Delegation of Jewelers from Cyprus, including an artisan of handcrafted sterling silver icons, display their creations in New York City.

On July 28, 2004, the Cyprus Trade Commission and the Cyprus-US Chamber of Commerce hosted a reception at the Cyprus Trade Center in honor of the Delegation of Jewelers from Cyprus, including an artisan of handcrafted sterling silver icons. It was a night of celebration for the jewelers who had participated in the J.A. International Jewelry Show held at the Jacob Javits Convention Center in New York, and for me, it was a wonderful memory of my recent trip to Cyprus.

The air was electric as the jewelers presented their stunning pieces, waiters circulated with delicious Cypriot hors d’oeuvres, bartenders poured Cypriot wines including Commandaria, one of the oldest wines in the world, while a duo played Cypriot music. I was especially taken with the jewelry designs of Nikos Ioannou & Sons Ltd. www.ioannou-jewels.com.cy. I spoke with one of the sons, who told me that his father has been designing jewelry since he was 10 years old, and opened his first store in 1960. His love of Greek antiques is reflected in the impressive pieces inspired by mythology, cultural beliefs and personal designs. Their 18-karat gold jewelry is hand-chased and formed, and each of their pieces has a small story behind them. One of the pieces that really caught my eye was a necklace named Temple of Aphrodite, a replica of the one found in the Aphrodite’s temple. The original necklace is in the Cyprus Museum in Nicosia, which I visited during my trip to Cyprus. This magnificent necklace had a black rolling stone that was used by the kings, was valued at $10,000 and I felt like a Goddess wearing it. Alas, I had to return it at the end of the night feeling like Cinderella. They also had 18- karat gold pomegranates, some decorated with tiny ruby “seeds”. Cypriots consider pomegranates a sign of good luck and fertility. It is a custom on Cyprus to present a bridal couple with pomegranates at their wedding.

Emerald, presented their beautiful handcrafted sterling silver icons gold icons that were replicas from the churches and monasteries of Cyprus. They also had bridal wreath boxes, made of pure silver and wood. The intricate boxes had glass lids and were lined in white satin, which must look incredibly beautiful when they have bridal wreaths in them.

It was a very enjoyable evening where I not only had the opportunity to see fabulous designs, but also enjoyed a fanciful trip back to Cyprus.

To read more about Cyprus, please read our articles in Destinations, Chefs’ Recipes, Travel News and Music Scene. For information on Cyprus, please contact the Cyprus Tourism Office, www.visitcyprus.org.cy.