For generations, L’Atelier Nawbar has represented the enduring artistry of Lebanese jewellery making. Today, sisters Tania and Dima Nawbar are carrying that legacy forward with a fresh perspective, balancing traditional craftsmanship with contemporary design and a deeply personal approach to jewellery. 

In this feature, they reflect on family, creativity, leadership, social impact and the evolving meaning of legacy within one of the region’s most distinguished jewellery houses. 

You were already working at an advertising agency in Abu Dhabi before taking the helm at your family atelier. Was there an exact moment that told you it was time to return to Beirut and rewrite the story of L’Atelier Nawbar?

There wasn’t necessarily one single moment. We had both started our careers at an advertising agency in Abu Dhabi, and about a year and a half in, our father asked if we would consider joining the family business. Something clicked for both of us at the same time. We moved back to Lebanon in 2011, and the rest followed quite organically.

Growing up around the atelier, it never felt like we were stepping into something completely unfamiliar. We wanted to honour what our family had built while bringing our own perspective to it and making it feel more personal, expressive and relevant to today.

How do you honour four generations of traditional goldsmithing techniques while modernising L’Atelier Nawbar’s aesthetic?

For us, heritage is a foundation. We continue to use time-honoured techniques that have been passed down through generations, including traditional techniques such as stone carving.

At the same time, we have always wanted to push boundaries. We often look back at our father’s creations from the 70s, 80s and 90s and reinterpret elements of them with a contemporary perspective. It is about respecting where we come from while creating jewellery that feels personal, expressive and relevant to today.

What is the most cherished archive piece or design memory your father and grandfather left behind?

One of our most cherished family heirlooms is a ring that our great-grandfather made. What makes it particularly special is that when you look through the top of the ring and hold it up to the light, you can see a photograph of our great-grandfather inside it.

It has been passed down through generations of our family, so it carries not only his craftsmanship but also his memory. It is a beautiful reminder of how jewellery can hold stories, people and generations within it.

Do you feel the pressure to constantly reinvent classic heritage motifs for the modern audience? How do you navigate it?

We don't feel that we have to reinvent our heritage just to make something new. For us, it is about understanding what those symbols have meant throughout history and finding a way for them to speak to the present.

That idea became the starting point for Armour, our new collection. We were interested in jewellery as something people have always carried for protection, memory and belonging: amulets, heirlooms and objects that keep loved ones and traditions close.

With Armour, we wanted to explore gold as emotional armour: something that can make you feel protected, connected, and strong. The symbols may evolve, but those feelings remain timeless.

How has your programme training and empowering socially disadvantaged women transformed the atelier’s work culture?

When we took over L’Atelier Nawbar, we wanted to modernise not only our designs, but also the way we work, with a strong focus on gender equality and creating opportunities for women through training in handmade techniques.

The programme has become an important part of our belief that craftsmanship should be shared and that the atelier can be a place where people have the opportunity to learn, develop their skills and build something for themselves.

Does your experience with client custom commissions shape the direction of your main seasonal collections?

Absolutely. We love seeing the ideas people come to us with and finding a way to bring them to life. There is something very special about taking someone's story, memory or personal idea and translating it into a piece of jewellery that feels completely their own.

That is also why we opened our in-house workshop within the showroom, allowing clients to create custom pieces or modernise heirlooms while witnessing the craftsmanship behind them.

Those conversations are incredibly inspiring for us. They remind us that jewellery is deeply personal and that everyone has their own way of expressing themselves through what they wear.

Is there any advice from your father or grandfather that you still carry with you and follow in your daily lives or your business?

Our father taught us everything we know, but most importantly, he taught us never to be fearful, to always trust our gut and to break through barriers. From day one, he threw us into the middle of everything and told us to figure it out ourselves. He taught us that nothing can replace experience, and that attention to detail is essential.

Another important lesson he taught us is to always be transparent and honest. We believe you should always trust your lawyer, your doctor and your jeweller, and that means being honest, doing things properly and never being driven by greed. Those are values we carry with us every day, both personally and in the way we run the business.

Looking forward, what mark or legacy do you hope to leave on the Nawbar dynasty for future generations?

For us, legacy is about keeping the essence of what has been passed down to us while allowing it to continue evolving. Our biggest achievement has been keeping our family legacy alive while continuing to grow and evolve, and doing that with genuine passion for what we create.

We want future generations to inherit more than a name. We want them to inherit the craftsmanship, values and freedom to create their own chapter.

If we can keep the house growing while staying true to its spirit, and pass that sense of family, creativity and purpose on to the next generation, that would be the legacy we hope to leave.