Stylianos Kalopedis was born in 1868 at Lefkara, a mountain village on the island of Cyprus. As a child he was sent to the capital city of Nicosia to work at a workshop in the "street of the goldsmiths" and learn the art of jewellery making. When he was 20 years old his mentor told him that he had achieved a skill level with which he could open his own workshop. His mentor then provided him with a workbench and work tools. The year was 1888 and the family tradition had begun.