Narrator: Ertugrul is carving out the final details
of this meerschaum pipe.
And when he's done, a pipe like this can cost over $300.
It's made of meerschaum,
a mineral rock often found in underground mines in Turkey
that reach 137 meters deep.
The most intricate pipes
can take up to two months to complete.
Those can go for over $7,000.
But meerschaum is fragile,
which means Ertugrul can lose all his work
at the last minute.
[laughing]
Narrator: So, what sets meerschaum pipes
apart from the rest?
And why are they so expensive?
Narrator: Turkish people have been making meerschaum pipes
since the early 1600s.
Meerschaum, also known as sepiolite, is a clay-like mineral.
It's lightweight, porous, and heat-resistant,
making it ideal for pipe smoking.
Its porousness allows it to absorb tar and nicotine,
reducing how much is inhaled,
which some pipe smokers prefer.
Meerschaum is found all over the world,
but the most commercially important meerschaum
is mined near Eskisehir in Turkey.
It's locally referred to as "white gold"
for its economic and cultural value.
To make meerschaum pipes,
artisans first seek the highest-quality meerschaum,
known as the "right" grade.
The higher the grade,
the less prone the meerschaum is to cracking,
so they're willing to pay more than double the price
of the lower "sandy" grade.
The right grade of meerschaum is rare
and difficult to obtain.
Meerschaum is located in underground quarries,
and here in Kozlubel,
miners have found high-grade meerschaum.
Emre now carves pipes,
but he got his start in the industry as a miner.
He's taking us 44 meters belowground,
where he'll chisel at surrounding rocks
to find suitable meerschaum.
Miners make educated guesses as to where to start,
typically near deposits they've already mined.
The work is physically demanding,
and even the strongest laborers can take an hour
to remove just one stone.
But that's only if they find it.
Narrator: The goal is to find larger meerschaum rocks
that are at least the size of a fist.
Narrator: This stone can sell for at least $38.
Emre says larger meerschaum has higher heat resistance,
up to 4,000 degrees Fahrenheit.
Narrator: The bigger the meerschaum stone,
the more elaborate, and eventually,
the more expensive the pipe will be.
But artisans like Emre can only make as many pipes
as the meerschaum supply allows.
Narrator: Though Emre can spend up to $2,200 at a time
on raw meerschaum, that's still not enough
to meet the demand for the finished pipes.
Narrator: Ertugrul Cevher is one of the few
master pipe carvers in all of Turkey.
He's been making meerschaum pipes for over 50 years.
Aside from the cost of the meerschaum itself,
the final price of these pipes
comes down to skill and craftsmanship.
To start making the pipe,
Ertugrul removes any dirt from the stone
and cuts around fault lines
that may later cause it to break.
This sometimes means lopping off three-quarters
of the meerschaum stone.
He then carves out the rough shape of the pipe.
He air-dries the pipe to strengthen it,
then drills in guide holes for the mouth and body.
Ertugrul refines the pipe again
with four different sandpapers to remove any flaws
and to ensure a smooth surface.
Simpler pipes like these can sell for over $100.
But complex pipes, like this Ottoman sultan head,
require further handiwork, which can triple the price.
Ertugrul doesn't plan the design for his pieces.
He works from memory and feel,
so each of his pipes is a unique work of art.
After hand-carving every minor detail,
Ertugrul starts shaping the stem.
The stem's materials can vary.
Ebonite is used for more expensive pipes,
while acrylic is used for more affordable ones.
The stem is polished, then fit into the mouth of the pipe.
Next, Ertugrul dips the pipes in beeswax,
which adds a a sheen and further hardens the meerschaum,
prolonging its durability.
But even when worked by skilled hands like Ertugrul's,
the meerschaum is liable to break unexpectedly
at any point in the process.
Narrator: The risk of this happening,
especially with complex pipes
that can take up to two months to complete,
means sometimes Ertugrul's work is all for nothing.
But when he can finish a pipe,
it can be sold for top dollar.
Narrator: Meerschaum pipes at this price point
are typically large, intricate collectibles
that are also functional.
Narrator: Today, meerschaum pipes are in high demand
by collectors and smokers alike.
But that hasn't always been the case.
Around the turn of the millennium,
a rise in anti-smoking laws
and the availability of alternative materials
cratered the market for meerschaum pipes.
Things took a turn in 2011
with the rise of tourism in Turkey after the Arab Spring.
As tourism continued to increase,
Emre saw meerschaum pipes regain popularity.
And the global pipe industry is set to grow even further,
at a rate of 4.5% by 2031.
Yet as demand for meerschaum pipes increases,
Ertugrul fears the profession can't keep up.