Risis turns 50: How the Singapore heritage jewellery brand is evolving for a new generation

Paris is not a city one would typically associate with a celebration of Singapore’s national flower. And yet, in the fashion capital’s Le Marais district in June last year, models strode past in a street-side fashion show. Orchids were pinned to lapels, draped across backs and worn as chokers and chains. 

The brand on show? Risis – the iconic homegrown brand long associated with gold-plated orchid souvenirs. But in recent years, Risis has been working toward achieving something far more ambitious: transforming the orchid from a keepsake one would pick up on a trip to Singapore into a global fashion icon – and in the process, redefine what a Singapore heritage brand can achieve. 

The driving force behind this new direction? Verene Ng, the company’s CEO who took the helm in January 2020 just weeks before the world shut down as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

It was, by any measure, an inauspicious start. “Sales were almost zero as back then, we were heavily reliant on tourists,” said Ng. But even in difficult times, there’s always opportunity. “How we evolved became very critical. How do we then transform Risis into a renowned jewellery brand that people would want to own a piece for themselves, rather than a souvenir?”

Six years on, that evolution is slowly taking shape. What was once seen as a souvenir label is being redefined by a younger customer base, a growing international footprint and a more modern design identity. The year 2026 also marks an important milestone for Risis as it celebrates its 50th anniversary. 

And as the brand gears up to celebrate this milestone, it finds itself in transition – steadily reshaping its place both at home and on the global stage. 

AN ORCHID FOR ETERNITY

Risis is built on a uniquely Singaporean innovation – the preservation of real orchids in gold. In the 1970s, Dr Lee Kum Tatt, a scientist and chairman of SISIR (Singapore Institute of Standards and Industrial Research), began experimenting with orchid preservation after his wife remarked, “I wish orchids could last forever.” The end product was meant to be a distinctive national gift or keepsake that represented Singapore in the same way that Japanese pearls or Thai silk represented their respective countries.

By 1974, Dr Lee had succeeded in encasing an Oncidium bloom in gold, creating the prototype for Risis (the name itself SISIR read backwards). In 1976, Risis unveiled its first gold-plated orchid brooch, the Aranda Deborah, at Tangs department store, drawing a crowd. 

Fifty years on, Risis has stayed true to the method. The process begins by picking the most flawless of orchids from a climate-controlled facility. These orchids are first preserved with a delicate layer of copper, then bathed in a proprietary cyanide-free copper electroplating solution before being finished with layers of 24K gold. Each orchid is a unique work of art and no two pieces are the same. “It is really about immortalising the best moment of the bloom and making it into wearable jewellery. That was how our first golden brooch was created,” shared Ng. 

In the 1980s, Risis began making home and lifestyle products. Today, this range includes sculpture‑like frames and desktop decor, artisanal pen holders and card caddies, symbolic ornaments and wood‑base figurines inspired by flora and fauna, all crafted with the same meticulous craftsmanship that characterises its jewellery. The Zodiac Sculpture Collection, in particular, has earned a loyal following.

Even so, Ng acknowledged that perceptions of the brand are varied. “Like many Singaporeans, even I, sad to say, used to view the brand as very dated – the jewellery was only something our mothers would wear,” she shared candidly. “But once you know how to style the pieces, it’s actually very different. We have a beautiful story. Behind every gold-plated piece is a real orchid, and there’s really nobody else in the world that can do this.” 

THE ORCHID, RENEWED

Under Ng’s leadership during the pandemic, Risis undertook a rebranding, reshaping its design identity to embrace a more contemporary, modern aesthetic. The collection now includes daintier, understated pieces, alongside edgier designs such as ear cuffs, asymmetrical earrings and hand chains. 

The brand’s signature slider necklace – which features a chain anchored by a gold-plated orchid – remains one of its most popular pieces. Adjustable to different lengths, its versatility allows it to be worn close to the neck as a choker, lower as a pendant or even as a belt. 

The shift appears to be paying off. Today, Risis’s largest customer demographic is between 25 and 34, followed by those aged 35 to 44. The brand has even begun attracting audiences as young as 18 through its marketing efforts on social media platforms such as TikTok. “They might not be able to afford our jewellery right now, but we want to be known to them,” said Ng.

More men are buying into the brand as well. Reflecting a broader shift towards gender-fluid styling, “We have seen a rising trend of more men wearing our slider necklace,” Ng shared. Risis’ current collection for men also includes cufflinks, bangles, lapel pins and signet rings. 

