Jewelry making in Armenia
Jewelers from Armenia have been known throughout the world for their craftsmanship for centuries. In this country, precious metals and stones were not only valued materially. They were credited with a deep meaning and saw them as symbols of the highest spiritual values.
There is a tradition in Armenian families – to pass on from generation to generation heirlooms and buy and give modern ones. These decorations are called zard. Armenians understand the practical value of such gifts. After all, jewelry is constantly growing in price.
Jewelry making in Armenia
The Jewelry making in Armenia is one of the oldest in the world, its craftsmen make real masterpieces thanks to their rich imagination and the use of subtle techniques. Even in antiquity, for the decoration and preservation of manuscripts, they created skillfully made bindings of silver and gold. Belts, buttons, buckles, rings and necklaces made of precious metals were very popular. All these items were part of the national costume.
The works of Armenian masters, which are more than one millennium old, can be seen in museums in Tbilisi and in some well-known museums in the world, for example, in the Metropolitan in the United States. Many works by Armenian masters are concentrated in private collections.
Due to historical events, Armenian jewelers also worked outside their homeland.
For example, they were considered some of the finest craftsmen in the Ottoman Empire. Armenians worked in the Caucasus, in Mediterranean cities, and in European countries – in Poland, Ukraine and others. The Armenian population of Lebanon, Syria and Israel still continues to actively develop jewelry.
Armenia was famous for its jewelry production in Soviet times. One of the largest enterprises specializing in diamond cutting was located on the territory of the republic.
To this day, Armenian jewelers rely heavily on traditional techniques. An example is the enamel technique that was once popular in Van. Among the famous Armenian jewelry brands are Avagyan, Alex & Ani, Tateosyan, Ara Vartanyan.
