Kandy is known for a lot of things, and chief among those things happens to be — gems. The tourist market is certainly prospering today, and with Tiesh having been a true gem in the jewelry business, seeks to be an inimitable provider of all things glittery for tourists. I met Ayesh De Fonseka (Director) at the new Tiesh showroom dedicated to the local clientele on R A De Mel Mawatha, which has been in operation only for a year.Having being a banker in Australia, Ayesh highlighted how the transition into a businessman has been an evolutionary process (guided all the way through by his father) With the beach being a favorite place to hang out (on vacation or watching his beloved rugby team play on TV ) and a foodie at heart, he firmly believes in the art of crafting your own future just like the inimitable collections of jewelry at Tiesh.
In NOVEMBER, Tiesh launched a range of gems that were set in silver, and it was to showcase the undiluted beauty of Sri Lankan gems; it was aptly called — Black Temptations. What’s curious about Tiesh is that it always manages to create a buzz surrounding a launch of any of its jewelry ranges.
Might it be because that Tiesh is very much a niche endeavor that offers what others don’t, which is a spate of intricate designs that are as rare as they are unique in their value, artistry and presentation? What my eyes were gifted with seeing were as rare as a constellation of stars that dot the northern sky. But beauty is something that can only be aspired through willful sacrifice and persistence: This is the story of Tiesh.
A conjunction (if you will) of Ayesh and his sister Thiyasha (two siblings) resulted in the creation of Tiesh. Although the company was previously known as Lakmini in Kandy, Ayesh’s parents decided to give their children more ownership in the company and carried out an exercise in rebranding. Slowly but surely the effort of handing over the reins to the next generation helped bring Tiesh into the forefront of a very competitive market where modish designs are the norm.
Indeed the company was a labor of love with both their parents (Lasantha and Bryony De Fonseka) putting their heart, mind, and soul into the family business. Just as the creation of the business was something that was born out of love so too is the creation of the sapphire-decorated jewelry that glittered in the glass-armed showcases at their showroom.
The company treats its employees as extended family, and this particular ethos has served them well. Just as familial bonds do keep a company together so too does things like honesty, integrity and transparency.
Transparency — Now that’s something which jewelry establishments have been rather reticent about when it comes to selling their exorbitantly-priced wares. Questions that cast doubt on the purity of gold, and the lines of designs have plagued the local market for years. However, transparency is a characteristic that is firmly embedded in the sale of all things fine at Tiesh.
Ayesh went onto explain how he firmly believes in the aspect of loyalty, and in order to ensure customer retention, offering a quality product plus having a sense of empathy goes a long way. There are a lot of emotions attached to a piece of jewelry. One may buy a necklace for their wedding, but instead of treating it as a one-off decoration, why not use it again?
Such is the design belief that is nurtured at Tiesh where individual pieces of jewelry go through a stringent process of quality checks, and fits into a dual role of being applicable for any event. Ayesh calls is — transformative design, where a blue sapphire ring can be worn in a different way to appear as a pink sapphire ring.
So what does the future hold for this company that crafts jewelry with quality residing at the heart of all its designs? With so many different players in this already-saturated market, it’s important to innovate, and that’s precisely what Tiesh is planning to do. Crafting bespoke designs is no easy task especially when there is competition from across the globe, but it’s loyal customers, and a discerning sense of design that’ll keep Tiesh evolving and growing for many more.
