In collaboration with Convergence, VOICE OF ASIA is proud to present timeless articles from the archives, reproduced digitally for your reading pleasure. Originally published in Convergence Volume 20 in 2013, we present this story on HABIB Jewels, and how a family engraved their names into history.
Home-grown Malaysian company HABIB Jewels has come a long way from the opening of its first store in Penang, to today’s award-winning jewellery boutiques. HABIB never fails to captivate the heart with touches of gemstone elegance, and as we celebrate Malaysia Day, there is no better time for Convergence to explore how founder Datuk Haji Habib Mohamed Abdul Latif began the brand that, once discovered, becomes every woman’s best friend.
A Golden Idea
Before becoming a diamond standard in Malaysia’s gemstone market, HABIB Jewels – like any idea – began as the sparkle in the eye of one man and rose from humble beginnings. It was back in 1958 that the store was first established as M.A. Habib Mohamed, guided by its founder Datuk Haji Habib Mohamed Abdul Latif. The budding entrepreneur opened his first shop on Pitt Street in Penang – the thriving ‘Jewellers Corner’ of the city – and indeed it is still there today as HABIB’s Pioneer Showroom.
As a traditional family-run business there was plenty of involvement from close friends and relatives. Personal touch was the order of the day – a crucial element for clientele when dealing with such a valuable product. The founder realised that trust, like gold, is a valuable investment – a sentiment his son, Dato’ Meer Sadik Habib, shares. “We are very passionate in educating the customer about the jewellery we sell , because it is not good for business when people feel fooled. We empower our customers with information, and it is one of the best business approaches we have taken.”
Establishing A Reputation
A flagship store in a set location, however, did not equal a static business plan. One of the not-so-secrets about the success of HABIB has been its ability to evolve, and move with the times. Datuk Haji Habib Mohamed Abdul Latif sensed opportunity, and used it to his company’s advantage for his first foray into expansion. He opened a boutique in a hotel and catered to American GI’s on R&R in Penang during the Vietnam war, dealing in gemstones and coloured stones. In the 1970s, HABIB dealt with partners in the Middle East and then, in the 1980s, the company diversified into wholesaling.
The mid-1980s marked their presence in the capital, Kuala Lumpur, and even here they continued to embrace change. “When HABIB started in KL we were in Masjid India. After conducting a market survey, we discovered that no company was catering to the substantial Malay market there. We came up with long chains, big pendants, platinum pieces and more, to create a new market and achieve an edge” shared Dato’ Meer, about how they met the challenge.
Modern Intepretations
Having honed a reputation, the company needed to compete in a modern business arena. It was under the guidance of Dato’ Meer Sadik Habib that the company transitioned into HABIB Corporation Berhad. A tough economic environment at the time tested the company and his resolve, but like a fine cut gemstone, quality always prevails. “I started the change to a simple system, yet different from the usual family business format. We set a deadline for the company to be listed on the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange (KLSE), targeting early 1998 for us to be the first jewellery house listed. We are not only trading, buying and selling but we are also manufacturing.”
A leader who knows a company has to stay one step ahead, he confesses to being, “proud of the way we operate differently to a standalone goldsmith. We have a unique approach to retail, because business has to make sense commercially. While some of our designs won awards as far away as Italy, we realised that our local and foreign market was not ready. So instead we now create according to market demand. We don’t want to be so modern that we develop products that do not appeal to our clientele.”
Set for Life
With 30 outlets nationwide the brand is going from strength to strength, expanding HABIB’s boutique network and clientele. From 2010 to 2012 the company has been ranked among the Top 5 Asian brands in the retail (jewellery) category in both Campaign Asia Pacific and TNS’ Asia’s Top 1,000 Brands rankings, achieving numerous awards from a BrandLaureate Award to a Fair Price Award, all of which, alongside products of impeccable composition, assures consumers of the company’s stature. The company motto, ‘your personal jewellery consultant,’ proves their commitment to developing long term personal relationships with customers.
The passion of Dato’ Meer has seen HABIB emerge as a fully integrated jeweller, involved in wholesaling, retailing, manufacturing and forging partnerships with renowned international jewellers. He continues to be fiercely passionate about continuous commitment to innovation. “We are entrepreneurial in nature, and that is not a new development – such an ethos has existed at the company since my father’s time at the helm. We have continued to evolve because that is how one succeeds,” he says. “HABIB has different product styles for different markets. When we go to foreign markets, we exhibit products suited to individual tastes of the individual countries.”
Of product development, Dato’ Meer observes, “I have always seen the jewellery business as a fashion industry. But the fashion shelf-life of clothes, handbags and shoes is noticeably short and changeable. Jewellery remains the same, or tends to be more static – but at HABIB we move fast to adapt to changes when they do happen.”
To Treasure, Forever
A series of bold business moves has seen the company grow, but it has maintained the close bond with customers. A ‘4C’ business philosophy is a current-day nod to the verbal bonds made with customers in the early days of Datuk Haji Habib Mohamed Abdul Latif’s company. HABIB promises to achieve Care for the customer, achieve Credibility in business, display Charisma in its ideas and exude Creativity in production. However, a solid business model is not complete without a spectacular product to entice the clientele and HABIB delivers on this too, with its commitment to superior quality and design innovation captured in a series of stunning products, where mesmerisingly coloured gemstones are tastefully set in the finest and most exquisite gold jewellery.
Like the generations of women who have come to trust HABIB for their jewellery needs, it took two generations of a family passionate about fine gold and gemstones to build the company’s solid reputation. Decades of expertise have led HABIB to the forefront of craftsmanship excellence, driven by its two visionaries, Datuk Haji Habib Mohamed Abdul Latif and his son Dato’ Meer Sadik Habib. Jewellery is considered a valuable asset, a personal and monetary investment, and HABIB Jewels embodies that very culture – the investment of a family, who continue to dedicate time and passion to ensuring they have a brand that Malaysia can truly be proud of.
