Gurhan Orhan
Gurhan Orhan (b. March 21, 1954, Ankara, Turkey), is a jewelry designer and master goldsmith known for his work with pure gold, pure platinum, and pure silver.
Biography
Gurhan began his career as a jewelry designer at age 40, having “discovered” pure gold and, falling for its allure, deciding to master the craft of working in the pure metal. Prior to becoming a jewelry designer, Gurhan pursued a number of careers: watchmaker, audio electronics engineer, and a proprietor of night clubs, rock bars and restaurants. While Turkish by birth, Gurhan considers himself a citizen of the world, having lived in Greece, Switzerland, France and currently New York City. Further utilizing his eclectic assortment of skills, Gurhan has a passion for photography, which he has used to shoot his brand’s national advertising campaigns.
Brand
The brand, GURHAN, was the creation of Gurhan Orhan and his wife, Fiona Tilley. The brand references only the designer’s first name. Gurhan began his career as a jewelry designer in the early 1990s and their business was incorporated and launched in the US in 1997.
The brand can now be found in top luxury department stores like Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus, Barneys New York, Harrods, Selfridges, and Harvey Nichols, as well as independent specialty retailers. It is regarded as one of the top selling fine designer jewelry lines in the luxury sector.
The brand has attracted a strong following from royalty and celebrities alike, including Queen Rania of Jordan, Angelina Jolie, Mary J. Blige, Jennifer Aniston, Jennifer Lopez, Faith Hill, Sheryl Crow, Hillary Clinton, Megan Fox, Jada Pinkett Smith, Ashley Olsen, Kelly Ripa, Kate Hudson, Tipper Gore, Laura Bush, Charlize Theron, Joni Mitchell, Deborah Norville, Stevie Nicks, Rachael Ray and Sandra Bullock.
Collaborations
Gurhan was commissioned by the Metropolitan Museum of Art and exclusively authorized by the government of Afghanistan to create a collection of 24 karat gold jewelry in commemoration of the exhibition Afghanistan: Hidden Treasures of the National Museum, Kabul. Gurhan was chosen by the Met, specifically for the fact that his major contribution to the world of jewelry has been to reincarnate the techniques of ancient goldsmiths who first worked in pure 24 karat gold. These goldsmiths emanated from all the various cultures that created the museum treasures, not just Turkey or Afghanistan. Their techniques were abandoned for a long period time following the trend to alloy gold with lesser metals such as silver and copper, and indeed, it became commonly regarded as impossible and undesirable to make jewelry using 24 karat gold due to its softness, weight and expense. Gurhan’s pioneering revival of the use of pure gold in modern jewelry challenged these long-held assumptions and it is thanks to him that this wonderful metal is now available for today’s woman to wear. With all of his designs – those in the Met exhibition and others available elsewhere - Gurhan offers an opportunity for modern collectors to experience a piece of history.
Awards
- 2000 – Grand Prize in Design Trends, awarded by the World Gold Council for Spring bracelet
- 2000 – First place in Ornamentation, awarded by the World Gold Council for Spring necklace
- 2000 – Runner up in Ornamentation, awarded by the World Gold Council for Lentil necklace
- 2002 – Honorable Mention, awarded by Perles de Tahiti for Tahitian pearl and diamond necklace
- 2004 - First place, awarded by Perles de Tahiti for Tahitian pearl Comet ring
- 2004 – Third place, awarded by Perles de Tahiti for Tahitian pearl cufflink and stud set
- 2006 – Blue Ribbon, awarded by the World Gold Council for Pebble suite
- 2007 – Blue Ribbon, awarded by the World Gold Council for Willow suite
- 2008 – Blue Ribbon, awarded by the World Gold Council for Lush suite and Dome ring
- 2009 – Everyday Luxury, awarded by the Platinum Guild International for one-of-a-kind platinum ring with a Mexican Opal
- 2009 – Best Designer in Gold, awarded by JQ International and selected by retailers throughout the United States