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Timelessness forged into watches and jewellery
Malalan is a company driven by determination and fuelled by a passion for jewellery and timepieces, now carried on by the third generation of the family. The cornerstone of the company is timelessness, while their slogan — We forge your dreams into eternity — is a pledge that the family has been turning into reality for three quarters of a century.
Situated in the heart of Ljubljana, the Malalan Jewellery Store captivates at first sight, offering a collection that exemplifies watchmaking and jewellery craftsmanship. The store sells high-end watches and jewellery and is the certified service location for the most prestigious Swiss watch brands. The family store includes a goldsmith workshop, where they create their own lines of gold and silver jewellery. Their range of watchmaking and jewellery partnerships was built gradually, over the course of many years. These days, Malalan is partner of prestigious global watch brands such as Rolex, Cartier, IWC Schaffhausen, as well as leading names in jewellery, such as Pomellato, Pasquale Bruni, and Messika. Their range of products includes no fewer than 25 exceptional brands.
Above all, the Malalans prioritise family values that extend far beyond their business ambitions. Anton Malalan, the father, introduced his three sons to the business in his native Opicina. Peter, the youngest son, who heads Malalan’s Ljubljana and Zagreb stores, moved to Ljubljana more than twenty years ago. He made the move with his wife Karmen, and it’s in the capital where the two of them began to create their own success story. The company eventually expanded its business to Croatia, where they now operate a stylish jewellery store offering the same range of products in the heart of Zagreb. The third generation of the Malalan family — Peter’s three children: Tjaša, Jure, and Ivana — are now involved in the family business.
The Malalan family members are dedicated to crafting and preserving valuable memories that their owners will cherish the rest of their lives. They employ more than 40 workers, who help to craft jewellery across three stores — two in Ljubljana and one in Zagreb, led by Peter’s son Jure and his wife Natali. The company is seeking exceptional and committed new employees. They employ seven watchmakers and seven goldsmiths, while also training and financially supporting the next generation of watchmaking professionals
We’re making valuable, emotionally meaningful family jewellery that is passed down as an heirloom and becomes priceless over the years.
“Every success of the Malalan company was the result of many years of work and a great deal of patience.
A commitment to hard work and precision
The Malalan family has a long and colourful history that dates back to the postwar period. In 1949, Anton Malalan, a skilled watchmaker, converted a barn in the town of Opicina, above Trieste, into a small watchmaking workshop. Back then, the business environment was challenging, but Anton believed in the value of hard work and precision. “My father repaired watches his own way. During the day, he dismantled mechanisms and cleaned them, and in the evening, he reassembled them while listening to the radio at home,” Peter recalls.
The family company grew slowly but surely with the support of Anton’s wife Angelca. In addition to repairing watches, they soon began to sell watches and jewellery because they wanted to expand their range of services. The Malalans proved their mettle in a challenging market, which allowed them to forge links with prestigious brands.
The Malalans were both visionary and pragmatic in equal measure. They involved their three sons in the family business and guided them toward promising fields. One trained as a watchmaker, one as an optician, and one as a jeweller.
In 1992, the youngest son, Peter, opened his first shop in Ljubljana along with his wife Karmen. Initially, it served purely as a display window, where people could view various collections before heading to Opicina to buy the products. In 1998, Peter made a pivotal decision that marked a significant turning point for both him and his family: he parted ways with his brothers and relocated to Ljubljana.His brothers still live in Opicina with their families. Darko successfully runs a jewellery store, while Milko manages an eyewear shop popular among Slovenians. Peter’s wife Karmen, a veterinarian by profession, remembers that period as a turning point: “At first, I wasn’t sure whether to pursue my profession or join the company. I soon figured out that everything in the company is done with great passion. I found that wonderful, so I decided to join.” Karmen’s impressions proved to be spot on, and she has remained an invaluable member of the company. Managing this, while raising three teenagers, was no easy feat. Karmen and Peter excelled in this area as well. Each of their three children has discovered their passion and area of focus within the family business. Over the years, the company expanded, opening two additional locations and hiring a team of young watchmakers, jewellery designers, and sales representatives.
“The Malalan company boasts numerous achievements. In addition to certificates for prestigious brands, they have also developed their own Malalan jewelry collection, which they sell in Slovenia and Croatia.
Wooing Rolex for eight years
Each successful milestone achieved by Malalan is the result of years of hard work and immense patience. One of the key breakthroughs that paved the way for other cooperation agreements was their years of effort to obtain Rolex’s certification. Peter recalls his numerous trips to Switzerland and the eight years he spent attending fairs, despite his early lack of success. But his persistence paid off. The company is now a certified sales and service partner of prestigious watch brands such as Rolex, Cartier, Breitling, and Tudor. After completing demanding training in Switzerland, Peter’s son Jure is now certified to repair prestigious Rolex watches.
