Hong Kong jeweller Ronald Abram boasts precious gems that sell for millions
High jeweller says thrill of a two-decade hunt for a unique antique-cut diamond is why he loves the business
Hong Kong-based jeweller Ronald Abram marks half a century in the business this year, with a self-effacing “how time flies” response to a milestone that others might mark with considerable fanfare.
This reaction belies the presence of Ronald Abram the high jeweller, and the man behind the eponymous company. Ronald Abram the founder built the company on the backbone of his expertise in rare and exceptional gems, some of which are customised into one-off jewellery pieces for prominent clients.
Over the past four decades the company has ascended the rarified heights of haute joaillerie, a considerable achievement for a small, family-run company without the aggressive marketing campaigns of international backing.
Instead, the founder turned to Hong Kong’s powerful weapon of high-society networking to build his business, using it to cultivate relationships and to promote his brand through word of mouth and reputation. The rewards paid off handsomely with a loyal band of followers that includes royalty, members of state and an A-list of Hong Kong’s movers and shakers.
Ronald Abram has made much of its home-grown advantage in understanding local tastes to garner a client base and provide a level of exclusivity multinationals can only dream of. The company has just two boutiques worldwide, both in Hong Kong - one at The Peninsula Hong Kong and its flagship boutique at The Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong, which opened in 1988.
Since its opening, the flagship boutique has become as much a local institution as the Mandarin Oriental, and as much a part of the hotel as its luxurious facilities visited by wealthy clients for the same reasons: a landmark destination for a spot of indulgence.
It is here where much of the company’s business is still done, and where Abram personally receives his clients with a level of intimacy that affords unhurried browsing.
So, it is unsurprising that it is this gravity of success that has afforded a more prominent place in Abram’s memory. “One of the most memorable milestones was when my wife Joyce and I opened our salon at the Mandarin Oriental hotel in Hong Kong over 25 years ago. We had a great sense of achievement that day and felt extreme pride in beginning our long-standing relationship with Hong Kong’s legendary hotel,” Abram says.