Zafer Karazeybek was born in the Orhangazi neighborhood of Bursa in 1960. He graduated from the Arifiye Teaching School in 1977. He went to the METU Art and Social Sciences Department in 1978, but he dropped out in 1981 due to political unease. In 1984, he started working as apprentice at a jewelry shop that belonged to a relative. Later he founded his own workshop in Orhangazi in 1986 and started making jewelry using organic materials. He worked with several artists and masters on meerschaum engraving, relief, classic Ottoman jewelry, musical instruments, and mother-of-pearl inlaying. Between 1992 and 2000, he worked as traditional jewelry trainer at Caferaða madrasah. He has participated in several joint exhibitions and restorations. Currently he is working on horn, tortoise shell, ivory, silver, mother-of-pearl jewelry and souvenirs at his workshop "Sedefkâr Zafer".