Sevan Biçakçi

www.sevanbicakci.com

Sevan Biçakçi creates jewellery that is eminently collectible. He is often seen wearing several of his rings on each hand and stacking multiple bracelets around each wrist.

His bold distinctive pieces look like they might come straight from the proverbial Aladdin’s cave, making a statement that is inherently different to that of straightforward single, high carat gem rings, for example.

“The statement my unique designs make about their wearers is quite simple: they work very much like the symbols of ancient goddesses and gods, telling us about their beliefs, strengths, love for nature or interest in culture, history and about many other facets, thus making them feel like genuine individuals. I don’t think that such goals can be achieved with the classic single, high carat gem ring which may hint at one’s wealth or the generosity of the person who buys it, however I personally expect more than that from jewellery. I expect my pieces to function as subjects, not as objects.”

The cultural references of Biçakçi’s work are firmly rooted in the Ottoman Empire and the Byzantium before that, with collectors attracted by the highly idiosyncratic, story-telling style, intricate craftsmanship and fantastical design, all interwoven in the same piece.

“The culture that is reflected in my works is basically a summary of the last 3000 years on today’s Turkish territory, which makes Armenian culture equally an inevitable part of it. I take pride in living in a geographical area that has been considered the melting pot of civilizations throughout history and I try to mimic this characteristic with my personal approach to jewellery design. From the viewpoint of cultural influence, none of my pieces are in fact of distinct Ottoman, Byzantine or Armenian character. Rather, they reflect all influences that have been interacting in this part of the world for several thousands of years. Inspired by an ocean of cultural layers, I create one-of-a-kind crossbreeds.”

Biçakçi “turns precious stones into even more precious pieces”, adding value and pedigree through design and craftsmanship.

“I was once invited to collaborate with an emerald mining company from Columbia who wanted to commission twenty special pieces to be exhibited on special occasions around the world, starting with Cannes Film Festival. After showing me their inventory of “special” emeralds with prices ranging $40000-$50000 per carat, they asked which ones I would like to work with. My first pick was a 50-carat stone with a value of $2.5 million. I saw a chance to reversely engrave a cherub intaglio into it, but the moment I articulated this idea, I could see the host’s face turn pale. In a panic, he told me that their emeralds were too precious to risk; they would want me to use the stones as they are, without engraving reverse intaglios into any of them. Despite my attempts to explain that this is my way to turn precious stones to priceless ones, they were reluctant to end up with cracked stones or reduced emerald weights, so the conversation went nowhere. Gem quality and provenance are important, however, not the be all and end all.”

Fair trade, sustainability and genuineness apart, Biçakçi is open to working with all kinds of gems. “Unfortunately”, he says, “some minerals like kunzite and zultanite would end up getting chipped in whole layers during the intaglio carving process, which automatically limits their usage in my atelier”. “Emerald and tanzanite are very fragile and difficult to work with, but it is a risk worth taking as I love them too much.”

Dance of Cranes Necklace of gold, silver, diamonds, mosaics with Carnelian tesserae, Amethyst with reversely engraved intaglio of two cranes.

In Eastern cultures, cranes are known for bringing news from afar, for being loyal, and for bringing good luck. Because they are monogamous, because they love to dance in pairs with the flock, and because they live long lives, they're even emulated by humans. Double cranes carved into the stone center of this necklace represents two lovers bound to each other by eternal loyalty.

Enchanteur Ring of gold, silver, a diverse array of diamonds cuts, and a tanzanite with reversely engraved dome architecture intaglio

Over the five hundred years following the conquest of Constantinople, stunning mosques, covered bazaars, mausoleums, hammams and other complexes were built throughout the realm of Ottoman Empire. Many of these were influenced by the magnificence of the Hagia Sophia: Sevan’s trademark dome-shaped ring arose from the same enchantment. To accomplish this difficult task, he sometimes risks precious but extremely fragile gemstones – tanzanite in this case – as he puts into it a carefully engraved domed bazaar intaglio. And even though the stone did not break by the time the job was finished, it lost almost half of its weight as dust away into the air. In this piece, around 200 sparkling diamonds of a variety of cuts are spread across the base to do justice to the hard and beauty that went into it.

King Cobra Bracelet of gold, silver and a diverse array of diamond cuts in various shades

The King Cobra: An important symbol of determination, assertiveness, daring, transformation and grace in many ancient cultures. In this piece, the design of th ejing cobra’s jaw functions as a ring. The body and til allow the bracelet to be easily attached and removed thanks to spring joints that allow for mobility. An array of different cuts of diamonds come together in various sshades of cognac and yellow to depict the patterns and texture unique to the snake.

“Inspired by an ocean of cultural layers, I create one-of-a-kind crossbreeds.”

Gazella Wristwatch of gold, silver, diamonds, and sapphire glass with reversely engraved intaglio of a gazelle figurine.

Alaattin Gaybi was the son of the bey (prince) of the Alaiye beylik (principality). After shooting a gazelle under its arm, he chased the fleeing gazelle to Abdal Musa’s lodge. He couldn’t see the gazelle, so he asked the dervishes where it had gone. Finally, he saw Abdal Musa, shot under his own arm by this same arrow. After he saw this, Gaybi bound himself forever to Abdal Musa, refusing even his father’s attempts to extricate him. The image of the gazelle appears on this glass cover of this wristwatch as it leaps towards the sky, all while remaining stationary. It’s instilled not with violence, but with love.

Messenger Ring of gold, silver, black and brown diamonds and a smoky quartz with reversely engraved dove intaglio

The first to leave Noah’s Ark after the Great Flood, returning shortly thereafter with an olive branch in its beak, heralding the continuation of life on Earth despite the greatest natural disaster in history... The dove has been a symbol of survival ever since.