K S Sze & Sons, a trailblazer for customised jewellery in Hong Kong, started providing customers with personalised jewellery design early in the 1960s. Now operating two boutiques and a showroom in the prime areas in Central, the company has been experiencing continuous growth over the years thanks to its exquisite craftsmanship, innovative design and exceptional services. At a recent chat with Hong Kong Jewellery, company chairman and general manager Dr Nien Dak Sze talked about the landmarks in the 100-year development, future plans and pearls as a unique part of the company.
Dr Sze’s father K S Sze started his career in the jewellery industry in the 1920s. He established 原豐珠寶 specialising in pearl jewellery. During the Chinese civil war, he moved to Hong Kong where he set up K S Sze & Sons. “Literally, we started everything on pearls. In the 1930s, cultured pearls provided the jewellery market with constant supply of pearls owing to the mature technology of pearl cultivation at that time. Capitalising on the pearl trend, my dad launched upscale cultured pearl jewellery which met with overwhelming responses. He moved southward to Hong Kong with his family when the civil war in mainland China broke out. That was when he established K S Sze & Sons in the city.”
To start off in a new place, K S Sze displayed and sold his pearl jewellery in showcases. It was not until 1963 when he was invited by the just-launched Mandarin Oriental to open a shop there. And they were the only jewellery tenant being invited. According to Dr Sze, the ideal location attracted excellent traffic of quality customers. He said: “Our one-of-a-kind quality design has always created positive word-of-mouth. In 1960s we already offered customers “one-piece-only” customised jewellery which laid the foundation for personalised jewellery in Hong Kong.”
After years of solid growth, K S Sze & Sons diversified its product categories to fine jewellery set with rubies, sapphires, emeralds and diamonds in the 1970s. The period marked the golden era of K S Sze & Sons, according to Dr Sze.
In the 1980s, it witnessed an influx of international jewellery brands who came with comprehensive marketing strategies and effective media promotions which posed challenges to local jewellers in Hong Kong. “Since then, we saw a broadened distribution channels for jewellery in Hong Kong, including local independent jewellery shops, overseas brands, local retail chains, jewellery shows, auctions, etc,” Dr Sze said.
Apart from in-house designs and customised jewellery, K S Sze & Sons also carries several renowned international brands including Fabergé and Vhernier. Dr Sze said: “Authentic antique jewellery also comes as an indispensable part of our core business. Some of the superb techniques and craftsmanship of the old master goldsmiths embedded in antique jewellery have already been extinct. Antique jewellery seems to be the only medium to cherish the everlasting beauty of the lost mastery. This particular segment has registered over 10 percent growth every year,” he added.
Over the years, K S Sze & Sons has boasted an enviable clientele of international political dignitaries and Hollywood stars including governor of Hong Kong Sir Robert (Robin) Brown Black, Charles Chaplin, Laurence Harvey, Princess of Wales Diana, cellist Yo-Yo Ma, etc.
K S Sze & Sons believes in the word-of-mouth approach to sustaining customers’ loyalty with magnificent products and professional services. In the new era of e-commerce and consumption pattern changes, Dr Sze says the company needs to review its marketing approach to keep pace with trends.
“Nearly 95 percent of our customers are regulars, with a very small number walk-in. We’re glad to have a group of extremely loyal customers, some of them have been with us for 40 years. Nevertheless, we have to reach out to new customers to offset the burden of surging operation costs and shrinking base of old customers. In this regard, we would gear up for product development, promotion and marketing,” he said.
The above-said initiatives are in fact among K S Sze & Sons’ plans for its approaching 100th anniversary celebration. According to Dr Sze, they are seriously working on social media in a hope to keep younger customers abreast of the news on products and company activities, while stimulating the interaction with them. Besides, the company hopes to boost the public’s interest in their jewellery via various online and offline channels. In view of product development, Dr Sze says they aspire to develop signature designs for everyone, which is the successful approach being taken by international brands.
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