Turkey is pulling out all the stops to remain a frontrunner in the global jewellery industry. Adding muscle to the country’s manufacturing expertise are major initiatives ranging from fiscal incentives to market expansion and gemstone-cutting skills upgrading programmes. In separate interviews with JNA, industry stakeholders share their views on how Turkey is moving ahead of the game through innovation and modernisation. New initiatives According to Norayr Isler, chairman of the Istanbul Chamber of Jewelry (IKO), his association entered into a number of significant agreements to further raise the profile of Turkish jewellers in the world. In April, IKO opened the IKO Jewelry Centre, which provides gemstone-cutting training courses, and an IKO gemmological laboratory. Both services were set up in collaboration with the Istanbul Development Agency. The lab will issue gemmological reports and host lectures and seminars for university students, according to Isler. IKO also plans to develop Turkey’s gemstone-cutting and polishing sector, which may yield an additional 100,000 jobs in the jewellery industry. Diverse markets Established in 1963, jewellery manufacturer Tekin Seyrekoglu produces 14- and 18-karat gold and enamel jewellery. At the Istanbul Jewelry Show in March, the jeweller introduced its Candle Lantern Collection, which was well-received by international trade show buyers, according to Selin Seyrekoglu. A second-generation jeweller, Seyrekoglu designed the collection that she described as classic with a contemporary touch. The full story appears in JNA’s July issue. To subscribe, click here. |  Gold earrings by Tekin Seyrekoglu |
