wish to apply to Israel’s known art and design schools such as Betzalel academy or Shenkar: architecture, jewelry design, industrial design, fashion and textile design and art.
A number of young designers have already joined the project and all those interested are welcome to write to Evyatar Stern at: :   perachavy@perach.org.il or call 054-7882043.

“Bituy” College

In the mean time, here’s a sneak-peak at the store being built as we speak….

Eti Ben Saadon has a PhD in Hebrew literature and she practices teaching and education. But Eti can’t turn her back on the atmosphere in her parents’ home. With a goldsmith as a father and a designer as a mother, Eti grow up surrounded by “creation and renewal”, as she says. Her parents are her creative basis and she is inspired by nature and the worlds of poetry and imagination. And indeed, floral motives stand out in Eti’s jewelry designs, as well as leaves and painted beads with a romantic look.
Eti uses a variety of techniques to create her jewelry (interweaving, knitting, coloring, gemstone setting, coiling and others) and aspires “to give beauty and goodness to the woman who will wear my jewelry”.

Eti Ben Saadon

The citrine is stone in the shades of brown-yellow. Most of the citrines available today were actually made by heating (naturally or artificially) amethyst stones (see previous amethyst post).
Because of its color, the citrine is very connected to the sun’s energy – warm, pleasant, charging and reviving. This is a stone that helps processes of digestion, both physical and mental, helps one understand reality and differ between what is important and what isn’t. The citrine also gives energy and so it is considered very helpful for people who need to assert themselves (in front of an audience, demanding a raise etc.). The citrine is especially known as the “stone of wealth”, increasing wealth and helping guard it. Each person can obtain wealth if he would only be willing to receive it and the citrine creates this openness and willing to receive. 

A new and exciting jewelry exhibition will open at the Ramat Aviv mall next week. “Crafting the wonders of the world” will showcase jewelry designed by graduates from the Yael Shkedi workshop inspired by the buildings that were recently nominated as” the new seven wonders of the world”.
I’m honored to be able to give you the first peek at the some of the marvelous designs that will be displayed, among them this fascinating ring, designed by Miryam Aviv, inspired by the El Hambra palace in Spain. The simplicity side by side with the complex engravings captured my heart and took me back to trips in Spain and to this very palace, where I visited several years ago.

I haven’t had the chance to visit the Roman Colosseum yet, but there is no doubt that this ring, designed by Chani Kol Frid, both conveys the spirit of this known structure and testifies to her skills as gifted goldsmith. I really loved the layers Chani created and the fact that the ring is not close - much like the Colosseum itself, where only part of the outer wall survived.

Another ring, and the last piece I’m going to expose here (Go to the exhibition!), will probably remain on display – this impressive ring , rich with engravings and small details was designed by Michal Nayim, inspired by India’s Taj Mahal.

The exhibition will be open from October 9th until October 29th and you are all welcome to call Yael Shkedi’s workshop for more details at: 09-7461715.

Michal Basharel’s artistic career started when she was just a young child making artifacts with a friend and selling them. It was the very same friends, who many years later, in 2001 taught Michal jewelry designing and encouraged her to start creating her own jewelry and finding her unique saying in the field.
In fact, art had always taken part in Michal’s world, even in her years in high-tech. Michal managed many projects but she always loved building and designing websites and this is how she built her own website “Kukla”: “Working on the website inspired me to continue and develop my passion to design jewelry”, says Michal.
Michal’s sources of inspiration vary but what lies as a thread to connect all her designs is the emphasis on keeping a very feminine and delicate line: “my inspiration is more intuitive and comes in the forms of muses”, says Michal, ” I connect to womanhood and delicacy and it shows in my designs – even if a piece of jewelry is more heavily designed there will always be a gentle and feminine element, in the colors or the deign itself” and you can see it clearly in the lovely pair of earrings shown here.

The clear guideline for Michal is creating unique quality jewelry in affordable prices. She uses Swarovsky crystals in her designs as well as different gemstones and sweet water pearls. Michal had also design a unique line for brides with many designs combining high quality sweet water pearls that every bride would be happy to wear on her special day.
Another unique line designed by Michal is based on different gemstones and most of the jewels in this collection are one-of-a kind and so they are not featured on her website.
So, what is “Kukla”? you must be wondering. One of many explanations, in Russian and one form of Spanish, is “doll”: “my father used to call me kukla when I was a child and it just follows me from back then…” says. You can find other interpretations on Michal’s impressive website, which also contains many articles on pearls and gemstones and, of course, the beautiful jewelry Michal makes. I can hardly wait for the new site coming soon…

Kukla – jewelry by Michal Basharel

One of the most interesting displays in the Jovella show for me was the one displaying a variety of creations by the students from the department of jewelry design at the Shenkar College of engineering and design. Today, I’m pleased to present to you one of its promising talents – Dana Notkovich, who recently completed her sophomore year.
Dana had studies arts in the past and had many thoughts on her future, finally deciding to study jewelry design. In retrospect, she says, this was the best decision for her – “The technical aspects fascinate me (I also work as a caster in the department) and designing challenges me and pushes me to develop each and every day”.
You are welcome to review here some of the works Dana had created during her first years of studying, among them a beautiful silver ring with the imprint of a leaf and these charming hearts earrings – Dana’s suggestion to an unusual use of the heart shape, one of the best-sellers in the jewelry world.
Also, I present here Dana’s works from two unique joint projects of the Shenkar’s jewelry design department and the Austrian known crystal company Swarovski. One project dealt with designing a tiara and body jewelry for a bride and Dana created her designs inspired by a sunset beach wedding – explaining the airiness and many colors. In another project, the students were instructed to create a white crown not made of metal. Dana had wonderfully created a prestigious looking crown due to the fine details and the abundance of crystals – though it is based on plain pizza carton!!
I highly recommend keeping an eye on this talented girl and I hope to present more upcoming talents soon!