With all the attention Jerusalem’s quaint shops and local markets get, it’s easy to forget that Jerusalem is also home to some of the finest and most luxurious jewelry, art and Judaica stores in the world.
The stores have the luxury of sourcing their designs from Israel’s renowned talent pool of artists known for their creativity and skill and employing expert jewelry-makers from around the globe. This is particularly true of Judaica, which you will not find done anywhere at a higher level than in Israel. Some stores are even run by the artists themselves.
You can find many of these luxury stores simply by walking down King David Street or through Mamilla Mall in downtown Jerusalem, but for those who want to skip the window shopping and get straight to the the best of the best, check out our top 5 destinations for high-end jewelry, art and Judaica.
Baltinester
Baltinester Jewelry and Judaica (Photo: Courtesy Baltinester)
One of the go-to jewelry shops in Jerusalem for over 60 years, Baltinester is almost synonymous Judaica among both locals and tourists. It's not unheard of for customers to remark, “I remember coming here as a child with my grandparents.”
Some of the fashions may have changed over the past 6 decades, but the high-level of service and quality work at Baltinester have remained steadfast.
The shop features a wide range of jewelry, both modern and traditional, in gold and silver, including as Hebrew rings, Jewish-themed pendants, and stunning everyday jewelry designs studded with diamonds and gems of all shapes, colors, and sizes.
Baltinester specializes in handmade, custom-ordered jewelry, created by master crafters, the best in their trade. The store also offers worldwide shipping, which is convenient when buying gifts or traveling light.
Rolex Boutique
Photo: Rolex Boutique
The new Rolex Boutique store is bringing the international luxury watch brand to the heart of Jerusalem. A joint venture between Rolex Geneva and Euro-Asia, Israel's exclusive representative of Rolex watches, has given birth to an elegant boutique with an impressive selection of the company’s watches.
You will find the mechanical Oyster Perpetual Rolex with a self-winding mechanism among other legendary models. The displayed models are reliable, stylish, and most importantly extremely punctual.
This is indeed the perfect gift for every occasion!
Address: Alrov Mamilla Avenue, Jerusalem
Avi Luvaton Gallery
Photo: Avi Luvaton
When you buy from Avi Luvaton, you’re not just buying an item or a product. You’re buying an original piece of art made not only from the finest materials, but also with passion, love and care.
“[My customers are]people looking for something special,” Luvaton says. “Some are collectors; others are looking for high-end pieces as a form of Jewish identity in their homes, to reflect their personalities.”
Avi Luvaton’s work can be found worldwide, but Jerusalem is the source, where the Tel Aviv-born artist operates the Avi Luvaton Gallery in the David Citadel Hotel, a jewelry shop in Mamilla Mall and a studio in the Hutzot Hayotzer artists colony.
Luvaton’s main focus these days is on the gallery, where he displays and sells some of the most impressive Judaica and what he terms Judeco-Art.
“Most of my work now is Judaica,” he says. “Jewelry is something I enjoy doing, but my passion is Judaica.”
Photo: Avi Luvaton
Address: 7 King David Street, Jerusalem
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Padani
Photo: Padani
Perhaps the most storied purveyor of jewelry in Israel, Padani Jewelry not only sells it’s own unique creations, but is also the exclusive agent for renowned brands, including Patek Philippe, Cartier, Piaget, Breitling, Jaeger-Lecoultre, Panerai, Chanel, A. Lange & Sohne, and Bvlgari, among others.
The Padani legacy dates back to the late 19th century Belgium when a daughter from a renowned family of diamond merchants married young jeweler Henri Padani. Together, they built up a reputation in the European industry before moving their operation to the nascent State of Israel after WWII.
The Padani motto is “Jewelry for Connoisseurs,” which all of their original pieces must live up to by being “rare, sophisticated contain a significant amount of mysterious emotional/aesthetic subtext.”
Padani has 9 galleries around the country, including Mamilla Mall in Jerusalem.
Where: Alrov Mamilla Mall, Jerusalem
H. Stern
Photo: H. Stern
Look around the most luxurious parts of the world, and you’re sure to find the internationally renowned H. Stern, whether it’s stores in the most upscale districts of major cities or around the necks, wrists and fingers of celebrities like Rihana, Angelina Jolie, Sharon Stone and Catherine Zeta-Jones.
Renowned for setting and keeping up with worldwide trends, H. Stern has several stores in Jerusalem -- inside the King David, Waldorf Astoria and Inbal hotels, Mamilla Mall and Malha Mall.
Finegold
Photo: Finegold
When it comes to high-end jewelry, it doesn’t get more Jerusalem than the family-run Finegold, which has been run by the Elbaz family since the 1970’s, when the elder Mr. Elbaz became the first jeweler in the family.
Finegold specializes in lustrous pieces made from only the most select diamond cuts mounted expertly on antique, vintage and modern jewelry. In addition to the collections, you can special order pieces to your specifications, and Finegold carries a selection of watches from top international brands.
Finegold has stores in Mamilla Mall, the King David Hotel, Malha Mall and on Ben Yehuda Street.