Where we began

Leaving behind steady careers in public relations and interior design which had become a little less reliable in a changing world, we decided instead to embrace that upheaval for ourselves and head for the hectic streets of Khan El Khalili: a cacophonous hub of activity united behind a single, life-long commitment to a shared craft. A place of narrow pathways and low ceilings — coffee shops filled with familiar faces and unfamiliar sensory experiences; cramped stores, seemingly ruled by the whims of occupying cats. And, of course, the home of Egypt’s most experienced and well-regarded master jewellers. 

Here, between these tapered alleys, we spent three years immersed in the world of artisanal jewellery. Here, with the benefit of a family introduction — because in a place like Khan El Khalili, you need the right introduction — we began to learn invaluable lessons from the master jeweller, Sufi, and one-of-a-kind character Haj-Khamis. 

Not just in the art of jewellery, but in patience, in the difference between time well spent and time wasted — in the importance of doing things the right way, not just getting them done. Here, we began our journey as Sabry Marouf.