Birks Group

File:Birks-Ellis-Ryrie Jewellers Toronto 1920s.jpg

Birks Group traces its origins to the opening by Henry Birks of a small jewellery shop in Montreal in 1879.{{cite DCB |title=Birks, Henry |first=René |last=Villeneuve |volume=XV |url=http://www.biographi.ca/en/bio/birks_henry_15E.html}}

With an investment of CAD$3,000, Henry Birks opened in 1879 a small jewellery shop on Saint James Street in the heart of Montreal's financial and commercial district. In 1893, Birks entered into a partnership with his three sons (William, John and Gerald), and the name of the firm became Henry Birks and Sons. As the focus of Montreal's commercial centre moved northward towards Saint Catherine Street, the Birks store moved to new premises on Phillips Square in 1894, where the company still maintains a store and corporate offices.

Starting in 1901, Birks oversaw the expansion of the company across Canada, with stores opening in the country's largest cities. In some cases, it bought local jewellers, adding its name to the local one (the Birks store in Toronto was Birks-Ryrie and the one in Winnipeg was Birks-Dingwall). The store on Phillips Square in Montreal opened in 1907.

In 1934, Birks received a Royal Warrant of Appointment. In December 1934, Birks opened its first store in Vancouver.{{Cite web|url=https://www.maisonbirks.com/en/about-us|title=Birks - About us}} In 1954, the first Canadian shopping centre opened in Dorval and Birks is the first to open a jewelry store within a shopping centre.

In 1953, Henry Birks and Sons bought out Roden Bros. Ltd., a company that produced silver hollowware, flatware, cut crystal, and medals.Giorgio B. (2014). American Sterling Silver Marks: Marks and hallmark of USA and Canada manufacturers of silver hollowware, flatware and jewelry. Retrieved from http://www.silvercollection.it/AMERICANSILVERMARKSRDUE.html

In 1955, the company successfully sued the City of Montreal before the Supreme Court of Canada for forcing it to close on Catholic holidays, in Henry Birks & Sons (Montreal) Ltd v Montreal (City of).

In 1993 Jonathan Birks sold the company to Italy-based Iniziativa Regaluxe SrL. The Birks Group is now publicly traded under the ticker symbol BGI.

File:Square Phillips Montreal 53.jpg in Montreal. The building was renovated in 2001.]]

In 2001, the company completely renovated its flagship store on Phillips Square in Montreal.

In November 2005, Henry Birks and Sons Ltd. and the American Mayors Jewelers Inc. merged to create the Birks & Mayors Group.

In 2007, Birks was named as the official supplier of jewellery for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. The Ottawa store on Sparks Street became a source of gifts to official parliamentary visitors during its existence. The freestyle skier Jennifer Heil was a spokeswoman for the company.{{Cite web|url=https://imabeautygeek.com/2009/12/24/olympian-bling-canadian-gold-medalist-jennifer-heil-does-silver-for-birks/|title=Olympian Bling: Canadian Gold Medalist Jennifer Heil Does Silver for Birks|date=24 December 2009|website=Imabeautygeek.com|access-date=4 August 2018}}

In 2013, the birks group changed its name from Birks & Mayors to the Birks Group.

In 2015, Birks caused some controversy{{Cite news|url=https://nationalpost.com/news/politics/the-political-wife-as-ornament-sophie-gregoire-trudeaus-bid-for-more-staff-revives-a-decades-old-debate|title='The political wife as ornament'|newspaper=National Post |date=14 May 2016 |last1=Csanady |first1=Ashley }} after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's wife, Sophie Grégoire-Trudeau, wore a number of their pieces to meet the Queen, Elizabeth II.{{Cite web|url=https://ottawacitizen.com/news/politics/the-gargoyle-trudeaus-wife-sported-7000-brooch-for-meeting-with-queen|title=Trudeau's wife sported $7,000 brooch for meeting with Queen}} One of the jewels was a maple leaf brooch that Birks had loaned to her.{{Cite web|url=http://www.macleans.ca/politics/ottawa/what-sophie-gregoire-trudeau-says-about-feminism-and-politics/|title=What Sophie Grégoire Trudeau says about feminism and politics|date=3 June 2016 }} Since this brooch was worth $7,125, it raised questions regarding the ethics of such a loan.{{Cite news|url=http://business.financialpost.com/news/birks-botches-brooch-boost-brands-exploit-the-trudeaus-glamour-at-their-own-risk-experts-say|title=Birks botches brooch boost |website=Financial Post |date=2015-11-30|last1=Brownell |first1=Claire }}

