“I like working with the past,” says Gurhan Orhan. “Every piece has some sort of story. My main mission is to pick up a stone or technique from history and bring it back to life.” He points out 1830s lava stone cameos: The stones were in good shape but the jewelry was damaged, so he reset them. “I use pure gold, just as they did,” he says. Tiny Victorian mosaics, Roman coins, and Egyptian scarabs get the same treatment.

While Gurhan’s jewelry has been available at high-end stores such as Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue for years, the 1,500-square-foot Gurhan Atelier on Franklin is his first dedicated shop. It has what he calls an “edited collection” of his work, in silver, gold, and platinum, as well leather goods by Lou Guerin.

Why Tribeca? “I’m a downtown person. Since I came to New York City, I’ve lived downtown.” His business has an office in the Flatiron, but when he decided to open a shop, he wanted a relatively large space, and Tribeca is awash in those. Plus, he has always wanted a big, open workspace. Behind a pair of wine-cellar doors from Argentina is a place where Gurhan can not only make jewelry, but also—given that it’s part of the shop—create bespoke pieces in collaboration with clients. What’s more, he can socialize with them around the four-stool bar. “Jewelry and alcohol go together!” he says.

Gurhan Atelier is at 160 Franklin (between Varick and Hudson), 212-334-7900, gurhan.com; closed Sunday and Monday.

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