Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Group, the Hong Kong-listed luxury giant, is stepping up its global expansion with a new high-end concept store in Singapore. The 96-year-old company will open the outlet at Changi Airport’s Jewel in October, marking its first premium store outside China. This move comes as Chinese demand for luxury goods slows and the brand looks beyond the US, where tariffs have weighed on its only American outlet in Orange County, California.

Singapore was chosen deliberately, said Ms Gabriela Ferreira, the company’s general manager for international markets, who joined from Spanish luxury brand Loewe in 2024 to drive expansion. “We already have strong brand recognition in Singapore, so it’s the right market to showcase a refreshed image,” she noted, adding that Bangkok will be the next stop before the end of the year.

Chow Tai Fook currently operates more than 6,000 stores worldwide, but only about 60 are outside China, with 20 in Southeast Asia. The brand runs six existing outlets in Singapore and plans to keep them, while its Jewel store will feature exclusive designs to appeal to both locals and tourists. Master craftsman Lei Hui, who leads 100 artisans at its Foshan studio, said the brand is exploring jewelry that blends Chinese and Southeast Asian influences. The premium expansion is part of a broader brand refresh leading to its centennial in 2029.