As every year, I am looking for global distinctions in Greek jewelry that will grace the cover of Just Gold. So this year, starting my search, I came across the Eros Psyche distinction at last year's JCK Awards.
I attended the Design Section of the Athens Jewelry International Show from the very first year it was established. So I was familiar with Eros Psyche from their annual participation. Thus, I took the courage to contact them and ask if we could feature the award-winning ring on our cover. And also, to meet them in person.
And so, I found myself at the Eros Psyche studio, in the heart of Athens. So that I could meet the artists behind the jewelry. There, Maria Apostolopoulou welcomed me.
Our meeting was destined to be a lengthy and substantive conversation about art and creation. But also about the meaning of persevering in something you love, even if it seems “forgotten” in the modern world. Through her words and passion, I felt admiration and, at the same time, unexpected hope.
In a difficult time, when many give up, I saw a man fighting to keep alive a centuries-old art. And he does it with humility, light, and a willingness to share it. Something you rarely encounter.
The art of seal engraving
Maria doesn't just create jewelry; she resurrects an ancient Greek art form, glyptography (or gem carving). This means carving figures and symbols into precious stones, entirely by hand.
This art has always been connected to the sacred and the personal. With origins that reach back to ancient Greek philosophers, poets, and kings. Each stone became a bearer of meaning and spirit, constituting the personal identity of each individual.
Maria Apostolopoulou came into contact with this art in the 1990s, while she was involved in set and costume design. When she heard about Nick Kielty-Labrinides, she decided to apprentice with him. He was the last European master of the seal engraving school, and he had settled in Greece to teach. For six whole years, she dedicated herself to the precision, patience, and spirituality of the process, drawing as much as she could from this unique individual.
Since then, Maria has become one of the few engravers in the world who continue this art. Not through mass production, but as it was done thousands of years ago, by hand. With breath, concentration and a deep knowledge of stone, which does not forgive mistakes.
Together with Nikos Karakostas, known for his futuristic and sculptural designs, they combine glyptography with modern aesthetics. Creating unique handmade jewelry that resembles small works of art. It is impressive how an ancient technique meets contemporary design. Proving that the past and the future can coexist harmoniously on a single object.
The philosophy behind the name “Eros Psyche”
At some point during our conversation, after she had shown me various subjects she chooses, I asked her what her favorite creative theme is. She answered without hesitation and with a smile: «Love, of course, because it is the driving force of the Soul.»
And so the studio's name was born: Eros Psyche. A title that perfectly expresses their philosophy, the meeting of creative energy with the inner essence of art.
Every work born in this studio is the result of this encounter. Love activates the Soul, and thus matter is transformed into something superior, into symbol, art, message.
Recognitions and international collaborations
Maria and Nikos's work has received numerous awards in recent years, both in Greece and abroad. Both creators have been repeatedly honored for their design and their contribution to contemporary artistic jewelry making.
The studio's collaboration with the Houston Museum of Natural Science is a great moment. The museum hosts her jewelry in its official jewelry shop, approaching goldsmithing as art rather than a product. At the same time, her relationship with the British Museum is ongoing and creative. The museum commissions special pieces from her connected to temporary exhibitions. Inviting her to draw inspiration from historical and artistic themes to create new works.
The Eros Psyche project has also been presented at the Museum of Cycladic Art and the Ilias Lalaounis Jewelry Museum. Maria is also an officially recommended artist of the Homo Faber Guide, the international platform of the Michelangelo Foundation, which showcases the world's leading artisans, creators, and craft workshops.
Her presence there is not merely honorary. It is confirmation of its authenticity as well as its cultural footprint. Eros Psyche is counted among the few active sculptural ateliers worldwide that continue to work in the manner of the ancient masters.
The dream
Among the many topics we opened that day, we also spoke about the biggest problem in Greek jewelry making. The lack of a unified school that would bring together all the specialties of the sector, designers, artisans, as well as engravers. A school that would give jewelry making the position it deserves as a national art. Not only on a local level, but also internationally, promoting Greece as the cradle of creation.
Maria spoke to me with a vision and a deep desire for her dream of establishing a Public School of Jewelry Making. Open to young artists who want to learn, evolve, and continue this craft. Her dream is to see Greek jewelry regain the prestige it deserves as art, culture, and identity.
Maria Apostolopoulou doesn't keep art to herself. She is willing to share it, teach it, and continue it. Through her work and words, she conveys the belief that Greek jewelry can regain its former splendor. It can once again become a point of reference for our culture and soul.
Leaving the studio that day, I felt as though I had met a bright person, with an aura of serenity, kindness, and creative power, who had given me hope. The conviction that, as long as there are people like her, art will continue to be born, to inspire, and to travel beyond the borders of place and time.
Maria Arnauteli
JUST GOLD 10
