Exquisitely crafted using ethically sourced materials, Tabayer fine jewelry is rooted in notions of protection and empowerment, set in pure and elemental, contemporary designs.
Founded in 2021 by Nigora Tokhtabayeva, the brand is inspired by the power and symbolism of jewelry. Reflective of its founder, Tabayer nods to the multifaceted woman: an independent, feminine, and empowered individual who embodies a unique balance of vulnerability and strength. This special duality is echoed in Tabayer’s modern, minimalist designs.
Long fascinated by the beauty of jewelry as a protective amulet, Tabayer’s first collection Oera took its cue from Inanna’s Knot, an ancient Mesopotamian symbol of fertility and protection. Recalling a braided bundle of reeds, the knot is reinterpreted through the lens of modernist sculpture, and features a tactile, sensually rounded form that gradually acquires a knife-edge point, culminating in asymmetric ends. The Oera collection has since evolved into four distinct editions.
Tabayer’s second collection, Zorae, launching Fall 2025, is inspired by the ancient symbol of the sheaf, an emblem of unity, abundance, and resilience. Sculpted in gold and accented with diamonds, Zorae’s flowing silhouettes express strength through interconnectedness, becoming a modern talisman of harmony and grace.
Tabayer jewelry is set in responsibly sourced gold, with diamonds ethically sourced and compliant with the Kimberley Process.
The Founder and Creative Director
Nigora’s love of jewelry began as a child growing up in Central Asia, where amulets and close-knit family traditions were very much part of her upbringing. A passion and sentiment for jewelry transcends generations of women in Nigora’s family. A pair of ruby earrings, for example, is an important heirloom infused with meaning and protection: now worn by her daughter, the earrings once belonged to her ancestor and has been passed down and worn by each generation of women in Nigora’s family.
Nigora’s vision has been influenced by American sculpture. The interplay of mass and void in Alexander Archipenko’s work informs her designs, as does the tubular minimalism found in Isamu Noguchi’s urban pieces. She also cites female sculptors like Barbara Hepworth and Eva Hesse as inspirations. Tabayer’s debut collection Oera amalgamated the many rich influences in Nigora’s life: modernist sculpture and volume, the notion of a universal talisman, and a unique balance between the abstract and figurative, vulnerability and strength, masculinity and femininity.