Birch & Gaydon were established as silversmiths in 1790, according to their own publicity - although the business appears to have begun with William Turner, a watchmaker, in c.1760, trading in Cornhill, London.  The business passed to William Birch in c.1840; Henry Gaydon joined the business in 1877 and it was renamed Birch & Gaydon.  The business was acquired by Asprey & Co in 1959.