In Istanbul, the high jewelery of Gilan, which can be compared with the great European Houses ♦ ︎
The city in the past was the capital of three empires (Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman) and now Istanbul is also one of the capital of jewelry. Not just for the extraordinary pieces kept in Topkapi, the ancient residence of the sultan. But also because in the Turkish city was born Gilan, a Maison that offers pieces of fine jewelry that have nothing to envy to those of the most famous brands (see some examples on this page). Alongside the high jewelery, which has prices that reach hundreds of thousands of euros, Gilan also creates collections of jewelry at more affordable prices, but no less interesting.
And to say that Gilan has a fairly recent history: it was founded in 1980 by the brothers Muharrem and Ferhan Gilan, more by passion than by family tradition. Even the collections, as well as the unique pieces, are the result of a creativity not necessarily tied to the Ottoman tradition of jewelry. Even the collection dedicated to the city, Istanbul, has nothing of the oriental goldsmith’s, but it reminds me of a watercolor by Paul Klee. In short, not only extraordinary pieces, like the necklace with black and white diamonds, with a large pendant emerald, but also a modern, European style. On the other hand, the Bosphorus faces two continents.