Burak Altay’s Workbench

Six stages, the same for every piece. None of them can be hurried.

1
The material
Each tesbih begins with a material chosen for its colour, its weight and its sound: snakewood, amber and others. The beads are shaped one by one and matched by eye.
2
The pattern
The pattern is marked on every bead: lattice, diamond, scroll or band. When the bead has turned full circle, the line has to meet itself.
3
The silver
A fine hole is drilled for each point. Silver wire is driven in, cut, and filed flush. One bead takes dozens of points. A tesbih has thirty-three beads, or ninety-nine.
4
The finish
The surface is sanded and polished until silver and bead feel like a single material under the thumb.
5
The fittings
The imame, the stops and the tassel are worked in silver and strung. This is where the drape of the tesbih and the run of the beads are set.
6
The record
The finished piece is measured, weighed and dated on its own card, then laid in a lined wooden box.

The material