Founder of Sakura Hoseki, Saransh Mehta, began shadowing his father on business calls at a young age. His father had moved to Tokyo in 1991, at the age of 24, with no financial support and no understanding of the country or its language and customs. Despite these challenges, within a few years, he was able to become one of the most successful diamond merchants in the country. A young Saransh was as enamored with his father’s business acumen as he was with the beautiful materials in which his father traded, and vowed at a young age to eventually join the family business and take it to the next level.

It was during high school that Saransh would spend his summers traveling with his father on business trips. He was immediately struck by how personal his dad’s relationships were with his clients. Rather than approach these meetings transactionally, he would connect with his clients about their lives, enhancing these already solid relationships with genuine exchanges before closing any deals. While Saransh was ostensibly tagging along in order to learn about the business, which was something he’d always had great interest in, he learned on these trips the importance of putting people first and how that could positively impact the vitality and sustainability of one’s business.  

After high school, Saransh decided to pursue his bachelor’s degree at Waseda University in Japan. Staying close to home would allow him to continue to spend his free time with his father, learning about the diamond and jewelry industry from the best in the trade. After witnessing his father’s business thrive for over 30 years, Saransh was driven to continually press himself to become the best that he could be in his business of choice and, in 2020, he launched Sakura Hoseiki.

In his new business, Saransh is able to apply his deep understanding of the trade, his grasp of state-of-the-art technology, and his knowledge of the psychology of the contemporary jewelry enthusiast in running a thriving business. While he recognizes that, in Japanese culture, there is a perception that diamonds are almost too precious and should only be purchased and worn on special occasions like weddings, Saransh is determined to disrupt the status quo. He wants consumers to embrace wearing diamonds every day, and his prolific collections, which are often available in 18k yellow, white and rose gold, showcase his inherent passion for diamonds, while also making it easy for consumers to seamlessly select their perfect, diamond accessory.