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| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | |
| Founded | 1892 in Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom |
| Headquarters | Leicester, United Kingdom |
Area served | United Kingdom |
| Products | Jewellery, Watches |
| Parent | Watches of Switzerland Group Plc |
| Website | goldsmiths.co.uk |
Goldsmiths is a luxury jewellery retailer based in the United Kingdom.
The business was founded by Thomas Cooke as the Northern Goldsmiths Company in Blackett Street in Newcastle upon Tyne in 1892. [1] [2] [3]
After selling marine chronometers to the Admiralty during the First World War, [4] the company became the UK’s first appointed stockist of Rolex watches in 1919. [5]
The company acquired Reid & Sons, a business founded in the 18th century, in 1967. [6] It changed its name to The Goldsmiths Group in 1984. [7] In 1986, it was acquired by Oriflame, a Swedish cosmetic company who sold off the company's hotel division the following year. [8] A management buy out led by Jurek Piasecki took place in 1988 backed by Schroder Ventures. [9] The group was later listed on the London Stock Exchange. Piasecki led another management buyout in 1999, backed by Alchemy Partners, whose founder, Jon Moulton, had been the managing partner at Schroder Ventures. [10]
The company was acquired by Baugur Group in 2004. [11] In December 2006, Mappin & Webb and Watches of Switzerland were acquired, which were also owned by the Baugur Group. [12] Piasecki was ousted as chairman in 2007 while the company was Britain's second largest jewelers. [13] [11] Baugur became insolvent in 2010. In 2013, Goldsmiths was acquired by an investment fund affiliated with Apollo Global Management. [14] In 2018, the group was renamed the Watches of Switzerland Group, which was floated on the London Stock Exchange in 2019. [15]
Goldsmiths are a sponsor of the Leicester Tigers Rugby Football Club, sponsoring a stand within the Welford Road stadium [16] and the club's Player of the Month Award. [17]
Rolex SA is a Swiss watch brand and manufacturer based in Geneva, Switzerland. Founded in 1905 as Wilsdorf and Davis by German businessman Hans Wilsdorf and his brother-in-law Alfred Davis in London, the company registered Rolex as the brand name of its watches in 1908 and became Rolex Watch Co. Ltd. in 1915. After World War I, the company moved its base of operations to Geneva because of the unfavorable economy in the United Kingdom. In 1920, Hans Wilsdorf registered Montres Rolex SA in Geneva as the new company name ; it later became Rolex SA. Since 1960, the company has been owned by the Hans Wilsdorf Foundation, a private family trust.
KKR & Co. Inc., also known as Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co., is an American global investment company. As of December 31, 2023, the firm had completed private equity investments in portfolio companies with approximately $710 billion of total enterprise value. Its assets under management (AUM) and fee paying assets under management (FPAUM) were $553 billion and $446 billion, respectively.
Fossil Group, Inc., is an American fashion designer and manufacturer founded in 1984 by Tom Kartsotis and based in Richardson, Texas. Their brands include Fossil, Relic, Michele Watch, Skagen Denmark, Misfit, WSI, and Zodiac Watches. Fossil also makes licensed accessories for brands such as BMW, Puma, Emporio Armani, Michael Kors, DKNY, Diesel, Kate Spade New York, Tory Burch, Chaps, and Armani Exchange.
Omega SA is a Swiss luxury watchmaker based in Biel/Bienne, Switzerland. Founded by Louis Brandt in La Chaux-de-Fonds in 1848, the company formerly operated as La Generale Watch Co. until incorporating the name Omega in 1903, becoming Louis Brandt et Frère-Omega Watch & Co. In 1984, the company officially changed its name to Omega SA and opened its museum in Biel/Bienne to the public. Omega is a subsidiary of The Swatch Group.
Baugur Group was an Icelandic investment company. The group began as a supermarket and general retail company in Iceland, before diversifying to own a number of businesses at its peak, primarily in the United Kingdom.
Zenith SA is a Swiss luxury watchmaker. The company was started in 1865 by Georges Favre-Jacot in Le Locle in the canton of Neuchâtel and is one of the oldest continuously operating watchmakers. Favre-Jacot invented the concept of "in house movements", believing that only through control of the entire watchmaking process could the highest quality be achieved. Zenith was purchased by LVMH in November 1999, becoming one of several brands in its watch and jewelry division, which includes TAG Heuer and Hublot. Benoit de Clerck is the company's current president and CEO.
First Potteries is a bus company based in Stoke-on-Trent operating services in North Staffordshire, England. It is a part of First Midlands and a subsidiary of FirstGroup.
Oriflame Holding AG is a Swedish-Swiss multinational multi-level marketing company that sells beauty and personal care products directly to consumers online through a network of independent sellers.
Permira is a British global investment firm specialised in buyouts, growth funds, equity funds, and credit funds. Founded in 1985 as part of Schroders, it became independent in 1996. Operating as Permira since 2001, the company became one of the largest buyout specialists. As of 2024, Permira advises funds with total committed capital of €80 billion, which have invested in more than 300 companies worldwide. The company employs over 470 people in 15 offices across Europe, North America and Asia.
Hans Wilsdorf was a German businessman, best known as the founder of Rolex and Tudor. Wilsdorf's philosophy for the companies was "only great marketing is needed to make a company successful".
Henry's Farmers Market was a grocery retailer headquartered in La Mesa, California. In 2011, it started becoming part of the Sprouts Farmers Market chain, with a full acquisition taking place by mid-2013.
Rodania is a Swiss manufacturer of wristwatches. The company was founded in Grenchen, Switzerland, a city well known for its watch industry. Actually, its international sales and distribution offices are located in Braine l'Alleud, Belgium.
Asprey is a United Kingdom-based designer, manufacturer and retailer of jewellery, silverware, home goods, leather goods, timepieces, and books.
Mappin & Webb is an international jewellery company headquartered in England, tracing its origins to a silver workshop founded in Sheffield in 1775. It now has retail stores throughout the UK.
Mosaic Fashions hf was a holding company listed on the Icelandic stock exchange that owned several fashion brands. At its peak it had over 2,000 stores worldwide, as concessions, franchises and joint venture stores.
'First Manchester, Midlands & South Yorkshire is an operating unit of FirstGroup operating in the English Midlands, Manchester and South Yorkshire. The unit was formed in 2008 with the merger of the management and administration of First Potteries, First Worcester and First Leicester. On 1 June 2020, First Midlands merged with First Manchester and First South Yorkshire. During a group restructure in 2022, Worcester moved from Midlands control to First West & Wales.
Morellato Group is an Italian corporate group that designs and manufactures design jewellery and watches. The group's parent company was founded by Giulio Morellato initially in Bologna and later was moved to near Padova.
Watches of Switzerland is a British retailer of watches. The company headquarters is in Braunstone, England. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index.
Reid & Sons is a firm of silversmiths founded in Newcastle upon Tyne in 1788 by Christian Ker Reid and which continues to trade today as part of the 'Goldsmiths Group'. In 2013 Reid & Sons celebrated its 235th anniversary. Over the years the various branches of the company have been known as Christian Ker Reid; Reid & Son; Reid & Sons; Reid & Sons Ltd; Craddock & Reid; William Ker Reid and Edward Ker Reid.
Beyer Watches & Jewellery is a watch and jewellery maker and retailer in Zürich, Switzerland. Located on Bahnhofstrasse, the business was established in 1760, making it the oldest watch retailer in the world. It is owned by René Beyer and Muriel Zahn-Beyer, members of the eighth generation of the Beyer family.
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