Many visitors come to Cyprus for its golden sunshine, sandy beaches, and the resultant golden suntan. However, if you have good taste, purchase of even just one piece of stunning hand-made, gold jewellery by a Cypriot craftsman, is a must! Although the first three items may fade in colour and memory, the beauty of an individually crafted piece of Cypriot gold jewellery goes on forever as the collection at the Jewellery Museum of Cyprus, in Nicosia, testifies. Open Monday to Friday 10.00 to 16.30
Jewellery is an art
Craftsmen on the island have enjoyed the availability of gold and other valuable metals and gems for several thousand years, as attested by the amazing archaeological finds throughout Cyprus. A skill extensively practised on the island since the Mycenaean period, jewellery is an art which has been inspired by both religion, in its many forms, and nature. Originally mostly creative in design, jewellery was, and still is in a number of cases, influenced by contemporary Egyptian, Syrian and Greek art.
Hand-crafted
Design on the island still flourishes and produces masterpieces that are not only attractive to the eye but also to the wallet! Gold and silver jewellery, much of it, faithful reproductions of ancient designs and often exceptional examples of Cyprus folk art skills, is hand-crafted 18 Carat (750) for gold and 925 for silver, and should always be marked as such. It is also tax free, so prices are much lower than those in Europe. Your own designs and settings can be made skillfully and quickly, and repairs and engravings carried out while you wait.
Precious stones
You can also buy Diamonds & Precious stones separately, which can be set into your selection or design, within a few days. You should be provided with a certificate of authenticity and most will offer a World Wide Guarantee. Remember to ask about the Global Refund Tax Back Service. Members of the Cyprus Jewellers Association may be easily identified by the sign of the Association displayed in their shop.
State-of-the-art facilities
The Cyprus Organisation for the Hallmarking of Precious Metals is a semi-governmental organisation supervised by the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism through the Cyprus Organisation of Standards. It is charged with evaluating the precious metal content of every gold and silver piece sold on the island and marking them accordingly. The task is carried out at the state-of-the-art facilities of the assay office in Larnaca where more than 500,000 gold items and 250,000 silver items are tested and marked each year. It is worth noting that Cyprus tests a higher percentage of pieces than almost any of the other 18 assay offices in Europe!
There has never been a better time to buy gold and silver jewellery in Cyprus. “What has long been considered ‘classic’ here is now considered the height of fashion in the rest of the world. Add to that the confidence that comes from buying hallmarked jewellery, and customer satisfaction is guaranteed.
Cyprus produces gold and silver jewellery of extremely high quality and at very good prices. Our designers have married the images of the past with the styles of today and the resulting pieces offer fashion and value. The addition of the hallmark and the corresponding guarantee allows customers, shopping in Cyprus the comfort of knowing they are getting what they pay for.”
So what are you waiting for? … there’s never been a better excuse for buying now …
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