Unique Art of Gold Making in Yazd

The innovative and sophisticated way of making these jewelry has almost made it impossible to copy them. Some samples of them, which have been around for about 500 years, are not available anywhere except Yazd.

Making jewels is one of the traditional arts of the historical city of Yazd, and it is known in Iran and around the world as “Yazdi Zargari”.

The gold that is generally made in Iran has a fineness of 18 karats, but the gold traditionally made in Yazd by the goldsmiths always has a fineness of 20 karats. This is one of the reasons for the reputation of traditional jewelry of Yazd.

An official with the Cultural Heritage and Handicraft Department of Yazd province says in the works excavated in the historic region of Mehriz, there were some jewelries from the Parthian era dating back to about 2,000 years ago.

For example, the chains known as “Chin-Abi” are the traditional brands of Yazd. The name of this chain is taken from its type and the style of its manufacturing. The softness of this chain should be like water. In other words, it should be made as soft as water. These types of chains are made up of golden filaments, rods, a chain with 20-karat gold rings, which just belong to Yazd, as well as copper and silver alloys.

The method of making chains called “Hel Malileh Yazdi”, “Toop Malileh Yazdi”, “Hel va Gol-e Yazd”, etc., are the techniques belonging to Yazdi Zargari which has been registered as an intangible cultural heritage of the country.

In addition to the sophisticated creation of Yazdi jewelry, measuring the purity of gold in Yazd is a special and traditional method registered as a national heritage.

In Yazd, the purity of gold is measured using the karat millesimal system. Yazdi goldsmiths of the past have been using this method. By this method of measurement, Yazdi goldsmiths measured their products precisely and without any shortcomings.

78 cultural and historical works have been listed as intangible cultural heritage of the province so far. Officials are preparing a case to register Yazd Zargari as a world heritage as well.