Saunders & Shepherd

Saunders & Shepherd were silversmiths and jewellers based in London trading from 1869 to the present day. Their claim to fame is the invention of the self-closing bracelet in 1889.

The firm was started by Cornelius Desormeaux Saunders (senior) and James Francis Hollings Shepherd in 1869. They registered their silver mark in 1893 and by 1899 they were known as goldsmiths, silversmiths, jewellers, gold chain and gem ring makers and particularly specialised in making silver, jet and onyx jewellery for export. Due to their ongoing success they opened branches in Birmingham and Chester.

They registered as a limited company in 1916 as Saunders, Shepherd & Co. Ltd and now had factories in Fetter Lane in London, Birmingham and a branch in Glasgow.

Between 1916 and the 1940s they established a strong reputation for jewellery design and also started to manufacture and import watches. They struggled during the depression of the 1930s and had their London premises badly bomb damaged in 1941. They went down to just 30 employees by 1945 but managed to keep going, moving to Bleeding Heart Yard in London in 1980.

In 1981 they were commissioned by Lady Diana Spencer to make an 18ct gold bracelet which she wore on her wedding day in July of that year..

In 1996 they were joined by Eterna watches and also gained the exclusive distribution of Fope Jewellery of Vincenza, Italy.

They are now based at their new factory in Birmingham.