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Every corner of the world has something interesting to offer when it comes to jewelry. Many people will go to popular Turkey, which can be considered the gateway to the East. Discover the details about Turkish silver!
When visiting Turkey, pottery, carpets or interesting decorations can make you dizzy. But that is not all, jewelry is an integral part of Turkish trade.
Store shelves are filled with beautiful decorations that not only reflect the latest trends, but also display classic Ottoman designs.
Why is Turkish silver important in jewelry?
Undeniably, Turkey is one of the world’s leading jewelery producers and part of what defines Turkey as a world jewelery destination is its longstanding relationship with sterling silver and the artisanal jewelers and goldsmiths who work with it.
This ancient and rich relationship has always been at the heart of culture in what is now the Republic of Turkey, with many rulers from the Ottoman Empire sponsoring guild members and artisans called Ehl-i Hiref.
These artisans made not only Turkish silver jewelry, but silverware, such as silver trays, bowls and decorative boxes.
You can see cutlery and jewelry from all parts of the history of this land until the modern day. The Turkish silver collection at the Topkapi Palace Museum (located in the city of Istanbul, Turkey) consists of 2,000 silver objects on display since the 16th century.
Many of them were inherited from the Ottoman Treasury, but were also offered to the sultans.
What makes Turkish silver so special?
Most silver jewelry is a 92.5% alloy of silver and other metals, most commonly the other metal is copper. However, Turkish silver stands out as it is often an alloy of silver and cadmium.
Cadmium is a silvery blue metal that is much lighter copper. You can even call silver and cadmium cousins, because their chemical composition is very similar and these two metals are side by side in the periodic table.
When Turkish goldsmiths combine them, the blue glow of Turkish cadmium gives Turkish silver jewelry a surprisingly modern finish.
With a combination of historic craftsmanship and a modern passion for silver, whether you’re looking for antique silver pieces or contemporary silver designs, you can find everything in Turkey.
Other jewelry in Turkey
Turquoise – a beautiful stone
Turquoise is a common mineral in Turkey. That is why the name of the mineral comes from Turkey, where the trade route from Persia to Europe used to pass.
Local sellers are able to tell such reliable stories about this mineral that it is difficult not to consider it a national asset. In stores you can easily find stones inlaid in gold or silver that will be a souvenir of Turkey for years.
Gold in Turkey
For centuries, today’s area of Turkey has been associated with gold. An example is the legendary King Midas, who ruled Phrygia – he had to wash himself in the Pactol River to get rid of the gift of turning everything into gold.
Today, however, artisans enjoy the popularity of fashion from ages past. However, gold is also part of the tradition. Upon getting married, the bride received gold jewelry as a dowry, also treated as her guarantor.
Trabzon bracelet
As the name suggests, these bracelets are made (or perhaps more woven) in Trabzon, located on the Black Sea. These are bracelets of extraordinary beauty.
Its production began in the 19th century with the influx of settlers from the Caucasus who had the ability to weave steel screens. But over time, this skill has become the art of weaving Turkish gold and silver threads, and this craft is characteristic of this province.
