Produced in a month, sold for 100 thousand lira: They can't keep up with orders

Two craftsmen in Erzurum are producing hand-engraved prayer beads (tespih) from materials including Oltu stone, kuka and ivory, embellished with gold and silver work, with each piece taking up to a month to complete and selling for 50,000 to 100,000 Turkish lira. Demand is outstripping supply, with some pieces sold while still in production. The high prices reflect hundreds of individual operations applied to each bead, positioning the output as artisanal art rather than ordinary religious merchandise. The artisans report being unable to keep up with orders, underscoring the pricing power of scarce, labor-intensive craftsmanship.