Just when I thought everything has been done and seen in the jewelry design industry, the instagram world throws me one extremely delicious bone, we're talking about every girl's best friends: hard-to-find jewelry. A few months ago I came across a new designer called Sopho Gongliashvili, thanks to the instagram account of facehunter. The Georgia-based Jewelry and furniture designer Sopho Gongliashvili uses an ancient jewellery-making technique with enamel and fine silver to create her gigantic rings and brooches. According to the designer's insta, everything that is made with this technology is created with the help of love, bearing parts of stories and tales.
What caught my attention in her designs are the female characters wearing burqa (a mask that covers their faces revealing only the eyes). Apparently one of these characters has a name and it's Gürcü Hatun (however her original name is Tamar Bagrationi), a Georgian royal princess from Bagrationi dynasty and Queen consort of Sultanate of Rum. She was the favorite wife of sultan Kaykhusraw II. After his death in 1246 she married the Anatolian strongman Pervane. Her title Gürcü Hatun means "Georgian Lady".
Gürcü Hatun, or Tamar, initially remained an Eastern Orthodox Christian but is known to have converted to Islam at a later point. She is known to have patronized science and art, and have been on friendly terms with the famous Sufi Poet Rumi. (Don't you just love Wikipedia!?!).
After knowing the story behind this particular design, I want this ring/brooch more than ever. This is the kind of accessory I'd like to rock with my caftans.
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