The family’s commitment to quality is evident from their decision to set up a service centre for customers, fostering a long-lasting relationship that begins with the purchase of a watch. The family is committed to ensuring that their products stay in perfect condition for as long as possible, allowing them to become cherished heirlooms.They see the purchase of a valuable watch or piece of jewellery as a special experience, an event linked to major milestones and people who are loved. “The magic is in the timelessness; everything we sell will still be current 50 or 60 years from now,” says Tjaša
This year, Malalan family members are celebrating the 75th anniversary of their business. From its beginnings in a small watchmaking workshop, the company has grown and now works with the most distinguished names in prestigious watchmaking and jewellery craftsmanship, including Rolex, Cartier, Breitling, and Tudor
“The Malalans were both visionaries and practical. They involved their three sons in their business and helped them choose promising professional fields
The hard work lives on through their children
The Malalan family’s personal and professional lives are closely intertwined.The family says that Karmen is not just the purchaser, but also the treasurer because she is in charge of purchasing jewellery, supplier relations, and acts as the backbone of the company.
Over the years, each of the children has joined the company in their own unique way.Tjaša, who studied industrial design, is now the company’s chief designer of jewellery collections and its Creative Director. At first, she resisted the call of the family tradition, but she soon realised that the world of jewellery and watches isn’t just skin-deep. “My father contributed to this by never forcing me to work. Instead, he encouraged my creativity and helped me find a way to love this business.” I value his perspective; I can always turn to him for advice when I want to design something fresh and different. He has a strong sense of aesthetics,” Tjaša explains.
Jure began to work in the company while studying economics. In Italy, he trained as a watchmaker. Since 2016, he has managed the Malalan store in Zagreb, where he now lives with his young family. If given the choice between jewellery and watches, he would choose watches: “By buying a watch, the customer gives himself a gift and a reward. It’s a piece of men’s jewellery that retains its value and becomes priceless over the years.”
Ivana, the youngest daughter, spent three years in France after high school and trained to become a pastry chef. In the company, however, she took over the management of the jewellery store in Ljubljana. In recent years, she has spent considerable time digitalising the company and its administrative support.
Peter and Karmen realise that they are approaching a crucial juncture: the succession of the company. They hope their children will work together in harmony and share the responsibility of the family legacy. “I can see that our story and our efforts continue through our children.This gives me a sense of optimism,” says Peter proudly. He adds that his children will be free to make their own decisions about the future of the company.
Selling only natural diamond
The company boasts numerous achievements. In addition to certificates for prestigious brands, they have also developed their own collection of Malalan jewellery, which is sold in Slovenia and Croatia.
They have decided not to sell laboratory-made diamonds, focusing only on natural ones, because they believe in sustainability. Peter emphasises that their gemstones carry a story passed down through generations. “The choice of gemstones is our way of respecting the environment and the heritage of our profession,” explains the CEO. They also ensure the ethical sourcing of gemstones, making sure their origin is never problematic. Because of this, their diamond suppliers are certified and registered on diamond exchanges.
“In 1949, Anton Malalan, who was a trained watchmaker, converted a stable and opened a small watchmaking workshop in his hometown of Opčine near Trieste.
Solidity and sustainability for further growth
The future of the Malalan company is closely linked to its digitalisation and the integration of new technologies, which will further enhance business efficiency and improve quality. Jure, who manages the company’s store in Zagreb, says that digitalisation is the key to their further growth. They invest significant resources into the company’s corporate structure, internal procedures and organisation, a skilled workforce, and the optimisation of work processes. “We aim to adapt to the demands of today’s market while preserving the value of our history,” says Jure.
Despite efforts to modernise, the company remains rooted in tradition. Peter emphasises that each product must be made to the highest standards of quality and precision. He explains his business philosophy this way: “When I picked up a teaspoon while eating dessert, I quickly found parallels with our business. Anyone can make a spoon, but to make an equally good spoon every day and then to improve on it — not everyone can do that.”
Company name: MALALAN d.o.o. Ljubljana
Number of employees (2023): 40
Net sales revenue (2023): €13.5 million
Interviewees:
Peter Malalan, CEO
Karmen Malalan, Head of Purchasing
Jure Malalan, Manager of the Zagreb store
Tjaša Malalan, Chief Jewellery Designer and Creative Director
Ivana Malalan, Manager of the Ljubljana jewellery store and Head of Digitalisation
Summary
MALALAN in a nutshell: family, timelessness, tradition, quality, storytelling.