On Cheong Jewellery

History

On Cheong Jewellery was founded in 1936 by Mr Ho Yew Ping, an emigrant of Guangdong Shunde province of China, who left Guangdong at age 14 to seek his fortune in Malaysia in 1925. In Penang and later Perak, he apprenticed as a goldsmith before marrying in Guangdong and moving to Singapore with his newly-wedded wife. On Cheong started a small goldsmith shop known as On Cheong Goldsmith on North Bridge Road. The name "On Cheong" or "安昌" in Chinese is derived from the phrase "平安昌盛", meaning peace and prosperity. On Cheong moved to its current location, a shophouse on South Bridge Road, in 1941. In the 1940s, Mr Ho Yew Ping also acquired Kwong Yik and Nan Jing Goldsmiths to expand the company. The company was incorporated as On Cheong Co Pte Ltd in 1949. Mr Ho Yew Ping’s wife, Mdm Leung Chew Fun, and the eldest son, Dr Ho Nai Kiong, took over the operations of the business after Mr Ho Yew Ping's passing in 1965. Its current Managing Director, Mr Ho Nai Chuen, the youngest of Mr Ho Yew Ping’s children, began managing the business in 1985. On Cheong Jewellery is one of the pioneer members of the Singapore Jewellers Association (SJA), a non-profit organisation established in 1939 representing jewellery operators in Singapore. Mr Ho is currently the President of SJA.

Contents

• On cheong jewellery
• History
• Products
• Marketing Strategies
• Staffing
• Customer Service
• Store Locations
• Awards
• References

In 2012, the company celebrated its 75th anniversary with the release of a book titled My Father’s Life. The book was written in Chinese by Dr Ho Nai Kiong and details the life of Mr Ho Yew Ping.

Products

On Cheong offers a variety of products from gold and diamonds to jade and gem-set jewellery, with particular emphasis on jade. The company also offers services for customers looking to redesign their old jewellery.

Marketing Strategies

Sales of their traditional gold jewellery fell in 2007, and the company also found itself facing increased competition. This prompted Mr Ho to make major changes to the company’s image and branding. The rebranding was partly supported by SPRING Singapore and International Enterprise Singapore as part of the Brandpact scheme. The company name was changed from On Cheong Goldsmith to On Cheong Jewellery in order to reflect the various products offered by the company, and the company logo was redesigned. The rebranding, which cost the company over S$1 million, also resulted in a shift from mass-produced jewellery to customized pieces with special focus on jade jewellery. As part of the rebranding exercise to stay relevant in the competitive environment, design school graduates were hired as sales staff, capitalising on their knowledge of the younger market. The company has also partnered with local fashion designers, launching their jewellery lines at fashion shows. On Cheong Jewellery is also an active participant in the annual Singapore International Jewellery Show (SIJS) and, more recently, the Singapore Jewellery and Gem Fair (SJGF). The rebranding exercise, which was completed just before the financial meltdown in 2008, meant that On Cheong was able to maintain its profit margin during the crisis. In response to expanding their market reach, On Cheong Jewellery has started a range of wedding rings.

Staffing

The rebranding exercise from 2007-2008 also incorporated an overhaul in the image of staff.

On Cheong has been lauded for its practice in retaining experienced older staff for the benefit of younger staff. The company was one of the five exemplary employers singled out by the Tripartite Alliance for Fair Practices in 2012.

Customer Service

Under the Singapore Service Star scheme, initiated by the Singapore Tourism Board, On Cheong Jewellery used the framework and feedback gathered from mystery shopper assessments to enhance the shopping experience for its customers. The company’s customer service committee also places emphasis on customer relationships to find out their needs and preferences, and receives regular input from service staff to guide them in their policy.

Store Locations

On Cheong’s flagship store is located at South Bridge Road while its branch is located at New Bridge Road.

Awards

On Cheong has achieved the following awards: