Hamilton & Inches
Corporate brand
UnclaimedEdinburgh luxury jeweller, jewellery designer, silversmith and clock and watch specialist.
Last updated August 24, 2026
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Overview
Hamilton & Inches is a Scottish luxury jeweller and jewellery design house headquartered on George Street in Edinburgh’s New Town. Founded in 1866 by James Hamilton and his nephew, Sir Robert Inches, the business developed from a traditional goldsmithing and watchmaking firm into one of Scotland’s best-known high-end jewellery retailers and makers. Its work spans fine jewellery, bespoke commissions, silverware, clocks and watches, with craftsmanship and long-term service positioned at the centre of the brand. The company’s institutional history is closely connected with Edinburgh’s jewellery trade. Hamilton & Inches registered its hallmark with the Edinburgh Assay Office on 1 June 1866, establishing an identifiable mark for its precious-metal work. In 1903, Robert Inches helped establish the Edinburgh Association of Goldsmiths, Silversmiths and Watchmakers. The association sought to protect consumers and discourage the sale of substandard goods, reflecting the firm’s historical emphasis on professional standards and the integrity of precious-metal retailing. The business has also maintained a long relationship with the British royal household. For more than a century, it held a royal warrant associated with goldsmithing, silversmithing, clockmaking and watchmaking. Historically, the company held the role of clockmaker and keeper and dresser of the monarch’s clocks, watches and pendulums in the palaces and houses of the ancient Kingdom of Scotland. The role was renewed in 2010 in the form of recognition as silversmiths and clock specialists to Queen Elizabeth II. Royal association has reinforced the brand’s traditional, ceremonial and service-led positioning, although the company also serves private clients and institutional customers. Following Robert Inches’s death, ownership and leadership passed to his son, Edward James Inches. In 1952, Hamilton & Inches moved from its earlier Princes Street premises to 87 George Street, which remains its principal Edinburgh location. The building has served as the company’s flagship showroom and workshop-facing retail environment for decades. Hamilton & Inches has supplied and produced presentation pieces and trophies for prominent sporting occasions, including the Scottish Open and the Lanark Silver Bell, extending its silversmithing expertise beyond personal luxury goods. The company entered a period of corporate change in the 1990s. Asprey acquired Hamilton & Inches in 1992. In 1998, a management buyout led by Julia Ogilvy returned the business to independent management; Ogilvy subsequently left the company in 2003. Publicly documented information does not establish a current parent company or owner, so the brand is recorded here as privately held with ownership unspecified. Hamilton & Inches marked its 150th anniversary in 2016. During the anniversary year, Queen Elizabeth II visited the Edinburgh showroom and received a jewelled bowl designed with imagery inspired by a loch on the River Tay. The visit connected the firm’s contemporary retail presence with its royal-warrant tradition and Scottish identity. In 2021, the main showroom underwent a substantial restoration. The exterior was clad in Scottish whinstone, while the interior received curved glass panels in antique bronze, a carved breccia-marble display plinth and silk-lined presentation areas. The renovation was intended to modernise the customer environment without abandoning the historic character associated with the company. The business continues to combine jewellery design and retail with silverware, bespoke work and specialist horology. Its showroom gives significant space to Patek Philippe and Rolex watches, and the dedicated watch area was expanded during the 2021 renovation. Overall, Hamilton & Inches occupies a premium Scottish position: a heritage jeweller with royal and civic associations, a specialist watch offering, and a continuing role in the creation of ceremonial and sporting silverware.
History
Hamilton & Inches was established in Edinburgh in 1866 by James Hamilton and his nephew, Sir Robert Inches. The company began operating from Princes Street and registered its hallmark with the Edinburgh Assay Office on 1 June of that year. Hallmark registration gave its precious-metal work a formal identity within Scotland’s regulated jewellery and silversmithing system. The firm’s early development was rooted in goldsmithing, silversmithing, watchmaking and jewellery manufacture. Robert Inches became active in efforts to improve standards across the local trade. In 1903, he helped found the Edinburgh Association of Goldsmiths, Silversmiths and Watchmakers, an organisation intended to protect consumers from inferior or misleading goods. This activity reflected the company’s broader identity as a craft and service business rather than solely a luxury retailer. After Robert Inches died, the company passed to his son, Edward James Inches. Hamilton & Inches relocated from Princes Street to 87 George Street in 1952. The George Street premises, in Edinburgh’s New Town, became the firm’s enduring headquarters and flagship showroom. The company’s historical work included the manufacture and maintenance of clocks and watches, as well as the production of fine jewellery and silver objects. It also became associated with presentation trophies for major sporting events, including the Scottish Open and the Lanark Silver Bell. Hamilton & Inches maintained a long-standing relationship with the British monarchy through royal-warrant appointments. Its historical royal role included responsibility for clocks, watches and pendulums in royal palaces and houses in Scotland. In 2010, this relationship was renewed under a description identifying the company as silversmiths and clock specialists to Queen Elizabeth II. The warrant tradition contributed to the firm’s reputation for technical competence, discretion and ceremonial craftsmanship. The ownership structure changed in the late twentieth century. Asprey acquired the company in 1992. In 1998, Julia Ogilvy led a management buyout. Ogilvy left the business in 2003. Available reference material does not identify a current owner or corporate group, and the company is therefore treated as a private business with ownership unspecified. The firm celebrated its sesquicentennial in 2016. Queen Elizabeth II visited the showroom during the anniversary activities and received a jewelled bowl inspired by a loch on the River Tay. The event highlighted the relationship between Hamilton & Inches, Scottish design and the royal household. In 2021, the company carried out a significant restoration of its main George Street showroom. The exterior was finished with Scottish whinstone, while the interior was redesigned with curved glass panels set in antique bronze, a carved breccia-marble plinth and silk presentation surfaces. The renovation also increased the space devoted to Patek Philippe and Rolex watches. The project demonstrated the company’s continuing effort to combine historic identity with a contemporary luxury-retail environment. Today, Hamilton & Inches remains associated with bespoke jewellery, fine jewellery, silverware, clocks, watches and ceremonial trophies. Its business model combines retail, specialist horology and craft-led commissions, with Edinburgh heritage and royal associations forming key elements of its positioning.
