About Zam Gems
Ceylon: The Island
of Gems
Since time, Ceylon (or Sri Lanka) has been the famed source of some of the finest gems known to man. It is home to some of the best Sapphires, Rubies, Cat’s Eyes, Alexandrites and many other Precious and Semi-Precious gemstones in the world. Sri Lanka is blessed to be extremely rich in its minerals and is home to over 70 different kinds of Precious and Semi-Precious gemstones, of which the fine Ceylon Blue Sapphire is arguably the most famous and the most sought after.
Gems in Sri Lankan Mythology
Buddhist lore has
it that the Lord Buddha sprinkled dew on the mountainside of Sri Pada which
then crystallized to form gem deposits, to help the Island and its impoverished
inhabitants. The Arab traders that visited the Island used to say the gems
found in Sri Lanka were the crystallized tears of repentance cried by the first
man, Adam, since many of Sri Lanka’s major gem fields are located close the
famed Adam’s Peak (Sri Pada), where Adam is said to have descended from heaven.
Zam Gems: A
Success Story
ZAM
Early Beginnings
Zam Gems had very humble beginnings as
a sole proprietorship in the 1970’s, when Chairman Z. A. M. Refai (or Zam, as
he is known in the industry) started conducting business by visiting the hotel
rooms of guests to Sri Lanka, who were interested in seeing and purchasing the
famous Ceylonese gemstones they had heard much about. He eventually established
himself by opening an outlet called ‘El Dorado’ at the Macan Markar arcade in
Galle Face in 1972. This small boutique grew into Zam Gems with the opening of
the Head Office showroom in Colombo in 1976. Zam Refai had managed to win over
many of the international guests with his fine gemstones as well as his
exemplary reputation for honesty and business ethics, building an international
network of business contacts and lifelong friends. This reputation in a trade
built on the cornerstones of trust, honesty and relationships was instrumental
in the rapid rise of Zam Gems.
Thinking Outside the Box: From Gems to
Jewelry
The success of Zam Gems in the local
industry was both phenomenal and unprecedented, as Zam Refai quickly moved from
selling gemstones to designing and creating jewelry inlaid with fine Ceylonese
gemstones. Historically, Sri Lanka’s fine gemstones were often exported to leading
names in the international jewelry industry to be used as raw materials in
their jewelry manufacturing processes. Zam Refai had a vision to change this by
adding value to the local gem industry by manufacturing and selling his own
brand of local Sri Lankan jewelry, seeking to establish Sri Lanka as a source
not just for fine gemstones, but also for equally high quality jewelry and
workmanship. Soon, his reputation for producing fine jewelry gained him access
to a lucrative niche market of
foreign visitors and locals looking for high quality Sri Lankan jewelry
products. Zam Gems had established itself firmly as the pioneer and leader in
the Sri Lankan jewelry industry, opening retail showrooms in all of Colombo’s
major five-star hotels.
Building an International Brand
From the 1970’s up until the early 21st
century, Sri Lanka was embroiled in a bitter Civil War that constantly
threatened the economic stability and hindered the arrivals of foreign visitors
to Sri Lanka. In such a tough business climate, Zam Refai’s keen eye made him
look externally, especially at the strong Japanese market where he had noticed
a great demand for fine Ceylon gemstones. Joined in efforts by his effervescent
son Ahsan Refai, Zam Gems was taken abroad.
Zam Gems first opened its doors to the
people of Tokyo, Japan in 1990, and then pursued a policy of rapid expansion,
entering up-market Resorts, Hotels, Luxury Shopping Malls and Duty-Free
Airports in Maldives, Malaysia, Qatar, the UAE and China by 2010. This rapid outward
expansion tested the mettle of this young Ceylonese brand on the international
scene, and provided valuable experiences to the young team.
Bringing it Home
Following the end of the Civil War, and in the positive boom
of the post-war economic climate, Zam Gems has focused on developing its
strengths within Sri Lanka. Zam Gems expanded rapidly to cater to the growing
demand for Sri Lankan gemstones from the ever-increasing influx of tourists
that visit the Paradise Isle. Zam Gems currently has 15+ domestic retail showrooms
in up-market luxury hotels and shopping malls, as well as flagship stores in
Colombo, Kandy and Galle, and showrooms in the Duty-Free Area of Bandaranaike
International Airport, Sri Lanka. The flagship stores in Colombo, Kandy and Galle
are equipped with a certified Gem Lab, Gem Lapidary, Jewelry Manufacturing
Factory as well as a fascinating educational Gem Museum. Zam Gems ensures that
every gem or piece of jewelry sold is backed by proper certification of
authenticity and warranty against defects.
Today, Zam Gems is Sri Lanka’s market leader in the Gem
& Jewelry industry with an extremely strong presence and reputation, both
internationally and at home.
Current Showrooms:
· Colombo Flagship Store: 81 Galle Road,
Colombo 04, Sri Lanka.
· Kandy Flagship Store: 548 Peradeniya
Road, Kandy.
· Colombo Hilton, Colombo 01.
· The Cinnamon Grand Hotel, Colombo 01.
· The Cinnamon Lakeside Hotel, Colombo
01.
· The Kingsbury Hotel, Colombo 01.
· Duty Free Area, Bandaranaike
International Airport, Katunayake (2 Outlets).
· Dutch Hospital Complex, Old Dutch Fort,
Galle.
· Galle Flagship Store: 9 Rampart Street,
Old Dutch Fort, Galle.
· The Mount Lavinia Hotel, Mount Lavinia.
· Odel Shopping Complex, 5 Alexandra
Place Colombo 07.
· The Movenpick Hotel, Colombo 01.
· The Shangri La Hotel, Colombo 01.
· The Gem Arcade, 55 Dharmapala Mawatha,
Colombo 03.
· Shop L1-65, The One Galle Face Mall,
Colombo 01.
· Odel Department Store, The One Galle Face Mall, Colombo 01.