Goldsmiths

Goldsmiths is a British jewellery and watch retailer that began in Newcastle upon Tyne in 1892. It is a subsidiary of Watches of Switzerland Group, which has been listed on the London Stock Exchange since 2019. It matters as one of the longest established specialist jewellery and watch retail names in the United Kingdom.

What is Goldsmiths?

Goldsmiths is a UK jeweller and watch retailer. According to Wikipedia, it is a subsidiary of Watches of Switzerland Group Plc and the business is based in Leicester, United Kingdom. Rather than being a single design label, it operates as a retail brand through which watches and jewellery from a range of makers are sold.

History

The business was founded in 1892 in Newcastle upon Tyne as the Northern Goldsmiths Company, with its first shop on Blackett Street. Its founder is recorded as Thomas Cooke. In 1919 it became the first appointed Rolex stockist in the United Kingdom, a relationship that still shapes its reputation in the watch trade.

The ownership history is unusually long and is documented on Wikipedia:

• 1967: acquisition of Reid and Sons
• 1984: renamed The Goldsmiths Group
• 1986: acquired by Oriflame
• 1988 and 1999: management buyouts led by Jurek Piasecki
• 2004: acquired by Baugur Group
• 2006: acquisition of Mappin and Webb and Watches of Switzerland
• 2013: acquired by an investment fund affiliated with Apollo Global Management
• 2018: parent company renamed Watches of Switzerland Group
• 2019: parent floated on the London Stock Exchange

Business model and distribution

Goldsmiths trades through its own shops and online. The sources consulted do not give a current store count, so none is stated here. Its place inside Watches of Switzerland Group means it sits alongside sister retail names such as Mappin and Webb, which came into the same group in 2006.

Why it matters

Goldsmiths illustrates how a regional jeweller became part of a consolidated, listed luxury retail group. For brands that supply watches and jewellery to UK retailers, it is one of the established multi-brand doors on the high street and online.

Frequently asked questions

Who owns Goldsmiths?

Goldsmiths is a subsidiary of Watches of Switzerland Group Plc, whose shares have been listed on the London Stock Exchange since 2019. Earlier owners included Baugur Group and an investment fund affiliated with Apollo Global Management.

Where is Goldsmiths from?

Goldsmiths is from the United Kingdom. It was founded in Newcastle upon Tyne in 1892 and is described as being based in Leicester.

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