Deakin & Francis marks 240 years in the Jewellery Quarter

Very few businesses can say they have worked from the same building since the Industrial Revolution. Deakin & Francis can, and in 2026 the Jewellery Quarter house is celebrating its 240th year.

The firm was founded in 1786 by Benjamin Woolfield and has remained in the same Jewellery Quarter workshop ever since. It describes itself as one of England's oldest family-run jewellers, with knowledge passed down through seven generations.

Through the 19th and 20th centuries Deakin & Francis built a reputation as master silversmiths, making pieces for some of the world's most iconic brands and figures. At one point it employed more than 200 craftsmen. Today it is led by seventh-generation managing director Henry Deakin, a qualified gemmologist, who has turned the business into a brand in its own right.

The house is known for its cufflinks and signet rings, alongside fine jewellery, accessories and homeware. Every piece begins with a hand-drawn sketch, and the house is one of the few remaining masters of vitreous enamelling, a rare art practised by its in-house enamellers.

That skill is at the heart of its anniversary project. To celebrate its 240th year, Deakin & Francis has partnered with Parkinson's UK on a special edition sterling silver oval signet ring, handcrafted in Birmingham. It features two hand-painted pink roses inspired by the charity's Chelsea Flower Show garden. The rose is scentless, a thoughtful nod to the loss of smell that many people with Parkinson's experience, and 10 per cent of sales go to the charity.

The partnership is personal. Henry Deakin previously cycled from John o' Groats to Land's End and raised more than £100,000 for Parkinson's UK. "Our relationship with Parkinson's UK is one that holds deep personal meaning," he said, explaining that his father lives with the condition.

Deakin & Francis is also woven into the wider life of the Quarter. Henry Deakin helped unveil a commemorative candelabra made to mark the Birmingham Assay Office's 250th anniversary during Heritage Week in 2023.

Collections, bespoke services and the special edition ring can be explored on the Deakin & Francis website, and the brand also has a flagship store in Piccadilly, London.