Beirut’s Armenian district of Bourj Hammoud has long been recognized as a center of high-quality jewelry. However, with growing international competition and instability domestically, these craftsmen have been suffering. And as the number of workshops in the district dwindles, so grow fears that a rich part of the Armenian culture risks disappearing.
Beirut's Once-thriving Armenian Jewelers Battling Economic Difficulties
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The Pegor Jewelry workshop, one of an estimated 500 in Bourj Hammoud, in Beirut, Lebanon, Feb. 26, 2016.
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A workshop in the Bourj Hammoud, in Beirut, Lebanon, Feb. 26, 2016. Jewelers said they have been hit by both national instability, which has put off many traditional buyers from the Gulf, and tougher competition on the international market.