Lika Behar’s work is the result of years of jeweler’s tradition, baked into the foundation of her family’s heritage. As a child she would wander the teeming throng of the Grand Bazaar in central Istanbul, enamored by the symphony of colors and smells. Her father, a jeweler and coin dealer, had a shop in the center and Lika came to know the market like the back of her hand.
Being raised in Turkey, Lika has always yearned to return to this history of creating. Even as she received practical degrees in Economics and Political Science at NYU, her mind wandered back to her goldsmith roots in Istanbul. After an award-winning career in children’s apparel, she finally found the opportunity to return to the world she was born into. Encouraged by friends and family, she took the plunge and used her innate eye for design to create modern and exciting jewelry steeped in the history of her home country.
Following this epiphany, Lika transitioned her apparel company into one that designs jewelry. Her staff is a familiar mix of friends and family who have followed her through the twists and turns of her career. Among this tight knit core, she employs several master goldsmiths whose parents originally worked for her own father.
From the beginning, she has been inspired by a vision of what she likes to wear herself; casually elegant jewelry with an artisan touch. Her work is inspired by many an ancient culture, particularly Ancient Greek, Roman and Estruscan aesthetics. Pure gold is frequently featured in her designs, alongside richly colored gemstones reminiscent of the Bazaar she wandered as a child. In every way Lika Behar has evolved the traditions carried by her heritage, adding her own personal twist to stride forward to the future.