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The early beginning

Stylianos Kalopedis was born in 1868 at Lefkara, a mountain village in the island of Cyprus. He was the first to begin the family’s Jewellery tradition. As a child he was sent to the capital city of Nicosia in order to work at an atelier in the famous “street of the goldsmiths” and learn the art of Jewellery making. When he was 20 years old his mentor told him that he had achieved a skill level with which he could open his own workshop. His mentor then provided him with one workbench and the essential work tools. The year was 1888 and the family tradition had then begun.

Stylianos at first had moved to the village of Vasa where he had met his wife and remained there for 15 years. When his family started growing he decided to move back to Nicosia. But a historical event in Cyprus took place in October 1931. There was an uprising of the Cypriot people against the British colonists. To protect his family Stylianos made the decision to move them back to his birthplace Lefkara. He wanted to ensure he could pass down his skills and knowledge of the art that he was practicing to his children so that they would continue the profession.

The workshop at Lefkara was established and the Kalopedis family began to work on two basic categories of Jewellery for which they are now famous for in Cyprus. The first category refers to the ecclesiastic art, such as icons, and other ecclesiastical instruments that are used in the Greek Orthodox Church. The family also was the first to introduce the two traditional Greek instruments “Kapnistiri” and “Mereha” to the Cyprus market. These two are what the parents and the priests use to bless their children on their wedding day. These are decorated in the forms of fruits such as apples, peaches etc. The “Kapnistiri” has two parts, one to store olive leaves and small charcoals and the other is for the burning of charcoals and olive leaves, to produce the smoke for the blessing. The “Mereha” is what is used to hold perfume. The second category in which the family became specialized in was exquisite, personal Jewellery.

All the items at the beginning were made with silver. Icons, crosses used for blessings, icons of cherubs, candlesticks and coverings of bibles. Until this day all these are still being made entirely by hand. There was only one exception in the timeline of this tradition when for a small period of time due to the bad economic situations in Cyprus; copper was used in the place of silver. After the crisis passed the family returned to the use of silver for all ecclesiastic and other decorative items and gold was then also introduced.