- 2021
George Street showroom restoration
[1]The flagship showroom is renovated with new exterior stonework, redesigned interiors and expanded luxury-watch space.
- 2016
150th anniversary
[1]Hamilton & Inches celebrates 150 years, including a visit from Queen Elizabeth II and the presentation of a jewelled bowl.
- 2010
Royal clock and watch role renewed
[1]The company’s royal relationship is renewed as silversmiths and clock specialists to Queen Elizabeth II.
- 1998
Management buyout
[1]A management buyout led by Julia Ogilvy changes the company’s ownership structure.
- 1992
Acquisition by Asprey
[1]Asprey acquires Hamilton & Inches.
- 1952
Move to George Street
[1]Hamilton & Inches relocates from Princes Street to 87 George Street, its continuing principal address.
- 1903
Robert Inches helps establish a trade association
[1]Robert Inches helps found the Edinburgh Association of Goldsmiths, Silversmiths and Watchmakers to support trade standards and consumer protection.
- 1866
Hamilton & Inches is founded
[1]James Hamilton and Sir Robert Inches establish the business in Edinburgh on Princes Street.
- 1866
Edinburgh hallmark registered
[1]The company registers its hallmark with the Edinburgh Assay Office on 1 June.
Products and positioning
High-end Scottish luxury jewellery, silverware and horology with heritage craftsmanship, bespoke service and royal-warrant associations.
Jewellery
Fine jewellery
Hamilton & Inches offers high-end jewellery associated with traditional precious-metal craftsmanship and Edinburgh luxury retail. The range includes finished pieces intended for private clients, with the company’s heritage and service model supporting its premium positioning.
Jewellery
Bespoke jewellery
Bespoke jewellery is a core craft-led offering. The business designs and produces commissioned pieces for clients seeking individually specified forms, materials or stones, extending the brand’s role beyond the sale of standard luxury products.
Silversmithing
Silverware
Silverware connects Hamilton & Inches with its historical silversmithing identity and royal-warrant tradition. The company has produced presentation and ceremonial objects, including a jewelled bowl presented during its 150th-anniversary celebrations.
Watches
Luxury watches
The company operates as a specialist luxury-watch retailer, with substantial showroom space dedicated to Patek Philippe and Rolex. Watch retail is supported by Hamilton & Inches’ longer history in clockmaking and horology.
Horology
Clocks and clock services
Clocks and related specialist work remain part of the company’s horological identity. Hamilton & Inches historically held a royal role involving the care and dressing of clocks, watches and pendulums in royal residences in Scotland.
Ceremonial silverware
Sporting trophies
Hamilton & Inches has produced trophies for notable sporting events, including the Scottish Open and the Lanark Silver Bell. These commissions showcase its ability to apply silversmithing and presentation-object expertise to institutional and sporting clients.
Brand decisions
2021
Flagship showroom restoration and watch-space expansionStrategyBackground
The George Street showroom required an updated luxury-retail environment while retaining the company’s Scottish heritage.
Action taken
Hamilton & Inches restored the showroom using Scottish whinstone, curved glass, antique bronze and marble display features, while doubling space allocated to Patek Philippe and Rolex watches.
Aftermath
The renovation strengthened the flagship’s role as both a heritage setting and a specialist luxury-watch destination.
1998
Management buyout led by Julia OgilvyM&ABackground
Following the Asprey ownership period, management pursued a buyout of Hamilton & Inches.
Action taken
Julia Ogilvy led the management buyout, returning the business to management control.
Aftermath
Ogilvy remained associated with the company until leaving in 2003. Current ownership is not specified in the available references.
1992
Asprey acquisitionM&ABackground
Hamilton & Inches entered a new ownership phase when it was acquired by luxury-goods company Asprey.
Action taken
Asprey acquired the Edinburgh jeweller.
Aftermath
The business later underwent a management buyout in 1998; available material does not provide further financial or operational details.
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