The Ottoman Hands Story. In Conversation with Deniz Gurdal
The Ottoman Hands Story. In Conversation with Deniz Gurdal
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With gorgeous new season collections launching on our website, we couldn't help but reminisce of how it all began six years ago at the heart of London's iconic Notting Hill. To give you the full story of how, where and when, we have caught up with our creative director - Deniz Gurdal - to talk about the past, the present and, of course, the amazing future...- So how did it all began?- It all began from Portobello Market selling my designs on Saturdays from a charming little stall. I loved that both locals and visitors to the capital flocked to the stall to pick out their new gemstone treasures. Before we knew it, we got spotted by buyers from some of my favourite department stores and art galleries.
Image sources: Pinterest - Airbnb, Kensal Studio
- What inspires you?- So many things in life … Different cultures, art, architecture, nature… I really enjoy visiting London's art galleries and finding so many inspiring details and objects, sculptures, installations and paintings... I love architecture and how it can influence my designs. I also love peaceful long walks in the woods, fields, anywhere, where I can find myself surrounded by natural beauty. I find so much inspiration from there … The list can go on and on.- If you had to pick one thing you love about Notting Hill, your beautiful home in London, the most, what would it be?- The variety of different cultures and how the Portobello Market, especially, express this. I also love the Carnival and lots of local creative events and happenings. It's a brilliant place to live, work and create in.- What has inspired Ottoman Hands latest collection?- I would say mostly nature and it's mesmerising creations, their textures, colours and raw, real beauty. Our customers will easily spot so many different designs in AW16 collection influenced by natural forms: from elegant Pearl And Flower Rings to delicate Little Twig Hoop Earrings.- What is your favourite piece from the new collection?- It's really difficult to pick one, but at the moment I can't stop wearing our new Little Twig Hoop Earrings.- How do you wear your Ottoman Hands jewellery?- In summer I love layering our colourful festival bracelets and draping different length gold necklaces together. I like wearing drop earrings with long flowing dresses and big statement necklaces with a more minimal day dresses. When it comes to rings, I like them stacked with lots of different designs and shapes beautifully mixed together.- Any trends you will be following this AW ?- I will be adding new pearl rings and earrings to my jewellery box; this gemstone will be really big this season. And of-course wearing more of chic long earrings, which were so trendy in Spring/Summer 16, but this season updating them with darker, more sumptuous semi-precious stones like Lapis Lazuli and Labradorite.- What do you love the most about jewellery and the making of it?- Everything! It is amazing what goes into making those pieces: from creating the design and sketching it, to cutting and sanding the metal, setting stones and polishing the final piece. It's a great pleasure to see how that piece you design comes to life and how people wear that piece, giving it their own character. I can't put this feeling into words... It makes me really happy!
How do I find the products I am looking for? There are a number of ways to find the product you are looking for. You can use the search box in the top right hand corner of the page, or select a product category from ‘All Jewellery’ title on the top navigation bar.
What size ring do I need? Majority of Ottoman Hands rings are adjustable (this will be stated on the website), however we also design sized rings. Sized rings in general come in sizes Small, Medium and Large, which corresponds to the following UK/ US ring sizes:
small: L/6
medium: M-N/7
large: O-P/8.
How do I know when my order has been received? An email will automatically be sent to you as the order is processed.
Which methods of payment do you accept online? We accept all major credit and debit cards as well as Paypal. All payments are handled securely by our dedicated payment gateway provider – Sage Pay.
How and when will my purchases be delivered? All orders are shipped within 24-48 business hours, once the payment has been cleared, using ‘signed for’ delivery service. The couriers operate a Monday to Friday service between 9am – 6pm and a specific time slot cannot be requested, unless otherwise agreed at the time of purchase with our Customer Service team.
Will I have to sign for my delivery? Yes, all our delivery options must be signed for.
What if I’m not in when you deliver? If you are not there to receive and sign for your delivery, then our delivery company will leave a card, normally saying the package can be picked up from the nearest depot or asking you to reschedule the delivery, if sent using courier service. If you would like the courier or a post man to leave the item in a secure location, please leave us a comment when placing your order oremail our Customer Service Team.
Do you deliver to PO boxes? Unfortunately we do not deliver to PO box numbers, BFPO addresses, mail forwarding addresses and temporary residence addresses
Can I add a message? Yes, you can add both a gift message and a delivery note at the checkout. The gift message you enter will be hand-written on an Ottoman Hands card.
How will my order be packaged? All jewellery will be beautifully wrapped in our branded packaging with stone cards, explaining the origins, meaning and lore of our semi-precious stones, added to every piece. There is no extra charge for this.
Can I change or cancel my order after it’s been placed? We generally process and prepare your order for despatch immediately, so you may not be able to make any amendments or cancel your order unless you notify our team within 1-2 hours of placing your order. If your order has been packed and dispatched before the team has received your cancellation notification, you would have to return your order once you’ve received it.Please visit Delivery & Returns page on our websitefor more details on how to return your items.
What is your Returns Policy? Goods purchased from our website may be returned within 28 days of the date of the receipt if you are not completely happy with the product. Please be aware you can not return pierced jewellery, like earrings, due to health and safety reasons. This does not affect your statutory rights. For more information please visit Delivery & Returns page on our website.
How long might a refund take? As soon as we have received returned products, and checked that they are in their original condition, our team will be in-touch to notify you. We aim to process all refunds within 3 business days, however refunds might take longer during busy periods.
How do I return my order? Please send returns or exchanges by ‘signed for’ registered mail to:
How do I return my jewellery if it broke or got damaged? Gems and jewels can requires a little extra TLC sometimes. Should your Ottoman Hands jewellery, purchased on our website, require repair or replacement within 6 months of purchase, please follow the instructions specified in Warranty & Repairs section of ourDelivery & Returns page.
How do I look after my jewellery? To keep your Ottoman Hands jewels beautiful and lustrous for longer: • wipe your semi-precious stone jewellery with a clean, soft cloth after wearing; • do not expose your jewellery to water or damp conditions; • avoid exposing your jewellery to chemicals such as perfumes, household cleaning solutions and other sprays, lotions and potions as this could cause discolouration; • ideally, store your jewellery in a soft lined box or Ottoman Hands pouch and try to keep pieces apart, so that they do not rub together or tangle up.
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