Boat International - May 2018

PHOTOGRAPHY: MEL YATES; GETTY IMAGES; REX/SHUTTERSTOCK; MEHMET MUTAF

M

iami’sWHotelSouthBeachfeelsliketheepicentreofgrownupcool:

it’stheperfectplacetomeetYaimaOrtizandherhusband.Aformer

volleyball player and Olympic medallist from Cuba, later turnedmodel,

sherecentlymarriedyachtdesignerRizaTansu.Hisboats,builtinIstanbul,

havewonseveralawardsfromthismagazineovertheyears,thelatestaBoat

InternationalDesign&InnovationAward,inJanuary,for43.7mCyclone.Ihave

notroublespottingthecouple.Tansu:handsomeandyouthfulinasummery

linenshirt;Ortiz:tall,beaming,striking.Sheofersahandrimmedwithmultiple

braceletsbySevanBıçakçi.

Itisherrecentworkwiththismasterjewellerthatbringsustogethertoday.

Bıçakçı,aTurkofArmeniandescent,createslargeandcolourfulpieces,each

uniqueandmanyinspiredbytheculturesand

religionsofAnatolia.Hismainboutiqueand

studio is near Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar, where

heemploysexpertcraftsmeninavariety

ofdisciplines–carving,reverseintaglio,

miniaturepaintingandmosaicsamongthem

“It’samasterpiece.

It’soutofthisworld...I

cannotwearit,itscares

me,itistoobeautiful”

WhenyachtdesignerRizaTansuintroducedhiswife,former

volleyballOlympianYaimaOrtiz,toafriend,heunwittingly

gavebirthtoadesigndreamteam.Cécile Gauertreports

Winning team

–tocreatemicrocosms

inside ornate pieces.

He is known especially

forhislargerings,complex

combinations of precious

stonesandgemscarved

fromtheinsideout,whichhaveearnedhim

theoccasionalnicknameofLordoftheRings.

Ortiz was introduced to Bıçakçı by Tansu,

aclosefriendoftheartist,in2013.Sheowns

severalofBıçakçi’spieces,“anaddiction”she

tellsme,holdingoutalargebluependantthat

shehasbroughtformetosee.“Ilovethesea.

Inmymostdiicultmoments,Ialwaysprayto

thequeenofthesea.WhenItold[Sevan]this

he came up with this beautiful piece in two

months,”shesays.Imakeout,throughthe

chiselledstonesurface,acrownedfigureofthe

BlackVirgininabluedress.Ortizworeiton

herweddingday,pairedwithabluedress.On

thatday,Bıçakçıpresentedherwithagift.

“Iwasdancing,andheputajewelinmy

handandIdancedevenmore,”sherecalls.

Two sirens, their heads in gold and diamonds,

embracealargestonecarvedtolooklikethe

oceanbottomcompletewithminiaturecorals.

“It’s a masterpiece. Something out of

this world. I cannot wear it, it scares

me,itistoobeautiful,”shesays.

OntheplanebacktoTurkey,Yaima

sharedanideawithTansutocreate

acollectionheavilyinfluencedby

hernativeCubaandLatinculture.

“InmyopinionSevanisthegreatest

jewellerydesignerofourtimeandI

wassurehewouldliketheideaaswell.

AfterseveralmeetingsIsawsketches

of the pieces and later the real ones... exactly

whatYaimawasdreamingof,”Tansusays.

Thedreamwasseveralyearsinthemaking.

ThefirsttimeOrtizmetBıçakçıinhisshop

five years ago, Ortiz was very moved. “The

décorofhisshopwassoincredible.WhenI

Above: Ortiz

married top

yacht designer

Riza Tansu in

Cuba in 2016