Hamilton & Inches

Edinburgh jewellery and silver, with workshops above the shop.

Hamilton & Inches combines a jewellery and watch showroom with its own jewellery and silver workshops at 87 George Street, Edinburgh. It is a specialist retailer and maker: some visitors begin with a finished collection, while others come to discuss a commission. The link between the showroom and the craftspeople upstairs is the distinctive reason to explore it.

Founded by Robert Kirk Inches and his uncle James Hamilton, the business opened on Princes Street in May 1866 and moved to George Street in 1952. The present premises bring retail, service and making into the same building. That history is useful context for the workshop-led offer, rather than a reason to assume that every item sold there is made onsite.

Four useful starting points

• Own jewellery collections. The jewellery directory ↗ separates Hamilton & Inches designs from partner brands. Luna uses interlocking silver links; Ginkgo translates a fan-shaped leaf into jewellery, connected to the showroom’s silver installation. These offer different visual starting points: linked structure versus a botanical form. Use the silver jewellery introduction ↗ to explore the design families, then check the selected piece’s dimensions, weight and fastening.
• Silver objects and gifts. The silverware route ↗ covers a different purpose from wearable jewellery, including photo frames and table or celebration pieces. Consider how the object will be used and cared for, and whether personalisation suits the occasion. A decorative object, a functional table piece and a sporting award call for different briefs.
• Watch shopping and service enquiries. The showroom introduces its watch offer, while the pre-owned directory ↗ lets you investigate individual examples. Ask for the precise reference, condition, supplied accessories and applicable guarantee. A pre-owned listing is a different assessment from a new-watch enquiry; contact the team about the exact piece and any intended service work.
• A bespoke commission. The commissioning process ↗ begins with a concept, then sketches and design drawings; a model may be made where required. Once the design is agreed, work proceeds in the Edinburgh workshops. This suits an idea that needs development, but requires decisions and approvals beyond selecting a finished object. Agree the scope, materials, design fees, revisions and timetable in the proposal.

Where to buy or enquire

Use the category links for initial research, or visit the showroom at 87 George Street, Edinburgh EH2 3EY ↗. The contact and appointment page ↗ offers showroom and video-call appointments. Specify whether you need jewellery advice, a watch enquiry, service or a workshop discussion. For a commission, bring a few references and explain what you value in each: a shape, material, function or family connection.

Who it suits — and the trade-offs

Our editorial view: this is particularly relevant when the connection to Edinburgh making matters alongside the finished piece. A collection item gives you an existing design to assess; a commission gives more room to develop an idea but adds approvals and a project timetable. Compare Bucherer for a broader watch-and-jewellery retail destination with a different own-jewellery identity. Our Edinburgh shortlist helps plan a visit.

Practical information

Check current hours with the showroom before travelling. For a finished item, confirm delivery, returns and any alteration or engraving restrictions before paying. For a commission, ask when design choices become final, how changes are priced and what care or repair arrangements apply. Use our watch-buying guide for questions about a particular watch. Workshop services, valuations and retail purchases should each have their own agreed scope.