TV-Series
Description
Saul Ranasinghe Ali is a Sri Lankan jeweler mentoring Richard Ranasinghe de Vulpian. He runs his main jewelry business in Sri Lanka, with additional shops in Hong Kong and Tokyo; Richard manages the Tokyo location. Saul speaks fluent Japanese and English, among other languages.
He is a short, dark-skinned older man with black hair and brown eyes, possessing a strong presence, a distinctive "demonic" smile, and a dandy-like style. His personality blends harsh mentorship with underlying care, often showing affection through teasing rather than direct support. He expects Richard and Richard's assistant, Seigi Nakata, to solve challenges independently. Saul worships "beauty" as a religion, having explored major world religions before adopting this belief. He forms relationships based on potential usefulness yet practices consistent charity.
Saul became Richard's mentor in Sri Lanka during Richard's mental health crisis following a broken engagement. He found Richard selling valuable gemstones cheaply to favored individuals while overcharging others he disliked. Recognizing Richard's talent for languages and gemstone appraisal despite his self-destructive behavior, Saul offered him an apprenticeship. He later entrusted Richard with the Tokyo shop to provide stability. Their relationship features blunt criticism – Saul calls Richard an "idiot apprentice" – yet deep trust, evidenced when Saul tasked Richard with explaining his past to Seigi.
Saul holds a medical license and experienced his wife's death. He adopted Monika, the daughter of a friend, rescuing her from an abusive arranged marriage. He maintains a connection to his Japanese sister-in-law, Maya, a jewelry designer in his company. Saul appreciates classic cars and operates as a strategic networker leveraging connections for mutual benefit.
Regarding Seigi Nakata, Saul allows flexibility in Seigi's work for Richard's shop and later provides him lodging in Sri Lanka during gemological training. He observes Seigi and Richard's evolving bond with amusement, frequently teasing them about their feelings for each other.
Saul's critical intervention occurred when Richard fled familial pressures in England. Confronting Richard's self-destructive gem-trading in Sri Lanka, Saul recognized Richard's suppressed passion for jewels beneath his turmoil. This insight led to Richard's apprenticeship and eventual emotional recovery, anchoring Saul's role as both professional guide and pivotal figure in Richard's personal redemption.
He is a short, dark-skinned older man with black hair and brown eyes, possessing a strong presence, a distinctive "demonic" smile, and a dandy-like style. His personality blends harsh mentorship with underlying care, often showing affection through teasing rather than direct support. He expects Richard and Richard's assistant, Seigi Nakata, to solve challenges independently. Saul worships "beauty" as a religion, having explored major world religions before adopting this belief. He forms relationships based on potential usefulness yet practices consistent charity.
Saul became Richard's mentor in Sri Lanka during Richard's mental health crisis following a broken engagement. He found Richard selling valuable gemstones cheaply to favored individuals while overcharging others he disliked. Recognizing Richard's talent for languages and gemstone appraisal despite his self-destructive behavior, Saul offered him an apprenticeship. He later entrusted Richard with the Tokyo shop to provide stability. Their relationship features blunt criticism – Saul calls Richard an "idiot apprentice" – yet deep trust, evidenced when Saul tasked Richard with explaining his past to Seigi.
Saul holds a medical license and experienced his wife's death. He adopted Monika, the daughter of a friend, rescuing her from an abusive arranged marriage. He maintains a connection to his Japanese sister-in-law, Maya, a jewelry designer in his company. Saul appreciates classic cars and operates as a strategic networker leveraging connections for mutual benefit.
Regarding Seigi Nakata, Saul allows flexibility in Seigi's work for Richard's shop and later provides him lodging in Sri Lanka during gemological training. He observes Seigi and Richard's evolving bond with amusement, frequently teasing them about their feelings for each other.
Saul's critical intervention occurred when Richard fled familial pressures in England. Confronting Richard's self-destructive gem-trading in Sri Lanka, Saul recognized Richard's suppressed passion for jewels beneath his turmoil. This insight led to Richard's apprenticeship and eventual emotional recovery, anchoring Saul's role as both professional guide and pivotal figure in Richard's personal redemption.