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Curteis was not built in a traditional jewellery setting. Its origins trace back to Plas Yolyn, a family home in rural Shropshire, where the foundations of the business were first laid. Roger Curteis, originally a farmer, had spent over two decades working the land before deciding to pursue a different path. At the same time, his son Henry had begun selling jewellery to retailers, creating a natural entry point into the trade.
A chance encounter with a chain-making machine sparked Roger’s interest. He sold his livestock to fund the purchase of his first machine in 1975, applying his engineering mindset to teach himself how to manufacture jewellery from scratch.
What started as curiosity quickly became something much bigger.
In the early years, Curteis grew organically — quite literally within the walls of the family home.
Production expanded rapidly as demand increased, with multiple machines operating from the attic. The business was built through hands-on effort, experimentation and a willingness to learn without formal training.
This period defined the Curteis approach: practical, detail-focused and rooted in problem-solving.
By 2000, the company was a recognised leader in British jewellery making, with 40,000 square feet of dedicated factory space. In the 1992 recession, the business bought up machinery from other companies closing down both in the UK and the US
What stands out in Curteis’s early years is not just how the business started, but how it was sustained.
Henry Curteis describes a period defined by relentless, hands-on work — where every part of the process was managed manually, often in improvised conditions.
“I was cutting the chains on a table tennis table in the bedroom, putting the ends on, running them downstairs to the polisher, drying them, packaging them, then driving them to Birmingham — and coming back with more wire,”
Henry Curteis
It was not a polished operation. It was a process built through repetition, trial and sheer persistence.
At the same time, Roger Curteis approached manufacturing with an engineer’s mindset — documenting everything, learning each part of the machinery without formal training, and refining the process day by day.
“He wasn’t trained, “He had to work it out all by himself.”
Henry Curteis
This combination — engineering precision and raw determination — became the foundation of the business.
Roger Curteis
As the business developed, Curteis moved beyond its original setting and into larger premises, driven by consistent demand and growing relationships with retailers.
Founded in 1975, the company evolved from a small chain-making operation into a fully established manufacturing business employing a significant workforce and supplying jewellery across the UK and internationally.
A clear focus on quality from the outset has remained central to its identity — a principle the company continues to emphasise today.
Recognition from the trade has followed, including major industry awards and continued acknowledgement of its role within British jewellery manufacturing.
Today, Curteis operates as one of the UK’s leading precious metal jewellery manufacturers, designing, producing and supplying pieces to retailers, wholesalers, designers and fellow manufacturers.
What sets the company apart is its ability to combine traditional manufacturing values with modern capability.
Its offering now extends beyond standard production, with services such as bespoke manufacturing through “Curteis Creates,” allowing designers and brands to bring ideas to life using the company’s facilities and expertise.
This reflects a business that has evolved with the industry while maintaining its core principles.
Since 1975 - Curteis is one of the leading UK-based precious metal jewellery manufacturers, selling to retailers, designers, wholesalers and fellow manufacturers
At its core, Curteis operates as a full-service precious metal jewellery manufacturer, supplying retailers, wholesalers, designers and fellow manufacturers across the UK and internationally.
Its offering spans gold and silver jewellery production, alongside a strong focus on chain manufacturing — a category that has been part of the business since its earliest days.
In addition, Curteis develops and supplies finished collections, allowing retailers to access ready-to-sell ranges backed by consistent production and quality control.
The company also provides plating services, supporting both its own production and external clients looking to refine and finish pieces to a high standard.
Alongside this, its “Curteis Creates” service enables more bespoke development, working with designers and brands to bring new concepts to life using its in-house manufacturing capabilities.
This combination of services allows Curteis to support multiple entry points into the business — from large-scale supply to more tailored, design-led work — while maintaining the same focus on quality and reliability.
Chains from Curteis
Despite its scale, Curteis remains a family-run business at its core.
The emphasis on:
Quality, Reliability and long-term relationships continues to underpin everything it does.
The company has built its reputation not just on product, but on consistency — supplying the trade with confidence over decades of operation.
Henry & George Curteis
Reaching 50 years in business is not simply a milestone — it is a reflection of sustained relevance in an industry that continues to evolve.
From an attic in Shropshire to a recognised name in UK jewellery manufacturing, Curteis represents a model of steady growth built on strong foundations.
Video, Curteis - Celebrating 50 years.
There’s a reason companies like Curteis matter.
They are not always the loudest in the room, but they are often the ones holding the industry together — supplying, supporting and showing up consistently over time.
We see businesses like this across the trade, at shows, in meetings and behind the scenes — and it’s clear they play a critical role in keeping everything moving.
Curteis represents what British jewellery manufacturing does best: combining heritage, capability and reliability in a way that continues to serve the industry year after year.
To explore Curteis’s full story, including its journey from a family home in Shropshire to a leading UK manufacturer, visit:
You can also learn more about its current offering — from gold and silver jewellery to chain manufacturing, collections and plating services — at:
For a closer look at the people and thinking behind the business, Curteis’s 50-year anniversary page shares further insight into its evolution and future direction.
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