Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Expands into Southeast Asia, Opens New Image Store in Bangkok
Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Group, the leading Chinese jewellery brand with 96 years of legacy, is accelerating its international expansion with a strategic focus on Southeast Asia.
Founded in 1929 in Guangzhou, Chow Tai Fook Jewellery pioneered the launch of 999.9 gold jewellery products in Hong Kong and Macau and was also the first Chinese company to become a De Beers’ sightholder. Today, the brand operates over 6,000 stores worldwide and is a constituent of Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index. It also ranked 7th in the Deloitte Global Powers of Luxury Goods 2023, the only Chinese brand in the top 10.
Amid the volatile global gold prices and worldwide economic slowdown, this industry giant, with nearly a century of expertise in the jewellery business, particularly in gold, has embarked on a significant strategic transformation - a rebranding effort that marks a new chapter for the brand.
The transformation provided an excellent opportunity for Chow Tai Fook Jewellery to host Thai media for the first time, inviting them to visit the Shunde Production Hub and the New Image Store in Shenzhen. The tour showcased how the brand has maintained its leadership position in the jewellery industry for decades, and built anticipation for the upcoming New Image Store in Bangkok.
Innovation Meets Exquisite Craftsmanship
Established in 1988, the Shunde Production Hub exemplifies Chow Tai Fook Jewellery’s principle of "blending exquisite craftsmanship with cutting-edge innovation" that has earned the brand international recognition. The brand is celebrated for its iconic designs and meticulously crafted pieces, featuring premium materials such as 999.9 pure gold, natural diamonds, and Fei Cui (Jadeite).
Automation plays a pivotal role in the production hub’s operations, with its Automated Logistics Centre 2 achieving full automation. Inside the facility, tiny yellow robots - resembling Minions - sort jewellery pieces into boxes for delivery to thousands of branches. These robots navigate seamlessly without collision with each other, maintaining an accuracy rate of over 99.9%—indicating almost zero errors in their operations.
Complementing technology is a deep commitment to craftsmanship. Skilled artisans handle tasks requiring delicate precision, including raw materials inspection, diamond sorting by color and size, polishing, lacquering, and weaving gold threads into intricate mesh patterns.
All of these are performed by over 4,000 employees in the production hub. Within the production hub is the Master Studio, which is home to over 400 skilled craftspeople, among which dozens of them are master-level artisans with national certifications, boasting more than 30 years of experience. The masters specialize in intricate techniques, blending aesthetics with craftsmanship to create truly unique pieces.
To preserve this heritage, Chow Tai Fook Jewellery partners with an academic institution in Shunde to train future generations, passing down nearly a century of accumulated knowledge. Many artisans from the Master Studio were graduates of this school, ensuring the brand’s distinctive identity endures through generational craftsmanship.
Strategic Transformation: Thailand Among Key Targets
In 2024, Chow Tai Fook Jewellery celebrated its 95th anniversary alongside a major organizational overhaul to reposition the brand to attract new customer segments, including younger demographics. The brand has embraced digitalization, leveraging digital technology and data analytics to enhance operations.
The five-year strategic plan, leading up to Chow Tai Fook Jewellery’s centennial in 2029, is anchored in its vision of "To be the leading global jewellery brand that is a trusted lifetime partner for every generation."
Thai media witnessed this vision comes to life in Chow Tai Fook Jewellery’s New Image Store located in MixC Mall, one of the most high-end malls in downtown Shenzhen. The store stands out from afar with Chow Tai Fook Jewellery's signature color “Chow Tai Fook Timeless Red”.
The New Image Store offers a redefined retail experience akin to an art gallery, featuring an immersive customer experience. The store features exquisite pieces and the brand's signature collections, such as the CTF Joie Collection, inspired by ancient and contemporary lock designs, and the CTF Rouge Collection, which combines the Chinese affinity for red with the character "福" (Fook), symbolizing fortune. The Chow Tai Fook Palace Museum Collection, created in collaboration with the Palace Museum in Beijing, transforms national treasures into auspicious jewellery pieces resembling drums, butterflies, and stone lions.
Beyond these collections that define the brand's distinctive identity, Chow Tai Fook Jewellery partners with renowned IPs to reach new customer segments. High-profile collaborations include popular video game Black Myth: Wukong, appealing to male customers, and Walt Disney, featuring Mickey Mouse and other beloved cartoon characters to resonate with the younger generations.
Southeast Asian Market Expansion, Thailand as a Strategic Focus
Gabriela Ferreira (Gaby), General Manager of International for Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Group, emphasized that international expansion is a core priority of Chow Tai Fook Jewellery's five-year strategic transformation. Growth will be driven by revitalizing existing core markets and expanding into new markets with sustainable growth potential, according to Gaby.
With an established presence in Southeast Asia, Chow Tai Fook Jewellery plans to upgrade existing stores, expand into prime locations, and launch New Image Stores in the region, to provide customers with a luxury experience and build brand desirability. The first New Image Store in Southeast Asia opened at Singapore Changi Airport in late October.
In Thailand, a New Image Store will debut in Bangkok, featuring exclusive pieces with distinctive Thai characteristics. Since entering Thailand six years ago, Chow Tai Fook Jewellery has built a strong brand presence and is currently operating in five retail locations as of 30 September, 2025.
In fiscal year 2025 (April 2024-March 2025), the Group's retail sales value grew 9.4% year-over-year in other markets (excluding China duty-free), with Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore as key drivers.
Gaby highlighted Southeast Asia’s strategic importance, fueled by rising demand for Chinese-style gold jewelry, strong purchasing power from Chinese tourists, and robust local consumer interest. At the same time, Chow Tai Fook Jewellery remains committed to deepening its connection with local customers by introducing products tailored to local tastes and preferences.
