Rising Star

Meltem Kurtulan
Bringing the Past into the Future

One of the oldest settlements in the world is Anatolia, in Turkey, where many civilizations have lived and left their imprints. Today, a Turkish designer, Meltem Kurtulan, of Kurtulan Jewelry, is revisiting these past imprints in the art of goldsmithing.

By Cynthia Unninayar

“Goldsmithing techniques began in this area more than 6000 years ago,” says Naci Kurtulan, co-owner of Kurtulan Jewelry. “Today, we have revisited these ancient methods to create jewelry that is distinctive in both design and finish and that has broadened the landscape of classic jewelry.”

Kurtulan Jewelry is under the artistic direction of designer Meltem Kurtulan, who is also Naci’s wife and partner, and who started out her professional career in law before switching to her passion of jewelry design. The talented young woman has won countless awards and distinctions for her original and creative pieces. Among them, first place in the World Gold Council awards for three years in a row in 2000, 2001, and 2002. In 2002, Meltem also won the Gold Medal at the Gold Virtuosi Awards in Vicenza. Just this year, she won the Tahitian Pearl Trophy award for the Middle East for her piece, “Fire on Black,” made of yellow gold, sterling silver, diamonds and Tahitian pearls.

The brand’s 24K Gold Collection embodies a diverse line of jewelry that is entirely hand-crafted in the traditional manner, and is known for its individuality and enduring elegance. The designs are generally simple, incorporating the legacy of centuries of skilled craftsmanship into their realization.

While Kurtulan’s specialty is 24K gold, the brand also incorporates diamonds, pearls, colored gemstones, and even platinum in their pieces, in ways that create lustrous contrasts and original styling.

Naci founded Kurtulan Jewelry in 1991, as an offshoot of his family’s retail business, Kurtulan 24K Jewelry, based in Istanbul’s famed Grand Bazaar. “I wanted to build upon our heritage, but take it further. I wanted the rest of the world to see the quality and creativity of Kurtulan Jewelry.” In taking their creations to the world market, the couple has “chosen to work in a style never attempted before in order to achieve a deserved position in this sector,” adds Meltem. “Our 24K Gold pieces are quite different from the other collections sold in Istanbul.”

Over the last few years, Kurtulan Jewelry has indeed caught the world’s attention. From the family-owned and operated workshop in Istanbul, the brand’s pieces are distributed through more than 50 retailers worldwide, in addition to more than 60 stores in their native Turkey. To reach its international clientele, the brand takes part in a number of international jewelry shows, and has a website showcasing the brand’s collections.

The brand also focuses on customer service. “Our principal and leading objective is to serve our customers in the best way, with good service and quality products,” say Meltem and Naci, Clearly, the couple is working hard to bring the best from the past to make it the best in the future.

www.kurtulan.com