Kelim
Meral Sartekin was born in 1960 in a rural village in Turkey called, Akhisar. She left to study abroad in Zurich, Switzerland where she fell in love and married her husband, Halil. They stayed there for a while and raised their daughter.
The couple founded Kelim in 1992. The business started as a boutique, specializing in hand crafted goods from Turkey. They began designing jewelry that was inspired by the beautiful and traditional patterns of Turkish carpets and natural beauty of Switzerland.
Their first wholesale show was a huge success and they decided to focus, exclusively on their Kelim Jewelry Collection.
The two, with their nephew, Gultekin established a studio in Istanbul where their team of finely trained craftsmen creates this spectacular line of work.
They strive to keep their designs fresh, but classic, finding inspiration in their everyday lives by being aware of the intricate beauty that surrounds them. The melding of the Turkish and Swiss cultures results in a unique touch in their jewelry.
Jewelry
The work is made in a matte 925 sterling silver and then finished with a fine silver overlay. The luminescent quality and tarnish resistance that the fine silver brings to the jewelry is absolutely stunning.
Each piece is hand crafted in Istanbul, Turkey and they believe that the warmth of that touch is passed into the jewelry.
In fact, the word KELIM translates to “The Warmth of Something Handmade”.
We’ve all felt the care and attention that was put into something that was made especially for us. Like your child handing you a colorful drawing they just made with only you in mind.
When you purchase a piece from Meral and Halil you can feel that infused sense of warmth and goodness.
Whether you’re wearing a t-shirt and jeans or want to dress up that cocktail dress, we would highly recommend any piece by Kelim Jewelry Design.