Can Murdoch Pass the Torch Without Dropping It?

Rupert Murdoch should be as lucky as Avedis Zildjian.

A 17th-century Armenian alchemist, Zildjian invented an alloy of copper, tin and silver while trying to make gold, and used it to create an exceptionally resonant cymbal for court musicians. Nearly 400 years later, his descendants still own and operate Zildjian, a private company in Norwell, Mass., making cymbals for the best drummers in the world.