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 Burhan Çınar Jewelry
Your name, surname, how old are you?

My name is Burhan Çınar. I bear my uncle's name. That's why my name is the same as the shop. I was born
in 1980.

When and how did you start this business?

I started this business when I was 10 years old, when my uncle took me on as an apprentice. I left primary
school. It was very difficult for me to work in the Grand Bazaar until I was 20 years old. I was constantly
beaten here in the evenings. After I received my mastery certificate, everything fell into place.

Can you tell us how your day was spent here? What exactly do you do? What is the job you do most?
I work with Altınbaş. I do repairs, size reduction, narrowing, expansion etc. At the same time, when they tell
me they want a piece of jewelry like this, I make that too. We also have a jewelry store in the front, where
we sell the jewelry I make. Most of them are things I made in my own head. My son and nephew work
opposite me. I taught them this job. I usually do the repairs, but they do the polishing and filing etc.

When Altınbaş asks you for a design, does he bring a drawing or do they tell it verbally? What is
your process when designing yourself? Which of the jobs you mentioned is your favorite to do?
Sometimes they bring drawings, it depends on the customer's wishes, but usually the customers tell me
what they want verbally and they tell me. There are very few works in Altınbaş's collection that my hand did
not touch. Working with me makes me feel very valuable and good. When I design myself, something
usually comes to my mind and I start making it immediately. My favorite job is the part where I make the
designs in my mind.

You mentioned that your son also works with you. Can you tell us a little about your son?
My son Cihan said he wanted to work with me after graduating from university. I didn't want him to work
with me after the physical damage I received, but I saw that light in his eyes and he really wanted to do
this job, so I agreed to train him. He has been working with me for 5 years. With this passion, one day he
may even be better than me. He does work such as grinding and polishing.
Isn't it risky to design in your mind and start producing directly? Have you ever gotten a result
that was completely different from what you had in mind? Aren't ergonomic problems arising?
Wouldn't planning the measurements, trying different forms, and making mock-ups lead you to a
better result?

Since I started this job when I was 10, sometimes I feel like I've been doing this job since I was born. I
spent my whole life in this workshop. That's why there has never been a situation where a product I
planned and produced in my mind did not fit the human body. After practicing this much, I don't feel the
need to make mock-ups. I think you can understand what I mean better if you consider that everything I
did during those years when I was repairing other jewelry was created as a mock-up in my head.

What do you like and dislike about your job?

My favorite thing is to be recognized for my dexterity. I can't tell you how good it feels to produce
something and have people like it and use it. Since I have spent almost my entire life here, everyone in this
region knows me and I love being told that Burhan could do this and being referred to me, and it is very
valuable. It feels better every time to see people carry the design in my mind. As for the things I don't like,
it hurts me a lot physically. The smell and smoke of the acids here have destroyed my lungs. The tips of
my fingers have been burned, cut, and damaged so many times that I have not been able to feel them
properly for several years, they have calluses. I cannot spare time for myself and my family. Having to be
meticulous all the time is one of the challenging aspects of the job. A few times I had to buy a new one for
a customer because of a tiny mistake I made. This situation makes me very nervous and I haven't been
able to overcome it for 35 years. Using my hands non-stop all day sometimes makes me very tired. I
developed varicose veins on my legs because I was sitting all the time. But still it's all worth it. If I were
born again, I would do this job again.

Finally, do you have any advice for people who want to do this job in the future? If so, what is it?

First of all, a decision must be made with the awareness that this profession requires great sacrifices. I
wasn't old enough to realize this when I started. Unfortunately, your time and body must belong to this job.
If you are meticulous, patient, calm and think you have manual dexterity, this profession will make you
very happy. The happiness and pride of being able to produce something by hand is at a very high level.
We can say that it makes sense for the future because it is a profession that will never lose value. You
have capital and you can easily collect these tables and tools for 15-20 thousand Turkish liras. We can add
this to the positive aspects of the profession. I hope I could help you. I would love for us to be colleagues
in the future. Good luck.