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Her grandfather made jewellery for Southeast Asian royalty. She now leads her family’s jewellery business in a modern era

Medhanie Sena, the third-generation leader of H Sena Jewellery, reflects on what it means to modernise a 104-year-old heritage jewellery business and carry the torch of her family's legacy.

Her grandfather made jewellery for Southeast Asian royalty. She now leads her family’s jewellery business in a modern era

Medhanie Sena, owner and director of H Sena Jewellery. (Photo: CNA/Aik Chen)

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Medhanie Sena vividly remembers the first piece of jewellery she ever purchased for herself. During her primary school years, when classes had ended for the day, her mother would often take her to H Sena’s jewellery boutique, then run by her father, so the family could have lunch together. “While waiting for my dad to get ready to go out for lunch, I used to walk around the shop and admire all the jewellery,” Sena recalled fondly.

One particular piece of jewellery caught her eye – a heart shaped ring with a tiny diamond. “As a kid, I used to love anything heart shaped. I told my father that I wanted to buy the ring. He told me it was S$5 so I started saving all my pocket money,” shared Sena, adding with a laugh that the value of the ring was surely more than the S$5 her father had quoted.

“When I had saved enough, I went back to the shop and everyone entertained me. They wrapped up the ring and placed it in a nice box. I was so happy because it was a piece of jewellery I had wanted for so long. I still remember that feeling of buying my first ring. It’s a feeling that I would like to share with our clients,” she continued.

Sena, now in her early 40s, currently runs the family’s jewellery business. H Sena has been serving Southeast Asian elite for decades, including royalty, having made a name for itself as a purveyor of top-quality diamonds and gemstones. The third-generation leader of the business now aspires to modernise the company to ensure its lasting success in the years ahead, while preserving its century-old heritage. 

Medhanie Sena took over her family's jewellery business from her father in 2010, at the age of 27. (Photo: CNA/Aik Chen)

A FAMILY’S LEGACY

The story of H Sena illustrates its founder's inspiring pursuit in chasing a dream. The company – now 104 years old – was created by and named after Sena’s grandfather, Henry Sena, in 1919. Born in Sri Lanka, Henry Sena worked as a postmaster while pursuing his passion for jewellery on the side. “The location of his workplace was near a mine, so he used to buy stones from there and started selling them to friends and family. When the business started to grow, he started selling to the trade community. When he had saved enough money, he quit his full-time job to focus on his passion of becoming a jeweller,” shared Sena.

Henry Sena took a chance and uprooted his life in Sri Lanka to open his first jewellery store in Bangkok. Soon enough, he expanded the business with a second boutique in the Thai city. “In the 1930s, there was a huge demand for gemstones in the UK, US and Europe, so he travelled frequently to meet his clients. To get to these places, he had to stop over in Singapore. On one of his travels, he made a stop at the Raffles Hotel and just fell in love with the atmosphere,” shared Sena. Her grandfather ended up opening his first boutique outside Bangkok in the storied Raffles Hotel.

H Sena's jewellery shop on Singapore's High Street. (Photo: H Sena)

A second boutique later opened on Singapore’s High Street, followed by two subsequent branches in Malaysia. Henry Sena gradually built a following amongst Asia’s elite circle and at its peak in the 1950s, the company had a string of prolific commissions, including a customised tiara for the then-ruling Raja Permaisuri Agong (Queen of Malaysia) intended to be worn during state functions. Priced at an estimated S$60,000, it featured 425 diamonds encrusted on platinum, with the Muslim crescent and star as the central motif. The company also had dealings with the King and Queen of Thailand and in 1959, it presented a government commissioned silver casket to the late Prince Philip of the UK during the royal's visit to Singapore.

An excerpt from an article in The Straits Times newspaper depicting the tiara made for the Raja Permaisuri Agong. (Photo: Instagram/hsenajewellers)

Henry Sena retired in 1962, handing over the reins of the business to his youngest son, the late Dharma Sena. The company eventually moved out of the Raffles Hotel when the latter closed for renovations and over the years, it opened and closed boutiques at Shangri-La Singapore and Paragon shopping mall before moving to its current atelier in the office tower of Ngee Ann City.

Henry Sena and his team in a photograph from the 1950s. (Photo: H Sena)

Sena, who is Singaporean, took over the business from her father in 2010 at the age of 27. Despite always knowing she’d join the family business, she didn’t expect to take the helm so soon. The marketing and accounting graduate had been studying in Australia and only just started a job in finance when “I got news that my father was not well”, she shared. “I decided to move back to Singapore to be with him and to take over the business.”  

CHANGING TRENDS

Navigating a personal family tragedy, while learning how to run a business, was a challenge for Sena when she first took over. “I had to learn everything on my own because my father was too ill to teach me at that point,” she shared. Her mother stepped in to guide her, “but it was a lot of trial and error”, she admitted. Sena has a younger brother who works outside the family business in finance.  

