Sarath Hemachandra

Vogue Jewellers

Men and women through the ages have adorned themselves with decorative items we have come to collectively refer to as ‘jewellery.’ In Sri Lanka, jewellery made of gold is particularly coveted for the cachet of conspicuous consumption, as well as heritage and investment.

Much of our cultural imagery depicts Sri Lankans of bygone ages wearing a variety of beautifully crafted, jewel encrusted decorative items. For a skilled designer such as Sarath Hemachandra, the challenge was to transpose the expectations of customers with the selection of stones into unique pieces of fine jewellery inspired by his creativity.

This jeweller always had an eye for the exceptionally beautiful and a flair for design, and combined these talents when he opened the doors of Vogue Jewellers in 1962, to bring something more than precious to his clients. He set the tone at Vogue Jewellers, placing the customer at the centre of his enterprise.

Desiring to create pieces that would be passed from one generation to the next but also unconventional in design and appearance, Hemachandra hit upon an iconic style and a tag line that evokes agelessness: ‘With you forever.’

Vogue’s jewels are timeless and classic but also in step with desirable Western jewellery trends. An instantly recognisable hallmark is his creations inspired by Kandyan jewellery and the beeralu patterns of the south. The master craftsman always had the end user in mind as he worked to breathe life into gold and stones he selected himself for each item.

Even though his loving touch has long ceased to craft Vogue Jeweller’s creations, the legacy of its founding chairman who took a cue from the global fashion revolution in 1960s and created his own interpretive masterpieces lives on. His signature coloured stone studded chandelier earrings and multi stone necklaces are worn to this day, by women of all ages.

Hemachandra dedicated much of his talent and time to adorning the women of Sri Lanka, and will no doubt be proud of evolution of the brand and the role it continues to play centre stage in the choice of jewellers.

Vogue Jewellers and his name will resonate with lovers of fine jewels, and may even endure with us forever – as was his fervent wish.

Sarath Hemachandra: set a gold standard in jewellery design.