What is the history of Mappin watches?

The history of Mappin watches began in Jonathan Mappin’s workshop in Sheffield, England. He opened it in 1775 with the intent to serve British society with the highest quality silverware ever made. His son and grandson, both named Joseph, carried on his vision until the mid-19th century, when his four great-grandsons incorporated the business into Mappin Brothers Ltd. and embarked on a substantial expansion of the firm. Two of the great-grandsons, William and John Mappin, later left to pursue other opportunities. John opened his own business, Mappin Company, and his brother-in-law George Webb joined him two years later. Webb died in 1868 — the same year the family formed Mappin Webb Co. Webb’s name lived on in the company even after 1889 when the company became Mappin Webb Ltd. In 1897, Mappin Webb were granted their first Royal Warrant as silversmiths to Queen Victoria. The firm has been a holder of Royal Warrants ever since. Mappin Webb supplied soldiers in the 1898 Battle of Omdurman with their acclaimed Campaign watch. The company also supported wartime efforts during both World Wars in their enormous factory in Sheffield. Later in the 20th century, Mappin Webb moved away from manufacturing its own watches and instead focused on carrying luxury timepieces from other makers in its stores. Watches of Switzerland Operations Ltd. acquired Mappin Webb in 1998 after a series of mergers and acquisitions. On 1stDibs, shop a range of Mappin Webb jewelry.