<i>How does one describe a man who abandoned several lucrative careers to devote his life to creating handmade jewelry using ancient, rather than modern techniques? Dedicated? Creative? Romantic? Eccentric? All these adjectives can be used to describe Gurhan.</i>



After earning his degree in mathematics and business at university in Ankara, Gurhan started the first of his many careers until he eventually found his path as a goldsmith and designer. He designed and made electronic and audio equipment (he still enjoys de- and re-constructing all sorts of equipment!); he founded nightclubs and bars (American rock music remains a passion!); and he practiced as a precision watchmaker in Switzerland. At this point the real indications of his creativity emerged. His specialty was remaking old fob watches into art pieces and his work was featured in several exhibitions. As Gurhan tells it, when he first touched pure 24K gold, he found his true calling. Entranced by its warmth, softness, richness and texture, he felt compelled to create fine jewelry. He returned to Istanbul to a tiny workshop, eschewed formal training and worked to rediscover the original techniques of the earliest metalsmiths. It was here that he recreated the atmosphere of an ancient workshop, using wooden and bone tools to shape the gold, beach sand to buff and polished the finished jewelry.
Today, located in New York's Soho, Gurhan's work is recognized by its rich colorations, soft burnished textures and flexible, body-friendly forms. Each piece is crafted in 24K gold, sometimes accented with gemstones, diamonds or pearls. All designs are handmade in his workshop by Gurhan himself or his school of apprentices. Working side by side with his wife Fiona, (who reportedly met him while on vacation in Turkey, fell in love with his jewelry and later with him), Gurhan spends his days doing what he loves best: creating distinctive handmade jewelry. His awards include several prizes and citations from the World Gold Council and the Perles de Tahiti Design competitions. He is a member numerous professional trade associations, including the International Jewelry Design Guild, Contemporary Design Group, Society of North American Metalsmiths and the American Craft Council.
The success of Gurhan's signature 24K gold jewelry has been attributed to the successful combination of `fashion and fine'. His designs are both classic and distinctive, thereby appealing to both the traditional fine jewelry customer as well as the more fashion conscious shopper. This year Gurhan has taken his design aesthetic to a new level with the launch of the new GURHAN COUTURE line. Already picked up by a number of Couture retailers, this line is being debuted in its entirety at the Couture Show in May. While still bearing his characteristic `fingerprints' - the hand-hammered finish - the Couture line incorporates more higher quality stones and diamonds and the designs are more sophisticated and less casual.
Gurhan's designs can be found in the nation's finest jewelry stores and galleries, as well as a growing number of international shops. Currently, he has two collections in Neiman Marcus: a branded collection and his limited-edition Couture Collection.



[email protected]
www.gurhan.com
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Source: Couture International Jeweler
June / July 03 issue