: PersianTHE ESSENCE OF TORSE
Torse (pronounced Tor-sé) refers to the majestic rainbow. With a poetic name rooted in the Pahlavi language, which was used during the Persian Empire in the third and fourth centuries, Torse incarnates the grandeur of timeless beauty.
Torse’s name is a testimony of its approach to history, bringing together great concepts of civilisation and heritage, traditional elements and motifs. By integrating ancient elements and giving them a modern twist, Torse puts innovation and rebirth at the core of its essence.
Torse, akin to a swan, presents noble and enchanting art while conveying an idea of the desired unknown, of mystery and loyalty. Designers and jewellery artists at Torse, striving to preserve the culture and civilisation of the past, honour their Iranian heritage and various ancient civilisations through research and development. Aiming to present the true colours of the artistic patterns stemming from glorious eras, they rework and revive forgotten motifs.
The revival of silent patterns and motifs extracted from traditional works of art such as hand-woven Persian carpets, engraved inscriptions and architectural treasures have created an eye-catching distinction of sprouting freedom. The culmination of this flourishing art is the unique combination of a privileged narrative of jewels which transforms the wearer into the ambassador of eternal stories.
Quality is at the heart of Torse’s value. Torse designers use exceptional craftsmanship to transform precious and valuable certificated raw materials (gold, gemstones, turquoise, and pearls), into authentic and high-quality art that withstands the test of time. Each Torse work of art is crafted entirely by hand and with the greatest attention to details.
Torse applies Khatam to the art of Moarraq jewellery. Khatam is the combination of minute pieces of wood, bone, ivory and metal in regular geometric shapes to create various forms such as small flowers, bright stars and Shamsa.
Torse adapts the timeless values of grand civilisations, myths and symbols to the contemporary world of jewellery design and creation. Nature is an additional key source of inspiration for Torse designers. Great forms and figures from the natural world such as butterflies, birds and elegant wild creatures inspire original and timeless artistic creations.
khatam
Khatam work is the art at the core of Torse’s creativity, making it unique in the world of jewellery. Etymologically, the word Khatam means reaching the end; the finishing art.
Geometric drawings, especially minuscule triangles, are the base of Khatam’s construction. The application of these geometric shapes on a minute scale and surface is exclusive to this Persian art form.
Khatamkari (Khatam work) is one of the Persian arts of marquetry in which the surface of wooden or metallic articles is decorated with pieces of wood, bone, ivory and metal cut in a variety of shapes and designs.
Materials used in this craft can be gold, silver, brass, aluminum and twisted wire. The making of a small piece of Khatam has more than four hundred stages. The smaller the pieces of khatam, the higher the value of the artwork.
In the Safavid era, the art of marquetry flourished in the southern cities of Iran, especially in Isfahan, Shiraz and Kerman. During that period, Khatamkari was so popular in the Royal Court that it was a special art taught to the princes, alongside the arts of music and painting. In the 18th and 19th centuries, Khatamkari declined, before being revived again in the 20th century during the reign of Reza Shah. It then flourished through the establishment of art schools in the major art centres of Iran: Tehran, Isfahan and Shiraz.
Khatam embellishes the historical royal palaces and contemporary lifestyles of Iran. The inlaid-ornamented rooms in Sa’dabad and The Marble Palaces in Tehran are home to masterpieces of this art. Khatam masterpieces are also cherished by global art centres.
A desk ornate with inlet work, a demonstration of Khatamkari mastery, was awarded the first prize and gold medal in an art exhibition in Brussels in recent years. It is now preserved in the National Museum of Washington. Gateway to the greatness of Persian arts, Khatam was as well chosen to embellish the entrance door to the Iranian National Museum.