Sevan Bichachi - designer, artist and jeweler, was born and raised in Istanbul, surrounded by architectural masterpieces, old Turkish bazaars, gold shops and traditional coffee houses. At the age of 12, the young man decided to leave school and began to work early. Hovsip Chatak, a famous jeweler of Armenian descent, became his mentor. Soon, Sevan jewelry became incredibly popular in Turkey, and this despite the fact that the young man did not have his own store.
Customers bought his jewelry directly in the workshop. Then came world fame. And in January 2012, Sevan Bicakci collections were presented at Harvey Nichols Gallery in the Mall of the Emirates. Here we met and talked with the master.
Sevan, all yours from different collections - “Mythology”, “Lord of the Rings” jewelry are made in a single copy. Where do the ideas of each product come from? What can push you to create a new collection - unique gems, natural phenomena, something else?
Absolutely everything - architectural masterpieces, music, nature, everything that surrounds me. In jewelry, each of which is handmade and in a single copy, I try to revive the ancient legends and myths, the intrigues of the Sultan's palaces and magical stories from the life of the ancient Greek gods. In the work on the Lord of the Rings collection, I was absorbed in the embodiment of amazing characters and fairy-tale characters of this amazing saga.
You use unique jewelry techniques that are combined in one piece of jewelry: this is engraving on stone and metal, and painting, and enamel. What do you consider the most difficult in your work?
Since a large gemstone is always dominant in my products, the first difficulty is to find a suitable copy, but in our time it is not easy, the second is not to spoil it while working on a particular element that will be engraved inside the stone, whether it be a palace , mosque, flower or swan. All my jewelry is made of fine gold or pure silver (sometimes their combinations) using unique cut diamonds, precious stones of the most unusual colors, pearls, hand-painted and metal engravings, metal plastics, calligraphy, microscopic mosaics, stone carvings and many others technician. I like to find non-trivial combinations of different materials, which as a result give an amazing effect. If we talk about the difficulties, then the most laborious in work is an emerald. This is a very fragile stone, and there is a great danger that it can crack when an object is "built" in it.
What is the average time it takes to make one piece of jewelry?
Depending on the design, it can be three months or a year. I put my soul into each of my products, so I never rush, but try to achieve the perfect result.
How do you feel when people from around the world buy your products and you know that maybe you will never see them again?
I am proud that buyers purchase my creations. So, something in them touched a person for the living. This is the highest praise to the master. Today, Brook Shields, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Elizabeth Harley, Holly Berry, Liv Tyler and many other famous and beautiful women have my jewelry. I am grateful to each of them!
Which of your creations are you most proud of?
I consider my children as the best creations - a son and a daughter! (Laughs). This is a continuation of me and my family. I hope that in the future they will find their way and their own ways of self-expression. It is very important to be able to leave something beautiful after yourself.
Thanks for the conversation, Sevan. I wish you success and new finds in your work.