With prices starting at around S$150 (US$117) for entry-level brooches and pendants, going up to around S$290 for a signature slider necklace, Risis is positioning itself as an accessible luxury brand. Ng believes consumers today are increasingly willing to invest in pieces if they see lasting value in them. Just as important, she added, is the trust that comes with an established name. “They know that if there’s anything, we will always be around.”

50 YEARS IN BLOOM

Indeed, 50 years is a milestone worth celebrating, and Risis plans to do just that with the launch of five Jubilee Capsule Collections, rolling out monthly from April to August. Each collection will feature 10 designs, inspired by a total of 50 orchid varieties. While the designs will be primarily jewellery, a selection of home and lifestyle pieces will also be introduced. The five capsule collections are titled Roots, Innovation, Splendour, Imagination and Symphony – together spelling out Risis. 

The first capsule collection, Roots, launched on Apr 2, pays tribute to Risis’ encapsulation technique that preserves the delicate markings and natural speckles of the orchid. Each living bloom is a one-of-a-kind piece, cast in 24K Swiss Gold and Palladium to allow the orchid’s natural patterns to come alive. 

The collection also includes a collaboration with Singaporean chocolatier Janice Wong, featuring limited-edition Orchid Charm-Brooches, paired with matching artisanal chocolates. Each charm can be worn in two ways – either as a bag charm or detached and worn as a brooch. Upcoming collections will feature scarf rings, statement belts, Peranakan-inspired jewellery, Art Deco-inspired diamond jewellery and even a 24k Swiss Gold Barbie collectible. 

As part of its Jubilee celebrations, Risis will also stage Asia’s first orchid gala in Singapore in August this year. Envisioned as the “Met Gala of Orchids” and conceived as a philanthropic fundraising event, it will bring together botanists, philanthropists, high-society guests and sustainability advocates. Beneficiaries include NPark’s Garden City Fund and United Women Singapore. 

The initiative reflects the brand’s longstanding commitment to community engagement, said Ng. “Our key ethos has always been orchid preservation, sustainability and giving back.” 

FROM SINGAPORE TO THE WORLD

A key focus for Risis this year is expanding beyond Singapore, with Southeast Asia, the US and Europe firmly in its sights. “Singapore is a very small and saturated market. While there are still untapped segments and new audiences for us to reach here, there is only so much we can do,” said Ng.

E-commerce will be a key pillar of that growth. The company is currently revamping its website to include multiple languages and currency conversion for overseas customers. The US is now the company’s second-largest market after Singapore, following a campaign last year that saw Risis work with content creators to produce social media posts showcasing how to style its orchid jewellery.

To raise its international profile, Risis is also in talks for product placements in a globally popular Netflix series. “We are doing all these little things to show that we have evolved into a fashionable and iconic jewellery brand,” said Ng.

But the road ahead is not without its challenges. Global economic uncertainty has weighed on consumer spending, particularly in recent months. “Spending power has dropped in March, but we are still hopeful as March is usually our lull period. We are hopeful that spending will pick up again in May for Mother’s Day, and later on in December for Christmas gifting,” shared Ng. 

The more immediate pressure, however, comes from soaring raw material costs, particularly for gold and other precious metals such as silver which have had a direct impact on the business. But rather than passing on those costs to customers, the company is looking inward at its manufacturing efficiencies to keep prices accessible. “We cannot keep increasing our prices as eventually, we will end up alienating our customers,” Ng acknowledged. 

AT THE HELM OF CHANGE

Leading a heritage brand is no easy feat, especially for someone with no background in jewellery. An accountant by training, Ng admits she knew little about the industry before joining Risis. Yet under her leadership, the brand has expanded beyond its roots in orchid souvenirs, entered new markets and repositioned itself for a younger, more fashion-conscious audience. 

“I’ve taken this [role] as a challenge, and I got to start with a fresh piece of paper. Yes, I didn’t know much about jewellery, but I like brands, I like fashion and I like beautiful things,” said Ng. “I am also a fast learner and I’m not afraid to ask questions.” 

Reflecting on the company’s 50th anniversary, Ng acknowledged the significance of this milestone and the challenges that still lie ahead. “Turning 50 is not an easy thing to achieve,” she reflected. “But changing people’s mindsets on the brand does not happen overnight.” 

Still, steering Risis’s next chapter is a responsibility Ng is “definitely very proud of”. And she believes Risis has the foundations to endure – a strong Singapore identity and brand trust, a purpose-driven ethos and craftsmanship that continues to resonate. “We have taken the spirit of Dr Lee Kum Tatt to the next level, and now, we have to sustain it.”