Thankfully, Sena had learnt a lot about gemstones by accompanying her father to jewellery trade shows since her teenage years, memories she continues to cherish till this day. “I really enjoyed visiting the trade shows. It was such an experience to see rows and rows of diamonds and gemstones displayed. My father used to teach me what to look out for when picking out stones and what to avoid. He was very hardworking. He loved jewellery so much and he would go from booth to booth looking at all the different stones to pick out the best ones for his clients.”

Just like her father, Sena has always loved gemstones and jewellery. Aside from the ring she purchased as a child, her most sentimental jewellery is a set of earrings, necklace, pendant and tikka (an adornment worn on the centre of the forehead) specially made and gifted to her by her family on her wedding day.

Sena, wearing the jewellery gifted by her family, with her husband on their wedding day. (Photo: Medhanie Sena)

“To me, jewellery goes way beyond a shiny accessory. It’s this incredible connection to my family’s history, a testament to their hard work and dedication. Every piece tells a story, and when I wear them, it’s not just about a beautiful gem; it feels like I am wrapped up in the love and warmth of our family’s traditions. It’s personal, like carrying a piece of my heritage wherever I go.”

Today, H Sena’s jewellery collection includes a ready-to-wear line as well as bespoke creations. All of its pieces are handcrafted in Singapore. Prices start from around S$3000 and can go up to a million dollars. Aside from contemporary design, it also retails a unique collection of vintage jewellery crafted by its studio in the 1950s to 1970s unearthed by Sena from the company’s warehouse. There are also collector-worthy high jewellery pieces, including an exquisite and exceedingly rare fancy deep purplish pink diamond ring flanked by two fancy intense blue diamonds retailing at S$650,000.

Rings from H Sena's vintage collection, made in the 1950s to 1970s. (Photo: H Sena)

While the H Sena clientele in the past was kept within a closed bubble of loyal customers hailing from high society, its demographics has changed with the times. These days, Sena has seen an increase in the number of working women, mostly aged 30 and up, “buying jewellery for themselves”. “Maybe they had a promotion, or maybe they just gravitated towards a particular piece. Some also come in to create bespoke heirloom jewellery for their kids.”

A significant portion of its clientele comprises engaged couples, who are looking for bespoke designs. “Back in the day, it was mostly men coming in to buy a ring on their own for their fiancees. They would choose from whatever was available. But now, a lot of couples like to put their own spin on the design,” she said.

Amid shifting gender norms in the fashion industry, Sena has seen an increase in the number of male clients as well. “They especially love our vintage collection. Some also buy bracelets or come to us to design bespoke bangles to match their watches.”

Her most unusual bespoke request thus far? “I remember a client coming in to get a ring done, but it was for his toe,” shared Sena with a laugh. “It was either a half eternity or full eternity band, I can’t remember, but we had to get the measurements of his toe. That was very interesting.”

H Sena's high jewellery creations. (Photo: H Sena)

“MORE THAN A DUTY”

Sena believes that what sets H Sena apart from other jewellers is its long-standing heritage. “We’ve been around since 1919. We have a wealth of knowledge and we’ve learnt a lot over the years and built that trust,” she said. “Quality is also the most important to us, in terms of the craftsmanship and the stone itself,” she continued, adding that H Sena examines all its stones in person instead of relying on certification.

And as a family business, “we have the ability to lend a more personal touch,” said Sena. “We treat our customers like family.”

While the company for decades operated through word-of-mouth marketing under the leadership of her grandfather and father, Sena understands that in a changing retail landscape, it needs to break out of its traditional mould. To capture a younger and wider group of customers, it has been steadily building a stronger online presence through social media. “The next step is for us to venture into e-commerce. We have such a huge inventory, especially for our vintage collection, that we can sell online. We can then look into shipping as e-commerce will bring us more exposure in Asia,” she believes.

(Photo: CNA/Aik Chen)

Sena also plans to return to the retail sector by reopening at least one boutique in Singapore. As a mother of two young kids, now aged seven and five, she made the decision to move out of its boutique in Paragon to an office space for more flexibility to focus on her children. Now that they are older, she believes it is easier to adhere to retail hours.

Reflecting on her relationship with her late father, the biggest lessons Sena has learnt from him is to never give up. “He has always taught me that whatever life throws at you and no matter the challenges you face, stand up and dust yourself off. Learn from it and always give your 100 per cent. In terms of business, he always emphasised on the importance of listening to our customers. Build their trust and when you give them your word, never ever break it.”

Running a business that’s more than a hundred years old, and securing its sustained success for the future, certainly isn’t an easy task. Sena recognises the weight of upholding her family's legacy. Yet, it’s a responsibility she embraces wholeheartedly.

“In the glittering world of diamonds and gems, I carry a legacy etched with the sweat and love of my grandfather and father. Since 1919, they poured their hearts into our jewellery business, moulding not just a company but a family heritage,” she mused. “To me, it’s more than a duty – it’s a profound honour. Continuing this legacy isn’t just about business; it’s a heartfelt journey, a personal commitment to something that runs through my veins and means everything to me.”

Source: CNA/st

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