If you are looking for jewelry that is actually handmade and has a sophisticated feel to it, then Rachel Milanov's jewelry is what you want.

At an early age Rachel enjoyed working with her hands, so when she began searching what to do in life she took private classes in art and fashion. She attended classes in Jerusalem at the Bezalel Academy in Jerusalem to the Alan Rever Academy in San Francisco, California.

Her last class was with a goldsmith and she was hooked after working with this man who had a long line of goldsmiths in his family. He taught her the old ways of making jewelry by hand. He encouraged everything should be learned by hand at first so you know and appreciate the labor.

This working by hand only has been with Rachel for a very long time and is evident in all of her jewelry. Many of her clients want one of a-kind-pieces and Rachel makes sure that "all of their dreams come true." When a customer comes to her and requests a specific item they would like Rachel begins with sketches.

After she finds exactly what she believes the patron would love she will make the sample in silver so as to see it in the three dimensional vision. If the buyer is satisfied she will then make the final product. For her collections she sketches until she is ready to work. She makes the compilation not by season, but just when she is ready to be complete.

All of her work that is custom-made she makes only in gold, 14-22 karat and in different colors, with the option of including semiprecious and precious stones that she selects herself. She makes all of her own gold by buying the pure materials so is all her gold.

She says that gold "gives energy to her fingers" and "gives something back to you." If a person would like something from her collections they would be able to find silver and gold pieces, some also with semiprecious and precious stones which a person could find under the "Specials" section on her website.

Most of her stones are smaller since she enjoys making things very delicate. The backing of each of her pieces is always silver and is oxidized to emphasis the front. Recently she has begun casting to be able to match the demand for her items and produce larger collections.

She draws her inspiration from shapes, many of which she found in Jaffa. She recommends to "just look around you and let it all come out" to see the shapes. Rachel's attitude towards herself and her work is very simple and straightforward: "You show a lack of respect for the person in front of you to demand less than perfection in jewelry quality from yourself. If you want perfection I will give it to you."

Rachel is a "tailor for life" in jewelry. Her goals are not to be famous, but establish a strong clientele whom she can "answer their dreams and wishes in the jewelry industry in silver and gold." She advocates to future silver and goldsmith trainees "to listen to you, do not what the market or others want. If you do this and do not lower the profession you will find yourself making beautiful jewelry that comes from within yourself."

Many of her clients are mature women, ranging from ages 30-60 years. They are established females that "know what they want when they see it and appreciate the work that they see."

She participates in ‘private' exhibitions and shows which have about 50-60 people attending. The price ranges on silver from around 400NIS to 4500NIS. Her custom made pieces usually start at 3000NIS.

You can view some of Rachel's stunning pieces on her website and you can contact her for more information at +972-54-4485873 or email her.