Background
Scion of a family of renowned craftsman originally from Damascus, Mouzannar’s life has been shaped by training at his father’s jewelry shop in Beirut’s old souks during the heyday of Lebanon’s cosmopolitan make-up.
Scion of a family of renowned craftsman originally from Damascus, Mouzannar’s life has been shaped by training at his father’s jewelry shop in Beirut’s old souks during the heyday of Lebanon’s cosmopolitan make-up.
He graduated with a degree in mineralogy and gemology in 1983 from the Institut National de Gemmologie, coupled with an internship in the Diamonds’ market in Antwerp, Belgium.
In 1980, Mouzannar left Lebanon in the midst of the Lebanese civil war and went to study in Paris, France. From 1984, Mouzannar worked as a production and purchasing manager for a renowned jeweler based in Saudi Arabia. In 1989, he moved to Bangkok, Thailand, managing an international workshop.
In the late 1980s, he spent 6 months at the Thai-Cambodian border working in a Ruby mine before deciding to leave the Far-East.
In 1990, Mouzannar headed back to Paris, France where he acquired additional mineralogy expertise from Institut National de Gemmologie. He returned to, Lebanon in 1993 to establish his own jewelry brand, Maison Selim Mouzannar.
Mouzannar opened his workshop followed by his flagship store 5 years later in. Following the 2006 war over Lebanon, Mouzannar launched a new strategy in order to expand his brand internationally and participated in worldwide exhibitions.
In 2012, he received a certification in Jewelry Design from the GIA Gemological Institute of America, followed by a certificate from the École supérieure des affaires () Lebanon) in Marketing De Luxe in 2014.
2010, Mouzannar is amongst five Middle East jewelry designers who featured at a Christie’s auction. Mouzannar was involved in the nonviolent Cedar Revolution of 2005 that forced the departure of the Syrian military from Lebanon. A profile in the International Herald Tribune headlined ‘Translating violence into wearable beauty’ pointed to the cross-culture of Mouzannar’s collection.
Key Selim Mouzannar, Ashrafieh,, Lebanon Annoushka at Harrod’s, London, United Kingdom Crans Prestige, Geneva, Switzerland BonGenie Grieder, Geneva, Switzerland Midnight Express,, Turkey Bloomingdale’s, Dubai, United Arab Emirates Harvey Nichols, Dubai, United Arab Emirates YLang 23, Dallas, United States of America.