Copper is one of the oldest natural materials that ancient Armenians used for making jewelry, but that doesn’t mean it is the least bit old-fashioned. When you visit the Buduart workshop and studio in Dilijan, local artists Arman Badeyan and Margarita Malkhasyan will teach you how to create your own copper jewelry under their expert guidance.

The dynamic husband-and-wife team—both graduates of the Yerevan State Academy of Fine Art—enjoy sharing their artistic talents with visitors to Dilijan. Arman will show you how to carefully twist soft copper wires into intricate jewelry designs to make earrings, hairpins, rings, and necklaces. After an hour or so, you’ll have a brand new piece of handmade jewelry to wear!

Many of Arman’s and Margarita’s designs and paintings come directly from the town’s beautiful natural surroundings. Other sources are the rich ethnographic materials in the Local Lore Museum of Dilijan—especially its ancient jewelry collection, which you may wish to visit before Buduart for additional inspiration. Of course, both Buduart and the Local Lore Museum offer artistic gifts for purchase.

Read More: https://myarmenia.si.edu/en/guide/experience/create-your-own-copper-jewelry/