Oya Kara
We sat down with Women to Women Network member Oya Kara, founder of Oya & Idil Jewelry, and here's what she had to say…
Tell us about your clients and customers. Who do you primarily serve?
Our best clients are professional women between the ages of 30-65+ who like to look good and successful and know that a well-put-together look affects their confidence.
What are the problems/issues/challenges your clients face, and what solutions do you offer?
My daughter, Idil Duran, and I are partners. We consult them on the choice of jewelry for their lifestyle, match jewelry to their outfits for a special occasion, and help them wear their fine jewelry that's been sitting in a drawer. We re-design them to fit their current taste and lifestyle so they can enjoy that valuable piece of art.
How do you help your customers/clients? How do you work with them?
We have trunk shows throughout the year and an informative website where they can buy with one click. We ship free. We meet with them one-on-one, either at our studios, a public place, or their location, to look at what they have and make suggestions. When they come to our studio, we greet them like cherished guests and offer drinks/snacks and our best smiles, giving them as much time as they need and making sure they leave happy.
What brought you to this line of work? What led you to this point?
Jewelry wearing, giving, receiving and designing are a lifetime hobby.
What defines your business or sets it apart from other similar businesses?
We are inspired by ancient civilizations of the Mediterranean, use high-quality gemstones and vermeil (24K gold over sterling silver) in our creations, and never repeat designs. When a customer buys a piece of jewelry, she knows that it will immediately disappear from our website, and nobody else will ever have the same thing. Most of our accessories are not found in local markets; we import them from the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul, Turkey.
As far as fine jewelry is concerned, we come from a culture that reveres jewelry from birth to death. We grew up with it, seeing, examining, wearing, and differentiating between stones and metals at an early age. That rich experience adds to our expertise.
What defines you?
My life experience was enriched by various cultures.
What brings you the most joy in your business?
Creating a piece of jewelry and working on it, sometimes not realizing that it is past midnight by the time I find the right stones with the right accessories and the right look.
What is the most important thing you want people to know about your business and what you do?
Jewelry was a lifelong hobby that turned into a business, and we still treat it as a hobby, taking great delight in creating and sharing it with appreciative people.
Is there anything you would like to add that was not covered in the previous questions?
Oya & Idil Jewelry (past Oya Elegant Jewelry) was founded in 2005. We are about to celebrate 20 years of mother/daughter closeness, emotional satisfaction, and success.
Oya & Idil Jewelry