The amber master from Bayburt makes prayer beads from stones worth their weight in gold.

15.03.2025 11:05

Bayram İpek, who lives in Bayburt, processes amber stones, which are rare in nature and beneficial for health, into prayer beads and jewelry. What started as a hobby has now turned into a professional career. The price of amber competes with that of gold by the gram.

The natural amber, formed by the fossilization of resins from pine trees, is used in the making of decorative items and is difficult to find and extract in nature. It is shaped into prayer beads and jewelry by Bayburt's only precious stone craftsman, Bayram İpek. Each colorful amber prayer bead, crafted with great effort and labor, is eye-catching.

The amber stone found in the fertile plains and steep mountains of Bayburt is extracted by Bayram İpek, who is engaged in precious stone work in the city, and is then processed into decorative items. İpek, who has had an interest in stones since childhood, has turned his curiosity into a profession over time. Now unable to keep up with orders in his work, which he started as a hobby, İpek creates various types and colors of amber prayer beads in his 20-square-meter workshop and presents them to the interest of enthusiasts. İpek stated that amber is a valuable and also expensive stone, and mentioned that there are prayer beads suitable for every budget. He expressed that the prices of prayer beads start from 5,000 lira and can go up to 100,000 lira.

"THE BUSINESS I STARTED AS A HOBBY HAS BECOME MY PROFESSION"

İpek emphasized that he and his friends used to make marbles by rubbing stones together when they were children, highlighting that his fascination with stones has existed since a young age. "I have always been curious about stones since childhood. We used to make marbles by rubbing stones together and played games with our friends. I started to become more and more interested in this work. The job I started as a hobby has now turned into a profession. For example, while people sit in cafes in their free time, I wander in the mountains. Since I know the structure, I collect amber from the mountains. I can bring the amber I collect here and turn it into both jewelry and prayer beads. Thank God, I opened a 20-square-meter shop. In the shop, we started to present our prayer beads and necklaces for people's appreciation," he said.

"THE PRICE OF AMBER PER GRAM COMPETES WITH GOLD, SOLD IN DOLLARS"

It is known that amber has a natural effect that is good for many diseases, acts as a pain reliever, sedative, and stress reliever, and its price per gram is traded in dollars. İpek mentioned that unprocessed raw amber is sold between 1,200 and 1,800 lira, stating, "Bayburt amber is sold based on its gram price. For example, unprocessed amber is sold between 1,200 and 1,800 lira in different places. Here, we sell the processed version at the price of unprocessed amber so that everyone can obtain it. Is it expensive? Yes, it is really expensive, but it is worth it for Bayburt amber. The prices of prayer beads start from 5,000 lira and can go up to 50,000 lira or even 100,000 lira. When it is presented at auctions, these prices go even higher. We cannot take them to auctions because there are no skilled craftsmen available; there is really no one else doing this work, I am the only one, and I can only keep up with my friends and my circle. There are prayer beads suitable for every budget. There are affordable ones and there are expensive ones. Those who need amber for health reasons prefer this. It is well known that real amber cures goiter and asthma. Doctors recommend it, and some have come to buy necklaces and prayer beads based on doctors' recommendations. Those whose children are teething have bought necklaces and put them on their children," he said.

"MY GOAL IS TO PROMOTE BAYBURT AMBER TO THE WHOLE WORLD"

İpek, who extracts amber from its natural location, carefully processes it in his 20-square-meter workshop. He noted that it takes 3-4 days to complete a single amber prayer bead, and each bead is crafted with meticulous workmanship. İpek stated that his goal is to promote Bayburt amber to the whole world. He concluded his words by saying, "My goal is to promote this Bayburt amber to the whole world. I am ready to do my best on this path, and I am already doing it. There will be more to come, God willing."