What was R.W. Wingate Ltd, the Birmingham manufacturing jeweller?

R.W. Wingate Ltd was a Birmingham manufacturing jeweller whose name appears on surviving British gold and silver jewellery from the later twentieth century. Dealer records place the firm at Hockley Centre, Birmingham, and identify its registered mark as “RWW”. Surviving pieces give a clearer picture of its output than the limited company history. Silver pieces recorded from the 1970s and 1980s include ingot rings, ingot pendants, lockets, signet rings and engraved hinged bracelets.

The dated objects found in auction and dealer records span at least 1973 to 1988, a 15-year run of confirmed examples. That span should not be treated as the firm’s complete trading period; it only shows years represented by pieces that can presently be checked and verified online. For example, the 1973 gold ring weighting 13.76 grams, and a 1977 silver ingot ring recorded at auction weighting 11.33 grams. A 1988 silver bracelet has an oval hinged form, floral engraving and an RWW mark. Both of these examples and more online records place R.W. Wingate Ltd firmly in Birmingham’s commercial jewellery trade and show work in both precious gold and sterling silver.