Operating
since 1936, VKN Jewellers was established by Mr. Yuvabalan Sivasamy’s dad and
is currently being prolonged by Mr. Yuva himself, with the assistance of his
wife and son. VKN Jewellers operates from 10am till 8.30pm by the Sivasamy
family, with the help of a few employees.
At
VKN Jewellers, other than producing gold jewelleries, they offer services on
repairs and remodelling too. Each piece of gold comes in a different size and
weight. A large number of their customers will bring along their own preferred
designs, requesting for replicas. If you’ve not got a design in mind yet, there
are samples for you to choose from, or they’ll be able to create new designs in
store. Other than their usual daily orders, VKN Jewellers receive regular
orders for weddings, naming ceremonies, birthdays and anniversaries. There is a
huge collection of gold items at VKN Jewellers, ranging from gold watches,
necklaces, bangles, earrings, rings, nose studs to ornaments of all sorts. The
highest quality of gold sold here is the 22 carats 916 gold. On items made with
gold of this grade will have ‘916’ carved on the gold pieces. The items made
and sold here are mostly of South Indian styles. That being said, jewelleries
of other styles can also be made at VKN upon request. The Sivasamys are very
particular in the designs and shapes of each end product. It is of their utmost
importance to ensure that each piece of their product is carved neatly and
beautifully. Usually, heavier designs, for example necklaces, are made with the
help of machineries, and simpler designs such as rings are carved by hand.
In Indian culture, gold is deemed as a religious and cultural asset. It carries the meaning of prosperity, ancestral and beauty. It is the norm for men to wear gold jewelleries, for example earrings and bracelets as a symbol of bravery. As for Indian women, Thaali (a necklace given by a Hindu groom to his bride to signify her as a married women) is the most important jewellery for Indians is worn as a symbol of their marital status. At VKN, orders for Thaalis are taken very carefully and treated with respect. It is important to ensure that these orders are made according to customers’ tradition and request. It is believed that Thaalis must be made on auspicious days in order for the couple to have a blessed marriage.
At
VKN Jewellers, the Sivasamy family employs a small number of staff to assist
them. Most of their employees are from India, with only a few who are from
Malaysia. Other than producing, repairing and remodelling gold items, they can
also polish your items, and perform nose and ear piercing.
When
asked, Mr. Yuvabalan reiterated that the criteria to be a good goldsmith is for
one to be trustworthy and honest. Any bit of covetousness is sure to jeopardise
the business. To maintain a positive and cheerful atmosphere, they practise a
welcoming tone towards all their customers, giving them the best possible. VKN
receive customers of all races and religions where there are also many who are
their loyal customers. Business at their shop flows steadily each day with a
reasonable amount of sales. Drinks are always served to all customers and as a
token of appreciation, they present umbrellas and bags to customers who makes a
purchase at their shop.