Bailey, Banks, and Biddle and Co.
The History of Bailey Banks & Biddle
It all started in Philadelphia with two silversmiths and $28 worth of jeweler's tools. Nearly two centuries later, Bailey Banks & Biddle remains one of the premier names in fine jewelry in the United States. The company's ownership has changed more than once over the years - but what hasn't change is its original commitment to helping people commemorate life's most celebrated milestones.
Set among the historic house of the first families in Philadelphia, Bailey & Kitchen, as it was originally known, was founded in 1832. Evolving through the century to become Bailey & Co. in 1841, and Bailey Banks & Biddle in 1878, the firm built a reputation for fine quality - silver goods, distinguished original designs and fine workmanship in many metals and mediums.
At the turn of the century, Bailey Banks & Biddle was commissioned by the U.S. Government to update the Great Seal of the United States; its design today remains the official version of the seal. The company also designed and made many of the military medals that are still used today, including the Medal of Honor, the Silver Star, the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart.
In 1962, Bailey Banks & Biddle became a part of the Zale Corporation, a Texas-based company with a vision of taking the highly regarded Philadelphia jeweler's stores to customers around the country. Zale ultimately opened hundreds of Bailey Banks & Biddle stores in a multitude of cities, bringing the tradition of knowledge, quality and customer service to consumer throughout the U.S.
Today, Bailey Banks & Biddle enters its third century of business, thriving in the best of times and surviving through some of the toughest. Its reemergence as America's premier fine jeweler is a welcome development for those familiar with the company's long and deep reputation for bringing the highest-quality products to the luxury market.
With its unique marriage of timeless tradition and innovations like Internet diamond pricing and interactive design, Bailey Banks & Biddle is leading the fine jewelry business forward into the twenty-first century and beyond.