The Birks Group sold the Mayors chain (founded in 1910 in Ohio) to Aurum in 2017. As part of the agreement between Birks and Aurum, the Birks Brand collections of fine jewelry will continue to be offered in 16 locations in the U.S. through the Mayors network. This transaction allowed the company to develop internationally, starting with the UK in October 2017.{{Cite web|url=https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20171023006496/en/Birks-Group-Completes-Sale-Mayor%E2%80%99s-Jewelers-Aurum|title=Birks Group Completes Sale Mayor|date=23 October 2017 }}

A month after it launched in the UK, Birks made headlines when Meghan Markle wore a pair of 18K yellow gold and opal earrings for her official engagement announcement to Prince Harry.{{Cite web|url=https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/meghan-markle-chooses-birks-the-canadian-fine-jewellery-brand-for-official-engagement-announcement-660336943.html|title=Meghan Markle chooses Birks, the Canadian fine jewellery brand, for official engagement announcement|date=27 November 2017|website=Newswire.com|access-date=4 August 2018}} This publicity increased the demand for the brand on digital stores and some inventories sold out.{{Cite news|url=https://www.ft.com/content/3078e052-daab-11e7-9504-59efdb70e12f|title=Meghan Markle's choice of earrings boosts jeweller Birks|newspaper=Financial Times|date=14 January 2018 |last1=Liu |first1=Ming }} Meghan Markle supposedly holds Birks among her favorite jewellery brands, bought at least seven Birks pieces for approximately $20,000.{{Cite web|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/fashion/news/meghan-markle-jewellery-a3741001.html|title=Meghan Markle's four favourite jewellery brands|date=2 October 2019 }}{{Cite web|url=http://people.com/royals/meghan-markle-favorite-jewelry-designer-predicts-royal-wedding-style/|title=Meghan Markle's Favorite Jewelry Designer Predicts the Royal Bride-to-Be's Wedding Style}}

File:Birks Building Vancouver 01.JPG

Maison Birks is a designer, manufacturer and retailer of jewellery, timepieces, silverware and gifts, with stores and manufacturing facilities located in Canada and the United States. As of October 2017, it operates stores under two different retail banners: 28 Maison Birks stores across Canada (formerly Birks) and 2 Brinkhaus stores in Vancouver and Calgary.{{Cite web|url=https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20171023006496/en/Birks-Group-Completes-Sale-Mayor%E2%80%99s-Jewelers-Aurum|title=Birks Group Business Wire}}

Maison Birks has six flagship stores in Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver.{{cite web|title=Network|url=http://www.birksandmayors.com/en/static/aboutus/network.htm|work=About Us|publisher=Birks & Mayors Inc.|accessdate=16 March 2012}}

The company also operates one Rolex-branded store in Orlando.{{cite web|url=http://www.newswire.ca/en/story/1210925/maison-birks-unveils-its-new-corporate-identity-and-opens-its-first-mono-brand-store|title=Maison Birks unveils its new corporate identity and opens its first mono-brand store|publisher=Birks & Mayors Inc. / CNW|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130828034214/http://www.newswire.ca/en/story/1210925/maison-birks-unveils-its-new-corporate-identity-and-opens-its-first-mono-brand-store|archivedate=28 August 2013|url-status=dead|accessdate=27 August 2013}}

• 1998: Diamond International award
• 2004: Diamonds: Nature's Miracle award
• 2018: World Branding Awards{{cite news |last1=Jennifer |first1=Braun |title=Birks wins Brand Of the Year at World Branding Awards 2018 |url=http://us.fashionnetwork.com/news/Birks-wins-Brand-Of-the-Year-at-World-Branding-Awards-2018,1000032.html#.W46SYbgnZEY |accessdate=4 September 2018 |publisher=Fashion Network |date=22 July 2018}}

There is a Birks Family fonds at Library and Archives Canada.{{Cite web|title=Finding aid to Birks Family fonds, Library and Archives Canada|url= http://central.bac-lac.gc.ca/.redirect?app=fonandcol&id=101499&lang=eng}} Archival reference number is R1481.

{{reflist}}

• [https://www.maisonbirks.com/ Official website]
• [https://www.gallery.ca/library/ngc037.html Henry Birks & Sons fonds] at the National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario

Category:Companies listed on NYSE American

Category:Design companies established in 2005

Category:Jewellery companies of Canada

Category:Companies based in Montreal

Category:Canadian brands

Category:Canadian companies established in 2005