Search the Community

There is a spirituality associated with time. An irreversible flow of existence and experiences, the sweep of life. Many people collect watches to mark specific moments in time, a constant reminder of a major life event, a wedding, birth of a child, graduation, or work accomplishment. But life itself is constantly revolving and swirling, our lives moving with a rhythm through the ebbs and flows of time. Instead of capturing a specific moment in time, Can Bayraktar started his watch manufacture, Dervish Uhrenmanufaktur to capture a very personal story. For English speakers Can's name is pronounced similar to Sean with a soft J sound at the beginning - J-ah-n. Inspiration for this story comes in the form of the dervish, a member of a Muslim religious order of monks hailing from the Ottoman Empire, present day Turkey. They are well known for their wild dancing of spinning and whirling around. This rhythmic whirling is done to achieve harmony with the orbiting cosmos. This harmony with the cosmos is Can's vision for his watches, with the sweep of the seconds representing the whirling dervish spinning around their own axis. Its a spiritual approach that is much more in line with the beautiful creativity of independent watchmaking than mass-produced watches from an assembly line. In a world where watches have increasingly become commodities to be bought and sold and many are seen as status symbols, this is a novel approach. And the watches reflect that spiritual outlook.This is the beauty of independent watchmaking, you aren't buying products, you are buying a person who has poured their heart, soul, love, passion, and an incredible amount of time. You are buying their vision of art and beauty encapsulated in a small timepiece you can enjoy every time you wear it. You are buying a small piece of their journey and their spirit. Can's journey began as a machine mechanic, manufacturing small parts in Pforzheim, Germany. He moved into jewelry repair, where he learned the art of watch repair. This sparked an interest and he began to design watches in 2016 and later decided to pursue it full-time in 2018 when he began to manufacture his unique designs. An avid fan of history, Can loves to travel and learn about history. The history and the stories he learns during his travels provide the inspiration behind his watches. The description provided for each watch doesn't just provide a list of the specs or iof the watch. It actually describes the reasoning behind the elements and what they are meant to represent. This is a wonderful approach and provides so much additional insight into the timepiece itself. Considering the complexity and details on each watch it is also wonderful to understand Can's reasoning and motivation. I love thoughtful and inspired design and Can's approach is both beautiful and driven by his own life and experiences and travels. Each watch gives you an opportunity to share in those experiences. Like life, watchmaking is a journey, and tastes evolve. It's fair to say that one's watch journey is shaped by their underlying reason for buying watches. Watches used to be primarily tools, valued for specific design elements, complications, and specifications needed to meet a particular use. Today, only a small portion of watches are purchased to be used as a tool. Sure, people still buy tool watches, but few use them for their intended purpose. Watches have increasingly become extensions of one's personality and the journey of their life. Can's watches likely aren't for someone early in their watch collecting journey. The designs are bold and somewhat ornate, meant to inspire reflection and evoke emotions. The stories behind each watch express the cultural signficance of his travels. Watches are a combination of vision, artistry, craftsmanship, design, and engineering. With his manufacturing background and training as a mechanic, Can fully understands the importance of ensuring the design translates into a manufacturing possibility. He works closely with clients to create personal designs within the general, incorporating bespoke elements to make each watch a one of a kind timepiece. An heirloom that marries Can's journey with the client's journey. After agreeing upon a design, Can then begins the manufacturing process, taking into account any bespoke changes agreed to during the design process. However, this is where the bespoke experience differs from many others. During the manufacturing process he allows his inspiration to influence the design and incorporates these into the watch while being mindful of the client's desires. In some way, the final timepiece is a merging of the client's journey and Can's journey. For this to be successful, Can and the client must have a good relationship and open communication is key. The development and creation of the watch becomes a journey they take together. This requires trust because the watch may differ in some ways from the design as Can's inspiration. But its through the process of getting to know the client that Can feels comfortable that he understands what they are looking for that he feels comfortable making these changes. But this is also why it Can's watches are not for everyone. They are for individuals looking for an individual piece that still captures Can's spirit and inspiration. As he continues to build his own watchmaking company, Can works full-time at a watch case manufacturing company. His desire to create his own timepieces came when he stumbled across Rainer Nienaber from Bünde / Germany who made YouTube videos discussing watchmaking. He was also inspired by other discussing watchmaking with other independent watchmakers. But the inspiration for the designs comes comes from a place much closer to his heart, his mom. His mother taught him to take notice of the things around him, to appreciate history and beauty and nature and art. To take notice of the things that make a place unique on their travels together. Even today during their travels, his "mum" still points things out and directs his attention to things that inspire him during their travels. Currently, and likely due to his Turkish heritage, many of his clients are from Turkey, but also many other in countries with limited watchmaking such as Australia, Russia, and Azerbaijan. And while his clients have varied collections with more well known brands, his hope is to continue to design and create beautiful watches for collectors looking for something more unique and personal. People whose watch collecting journey has veered into independent watchmaking, but even more importantly, for whom timepieces reflect a spirituality and harmony with the world we live in. We each have our own individual journey in this world, and watches are a beautiful reminder of the passage of time along that journey. Dervish Uhrenmanufaktur may not make tool watches in the typical sense, but they are tool watches. They are tool watches for the soul. Despite the language difference, it was an amazing discussion. Can's story is inspiring and it translates into beautiful timepieces. He has a wonderful outlook on life and is imminently enjoyable to get to know. His enthusiasm is contagious and you can certainly get a sense of the passion and commitment to creating something unique and personal. You can learn more about Can and Dervish Uhrenmanufaktur at https://dervish-uhrenmanufaktur.de/ and also read about the different timepieces and the inspiration behind them. You can keep up with his latest creations @@dervish_uhrenmanufaktur