- Adrian Cozzani is a self-described “time artisan” who has dedicated his life to handcrafting hourglasses, sundials, and other timepieces.
- He opened his store and workshop, Polvere di Tempo – meaning “dust of time” in Italian – 30 years ago.
- Tourists flock to the shop to buy these unique souvenirs for anywhere from $10 to over $700.
- Take a look inside Cozzani’s store and see the artisan’s process for making these unique objects.
- View more episodes of Business Insider Today on Facebook.
Following is a transcript of an episode of Business Insider Today.
Sundials, hourglasses, and hundreds of other handcrafted items line the shelves at Adrian Cozzani’s store.
He has been making timepieces for 30 years, and his shop in the trendy neighborhood of Trastevere, Rome, has become a tourist destination.
Adding just the right amount of sand to an hourglass isn’t just a skill. It’s art.
Adrian Cozzani: "I identify as a time artisan."
At Polvere di Tempo - which means "dust of time" - each piece requires painstaking precision and patience.
First, Adrian builds the structure for the outside of the hourglass. Once he installs the glass, he fills it with thousands of grains of sand.
But before he puts the finishing touches on the hourglass, he needs to test it.
Cozzani: "Sometimes, when I'm almost done, everything is working, and then it suddenly stops and I have to dismantle everything."
And this self-proclaimed time artisan has none to waste. He keeps one eye on the timer while working on other pieces.
Cozzani: "I compare hourglass-making to meditation. It's simple but it's not easy, because there are a lot of unpredictable elements."
Over 40 years ago, Adrian put aside his degree in architecture to come from Argentina to Italy, where a fascination became a calling.
Cozzani: "At one point I asked myself if I should do what I loved: work with my hands, crafting objects. I visited a museum in Milan that probably has the largest collection of sundials in Europe. I got absolutely charmed by this world, and it was when I decided to build these objects."
And while crafting these sundials and hourglasses might seem like devotion to a bygone era, to Adrian they're more relevant than ever.
Cozzani: "Today, we live fundamentally in the virtual world. I think people buy these instruments because they put them in touch with reality."
But the reality of making a profit off his passion was another matter.
Cozzani: I obviously needed to catch people's attention somehow. I started by incorporating maps, maps and globes. It took around 10 years to become profitable. It's been getting better lately because I'm on a lot of tour guides around the world."
Curating the unique atmosphere for his shop is just as important as his craft.
Cozzani: "This is a spontaneous place, not something staged. Today, almost every new business is the same: same brands, same stores, same look. Absolute standardization. Here, people see there is no pattern. These are distinguished, intriguing pieces, and that's what catches the eye."
It has been time and effort well spent: Tourists flock to the shop to take a piece of Rome home - for anywhere from $10 to over $700.
Cozzani: This is to?
Customer: This one is for Julie. This for John, and John as well.
Cozzani: "I often make excuses so that I can deepen my relationship with people. Closing packages with seals - fundamentally because I care about relationships with people."
And despite being in his early 70s, he shows no signs of slowing down.
Cozzani: I'll be doing this job until I can no more.