Şerif Temizkan, Goldsmith and Founder
Şerif Temizkan is the founder of Şerif Ağa Jewelry and the person behind this journal. He grew up in the goldsmiths' workshops of Istanbul's Grand Bazaar, where the masters who make our jewelry today are the third generation of their families to work gold in the same streets.
At the bench since childhood
Şerif learned the trade the way it has always been learned in the bazaar: by watching, then by doing. The sound of a jeweler's hammer, the smell of the polishing wheel and the habit of checking every hallmark under a loupe were part of growing up. In the spring of 2026 he opened Şerif Ağa Jewelry on Etsy to offer that same solid 14K gold work to customers in the USA, the UK and Europe.
What he does today
- Designs pieces with our goldsmiths and decides which ones we make.
- Checks every piece before it is boxed: the 585 stamp, the clasp, the stone settings and the finish.
- Answers every customer message himself, from sizing questions to custom orders.
- Writes and reviews every article in this journal.
How we write the journal
Our articles answer the questions customers actually ask us. We follow a few simple rules:
- Plain facts about metal. We explain karats, hallmarks and plating in plain language, and we only state what a goldsmith can stand behind.
- Honest about stones. When a piece uses cubic zirconia we say so. When a stone is natural we say that too. We never describe cubic zirconia as diamond.
- No invented numbers. We do not quote studies, prices or statistics we cannot back up.
- Kept up to date. When something changes, such as shipping or care advice, we update the article.
If you spot a mistake or have a question an article did not answer, send us a message. Şerif reads every one.