People who claim to love people can often be found in sales roles. While they’re not necessarily lying, interactions with some of these types can sometimes come off as a little transactional.
But Amarasuriya’s social clout isn’t the kind that crackles with charisma or fills the room with unbridled vivaciousness. It’s quiet, curious and calming – precisely the stuff that makes her a perfect fit for her family’s jewellery business. And she’s not slowing down. With the business celebrating its 150th anniversary this year, Amarasuriya has plans to open its first flagship in a decade alongside new jewellery collections that honour the brand’s humble beginnings.But none of this would have happened if she didn’t push her father, Sunil, for change. Because Amarasuriya didn’t just have to fight for a seat at the table of the family’s founding company, she had to build that seat herself.
Amarasuriya held different roles in her family business before taking over B P de Silva Jewellers as its creative director in 2018. So, in addition to selecting a location for the flagship that was surrounded by plenty of greenery and incorporating a private courtyard in which clients can view their jewellery in a bath of natural light, Amarasuriya insisted on adding a tea bar to the space “to take away some of the intensity that comes with stepping into a jewellery store. I don’t even want to talk about jewellery for the first 10 minutes because I just want people to feel at ease.
“It was almost like watching him come to life, which was lovely. We tend to wear this heavy armour around new people and in new places to protect ourselves, so there’s nothing more blissful that finding someone who sincerely wants to create something with you and to have some fun. I never thought at the beginning that our time together would end with a bottle of champagne that he brought us.”Stories like that are plenty at B P de Silva Jewellers.