Established in 1789 in Hanau, Germany, we are the
world’s oldest diamond company with a wealth of
heritage and know-how.
Today, Backes & Strauss is part of the Franck Muller
group, a Swiss watchmaking company daring to
imagine the future of precision Swiss horology.
Our partnership is a meeting of masters, resulting
in masterpieces of horology in every detail.Our story has been one of passion, determination
and unrivalled craftsmanship in the pursuit of
excellence.
With over 200 years of history, our mission remains
to be the quintessential jewellery timepiece
creator, all the while staying true to our four
core values; excellence, beauty, innovation and
sustainability.Georg Carl Backes was born in Steinfurth, Germany
on 12 August 1763. When he was eight years old, his
family moved to Hanau, near Frankfurt. It was at
Hanau, an important jewellery centre in those days
that Georg Carl first registered as a goldsmith in
1789. This marked the birth of the firm Backes & Co.
By the early 1800s, Georg Carl Backes was one of
Hanau’s most prosperous citizens. Indeed, Backes
& Co. had done so well that he decided to dispatch
his 24 year old son, Johann Franz, with a remit
to establish an office in London’s Hatton Garden,
known for being the centre of the English capital’s
jewellery trade since medieval times.
