Inside a traditional jewellery workshop

Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar is one of the world’s oldest shopping markets, with a history stretching back more than 500 years. Known for its colourful shops gold jewellery, precious stones and crowds of tourists, the historic market has another side that many visitors never see.

Behind its busy streets is a network of skilled goldsmiths gemstone experts jewellery designers and craftspeople who have spent years learning their trades.

Their skills, trust and long standing business relationships help keep the bazaar’s old traditions alive.

According to CNN, the Grand Bazaar is much more than a place to shop. It is a historic centre where traditional skills, family businesses, and the relationship between teachers and students continue to play an important role.

A Lifetime of experience in the jewellery business

At 78, Ümit Berksoy has spent more than half a century working in the Grand Bazaar’s jewellery trade. For him, the market’s real value is not limited to expensive jewellery and precious stones.  He believes its skilled craftspeople are an important part of its identity.

When Berksoy needs a valuable ruby prepared he turns to craftsmen he has known for decades. Their long experience of working together means they often understand each other without needing many words.

A few gestures and a short conversation can be enough to explain how a particular design should be made. This level of understanding comes from years of shared work and trust.

Such relationships show how business operates in the Grand Bazaar. Success here depends not only on selling products but also on experience personal connections and long term partnerships.

Historic shops that have survived for generations

Some shops in the Grand Bazaar have been operating for more than a century. Their history is closely linked to the people who have spent much of their lives working behind their counters.

One example is Abraham, a shop named after its Armenian founder. It has been selling gold and other precious metals since 1882.

Another historic business is Epok, an antiques shop established in 1865. There, 76-year-old Gevork Teminyan works alongside his apprentice, Ibrahim Halil Eserk.

Teminyan began his career at the same shop as a young assistant. Over the years, he gained experience and became one of the people responsible for keeping the business running.

According to Teminyan, economic difficulties have led more people to sell their valuable antiques. Despite these challenges, he hopes conditions will improve and the business will continue.

Shops like these show that the Grand Bazaar’s history is preserved not only in its old buildings but also in the people who have dedicated their lives to their work.

How the grand bazaar began

The Grand Bazaar was established after the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople in 1453 under Sultan Mehmed II, who was around 21 years old at the time.

The aim was to create a commercial centre that could support the city’s economy and serve people from different backgrounds.

Over the centuries the market expanded and survived earthquakes and major social changes. It became one of Turkey’s most important centres for traditional trade.

Craftspeople from different communities, including Armenian, Greek, Jewish, and Syriac communities, contributed to its development.  They worked together, built business relationships, and passed their knowledge on to younger generations.

As the market grew, different streets became associated with particular trades. Some specialised in jewellery, while others became known for silverware leather goods and handmade carpets.

Although shops have adapted to changing customer needs, many old buildings and workshops continue to preserve the bazaar’s traditional character.

Today, the Grand Bazaar has around 3,600 shops, 65 streets, 14 historic inns, and 11 main gates. According to the report, as many as 400,000 people may visit it each day. Yet behind the crowded shopping streets lies a quieter world of workshops and skilled workers that many tourists never discover.

Jewellery Workshops With a Connection to James Bond

One historic inn inside the bazaar, known as Ikizler Han, houses several jewellery workshops and wholesale businesses. Among them is the workshop of Sevan Harunyan who has spent decades making gold jewelleryHis work involves turning a design into a carefully shaped piece of precious metal. His old wooden workbench is covered with tools, wires, and other materials each serving a specific purpose.

Using small, specialised tools, he shapes gold into a frame where a precious stone can later be set.

The workshop window offers a view of the Grand Bazaar’s tiled roofs. These same rooftops appeared in the opening sequence of the 2012 James Bond film Skyfall, featuring actor Daniel Craig riding a motorcycle.

The connection between the historic market and the famous film adds another layer to the bazaar’s international appeal.

A new generation brings Technology Into the Trade

Traditional jewellery making is also changing as younger family members introduce modern methods. Harunyan’s son, Aras studied statistics at Mimar Sinan University in Istanbul before deciding to bring new technology into the family business.

He now uses computer software to create jewellery designs. Another family member, Arda is focusing more on learning the practical side of the craft.

Their example shows that protecting traditional skills does not mean rejecting modern technology. Computer-based design and modern tools can help businesses develop while preserving the quality and knowledge that make

handmade jewellery special.

The challenge is to use new methods without losing the skills that have been passed down through generations.

Why the Teacher-Apprentice Relationship Matters

Armenian craftspeople in Turkey have a long history of working in jewellery making and other traditional crafts. They have also played an important role in the Grand Bazaar’s jewellery trade.

Sevan Harunyan believes that passing skills from experienced craftsmen to younger workers is essential to keeping the profession alive.

Jewellery making requires much more than knowing how to use tools or follow a design. It demands patience careful attention, and years of practice.

Apprentices learn by watching experienced workers, practising under their guidance, and gradually taking on more difficult tasks.

This process helps preserve techniques that cannot always be learned from books or computer instructions alone.

Harunyan also believes that traditional workshops remain valuable despite the growth of modern shopping malls. Handmade jewellery continues to attract buyers who appreciate the time effort and skill behind each piece.

Traditional skills meet modern tools

The work of setting precious stones requires exceptional care. Zorbas, another experienced craftsman places a thick leather cloth on his workbench to prevent tiny pieces of gold and other valuable materials from being lost during work.

He uses a magnifying lens over his glasses to examine a ring setting and a ruby closely.

His son, Shant, also works in the same field but prefers using a modern microscope to inspect jewellery. Although their methods differ both rely on the same basic principles precision patience, and a deep understanding of precious materials.

Even a small mistake can damage a gemstone making this work highly delicate. Craftsmen must know how to shape the metal hold the stone securely and protect it throughout the process.

The combination of traditional experience and modern equipment helps the trade continue to develop without losing its essential skills.