Joy, hope and grief: How Nada Ghazal has been telling Lebanon's story through jewellery for more than 20 years
When I speak to Lebanese jeweller Nada Ghazal, she is sitting in her recently opened Pont Street boutique in London, a world away from the uncertainty unfolding in Beirut. Her homeland remains under attack, and she is concerned about her family and staff at her boutiques and atelier. Recent months have also been marked by profound loss. “We lost two members of our family this year,” she says…
Lebanese jeweller Nada Ghazal shares the story of her homeland through her intricate jewellery, creating pieces that reflect themes of joy, grief, hope, and survival. Her journey began at a young age when she spent time with her grandmother, who taught her the art of crochet and sparked her passion for creating jewellery. As a child, Ghazal imagined herself having a brand, even visiting New York and dreaming of seeing her work in beautiful windows.
In 2024, that dream became a reality when her brand celebrated its 20th anniversary with a pop-up at Bergdorf Goodman in New York.
Despite growing up in Lebanon, Ghazal studied graphic design and fine arts at the American University of Beirut before working in advertising in Dubai. It was there that she learned the importance of narrative in her work. Her debut collection, titled Organised Chaos, emerged after she returned to Beirut from Dubai, reflecting the chaotic yet beautiful nature of her homeland.
Throughout her career, Ghazal's jewellery has remained a celebration of Lebanon's resilience, beauty, and paradoxes. Her latest collection, Whispers of Joy, was inspired by a period of intense emotional upheaval and the return of joy after the war resumed in Beirut. The collection features fluid rings, earrings, bracelets, and necklaces in matte 18k yellow gold, speckled with champagne diamonds, amethyst, and yellow, orange, or red sapphires.
Ghazal believes that the craftsmanship in her jewellery goes beyond precision; it is about creating pieces with love. Her hope is to establish jewellery education programs in Lebanon and to be recognized as one of the first names for people seeking jewellery that endures. For Ghazal, the true meaning of her jewellery lies in the stories and emotions it carries, which continue to resonate with those who wear them long after the initial design has evolved.
Written by urgent.news from The National UAE's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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