I learned today that Master Kirkor Merdinyan passed away on August 3. He will be dearly missed for his exceptional craftsmanship and kindness. May the great master rest in peace.
Below is an article I wrote about Mr. Kirkor Merdinyan in August 2024. Let it be a reminder of the great master.
Mr. Merdinyan (1942-2026) working at his workshop
If you are visiting Istanbul and are curious to see how a master jeweller works in his workshop, as well as the unique pieces of jewellery that carry echoes of old Istanbul, I highly recommend visiting Kirkor Merdinyan’s shop in Beyoğlu. He is one of the last representatives of a centuries-old tradition of Armenian jewellery-making in the city.
Throughout Ottoman history, Armenian jewellers played a prominent role in the craft, creating exquisite pieces for the sultans, members of the Imperial family, and high-ranking men and women of Ottoman society.
Today, this tradition lives on, and Kirkor Merdinyan is one of the last masters of this fine art. He designs and crafts each piece of jewellery himself in his workshop, tucked away in a corner of his small shop inside one of old Istanbul’s historic passages in Galatasaray.
As you walk towards the Galatasaray Hamamı, you will see Anabala Han on your left. Step inside, and just a few doors down on the left you will find Kirkor Merdinyan’s shop, its window displaying fine gold rings, necklaces and earrings that seem to have emerged from Istanbul’s recent past, with their elegance and exquisitely refined details.
Mr. Merdinyan draws his inspiration from the jewellery of old Istanbul, a city where different communities lived side by side, each contributing to a rich and distinctive blend of aesthetics. His jewellery has such a recognisable style that I can often identify a Merdinyan piece when I see someone wearing one. It is certainly not jewellery for the nouveau riche, with their taste for flamboyance and excess. His style is quite the opposite: elegant, refined and subtle, yet rich in intricate detail.
When you enter the shop, spend some time watching the master at work, crafting his jewellery, and be sure to have a conversation with him. He is a living memory of an Istanbul that has largely disappeared. His daughter is almost always at the shop as well, greeting visitors with her warm smile and kindness. Together, they are among the increasingly rare living representatives of an Istanbul tradition defined not only by craftsmanship, but also by elegance, humility and kindness.
Note on the headline visual: The earrings shown above are 18th-century Ottoman pieces that once belonged to a woman of the Ottoman Imperial family.
