Deakin & Francis launches ‘1786’ collection

Birmingham-based manufacturer Deakin & Francis is set to launch a new collection of cufflinks, signet rings and ID tags in celebration of its 228-year heritage. 

The new 1786 Collection features signet rings stamped with the classic Deakin & Francis skull & crossbones design and the significant date, ‘1786’.

The skull and crossbones have featured in Deakin & Francis designs for hundreds of years, as a nod to to a distant 16th century relative ‘Daykin’, as Deakin was spelt at that time, who as a naval officer braved a pirate attack at sea.

Arthur Daykin “severed the hemp that bound the enemy craft alongside his own using his trusty hatchet and was subsequently granted the Deakin family crest, which depicts a raised and armoured arm rising from a crown, the hand clutching a hatchet.”

The crest has long been used as the Deakin & Francis logo as a symbol of the family history, but the pirates who perished have not been forgotten either.

The pirates are immortalised in the pirate design cufflinks which are as much a part of Deakin & Francis history as the illustrious hatchet-bearing ancestor.

While designing the 1786 collection James Deakin, head designer, made a discovery, Deakin said: “One of our workmen has just finished crafting the first 1786 signet ring and called me over to his workbench to see the finished piece.

“Next to where he laid the piece was a mirror and the reflection of the signet design caught my eye. I had to do a double take as I realised that the 1786 reflected as d&f1. We were amazed and I decided to design a pair of matching cufflinks to read d&f1.”

Completing the collection is a sterling silver ID tag with skull and cross bone stamped design and a black spinel border.

Orders are now being taken for pieces from the 1786 collection which will launch later this month.