As the global coronavirus outbreak forces world governments to impose the use of face masks for protection, some artisans in Turkey’s southeastern city of Kahramanmaraş have turned this necessity into a wedding accessory, gilding masks with gold for Turkish brides.
It is customary to present a set of gold jewelry to the bride at Turkish weddings.
These new masks, featuring 14 or 22 carat gold, are priced at between TL 8,000 ($1,150) and TL 75,000 ($10,750), according to the Turkish media.
Under coronavirus measures, wedding ceremonies have also been changed to require social distancing and face masks.
Mustafa Öz, chairman of the Kahramanmaraş Chamber of Jewelers, said demand for the masks has increased, according to Daily Sabah.
“We hope to see gold masks on the faces of brides at all weddings,” he told the Ihlas News Agency (IHA).