Our History

1804

Our journey begins in 1804 as Waite & Son Jewellers. Suppliers of fine watches, jewellery and housewares at 349 High Street Cheltenham.

1806

Thomas Waite, (c)1806 Founder of Waite & Son Jewellers

1866

Thomas Prew Waite, leads the business after his father. (c)1866

1901

In the earlier 1900's, we were producing our own watches in London & Cheltenham. Today, many watches can still be found with the makers name Waite & Son.

1911

Thomas Wilfred Waite leads the business after the passing of his father.

1912

Military use of radium in timepieces brought the idea of self-illuminating watches and clocks to the market. Waite & Son were innovators, providing this new (and dangerous) innovation for £4 (£371 adjusted to 2024)

1915

With World War One underway, Waite & Son manufactured military watches and watch covers for the front line.

1922

The Waite family purchases R.F. Beard, another local jeweller in Cheltenham. The two companies are run in tandem before merging and running under the name of Beards.

1926

We began our long term partnership with OMEGA. Article dated November 30th 1926

1936

Timing the historically pivotal 1936 Berlin Olympics, OMEGA are officially distributed through Waite & Son.

1937

Waite & Son, Watchmakers to the admiralty. in the 1930's, we were actively manufacturing pocket watches using Swiss OMEGA movements in Cheltenham and London.

1939

Prior to the start of World War Two, our diamond business was growing, made in house, a Waite & Son diamond ring conveyed quality and elegance.

1941

Thomas Wilfred Waite, elected as Mayor of Cheltenham for the second time. 1941

1942

World War Two rages on, Waite & Son persevere.

1952

Thomas Kenneth Waite leads the business after the passing of his father.

1955

Our reputation as a local expert jeweller grows. Selling both vintage and new jewellery manufactured on-site. This exquisite diamond brooch was £145 (£4,861 in 2025) at the time.

1977

Our Cheltenham store with original wooden facade in 1977

1989

In the 1980's, our focus on jewellery was as important as ever. We regularly featured showcase's with De Beers, the world famous diamond group.

1990

The watch world grows. In the era of new technological advancements, Beards continued to be the luxury destination in the Cotswolds.

Angela Rose, Daughter of Thomas Kenneth Waite

2014

Alex Rose, son of Angela Rose and the sixth generation of the Waite family takes over as Managing Director.

2017

Beards Jewellery takes up residence in London with a new store in The Royal Arcade, Mayfair.

2023

Omega Boutique

Our History

Founded in 1804, we are one of the UK's oldest family-run and independent jewellers. Situated at the heart of Cheltenham’s prestigious promenade, we have provided the best in fine jewellery and luxury timepieces for generations.

Nestled above our Cheltenham store in the town centre, the beating heart of Beards is the warren of rooms that form the in-house watch and jewellery workshops. Here, traditional age-old techniques meet with cutting edge technology and design to offer limitless possibilities without compromising quality. All aspects from design to smithing and gem-setting are completed in-house with exceptional attention to detail. Each piece of jewellery that leaves us has passed through the hands of our masterfully skilled artisans.

With unparalleled customer service both in-store and online and infinite possibilities for creating the jewellery of your dreams, our passion for design and traditional values of respect and care is of the utmost importance to us. Our excellence begins with the expertise and professionalism of our team.

Alongside our one-of-a-kind bespoke jewellery services, we offer a wide selection of expertly crafted engagement rings, dress jewellery, future heirlooms and the best in Swiss watchmaking brands.
We pride ourselves on the personal experience we offer to our clients, whether they have shopped with us loyally for decades or on the first step of a journey with us.

A Heritage Built on Excellence

Six generations of the Waite family have pursued the pinnacle of luxury jewellery from our home in the historic Regency-spa town of Cheltenham. Passed down through six generations and over two hundred years, this pursuit of excellence manifests in a keen eye for the new, exciting and contemporary. We owe our expertise and values to our ancestor's ideals of quality, craft and service over volume and cost.
For centuries, we have understood that jewellery is a deeply personal thing that forms a sentimental link between the past, present and future. Our legacy, which we will pass to generations to come, is our dedication to personal experiences, quality, care and respect.

The Family

Angela and her son Alex represent the fifth and sixth generations to helm Beards. With an exceptional passion for quality, a deep appreciation for craft and extensive involvement in the local community; we maintain our reputation as one of the best independent jewellers in the UK.

“Our heritage may be traditional, but our jewellery and watches are certainly not. Our team is always striving to create jewellery and source watches that, while rooted in traditional craft, appeal to the contemporary.”

Alex – Managing Director