The World’s Most Expensive Gold Calculator

Commissioning the world’s most expensive gold Calculator

Thinking of commissioning your own artisan bespoke piece?

Whether you want to invest in an engagement ring, set of cufflinks, or something totally unique that’s never been done before, the bespoke journey at Deakin & Francis always starts with the same key ingredient; an idea.

After 200 years, we’ve crafted quite a vast and exciting range of bespoke items, and one piece in particular which remains one of our favourites here in the factory is our famous golden calculator!

We sat down with Henry Deakin, our managing director, to discuss the history of bespoke at Deakin & Francis and the story behind this iconic piece of craftsmanship.

It all starts with an idea

“When you create a bespoke item, you’re creating something which is truly unique, personal and cannot be replicated. As a customer, you want a guarantee that the item that you are investing in has been made with the utmost care and attention to detail, which is exactly why our customers choose us for their bespoke journey.”

Our gold calculator was a part of a larger series of items that we created from 18ct gold which also included a gold video camera and a gold mobile phone;

“We were looking for very high-end desk ornaments, and who doesn’t need a gold calculator? It’s 18ct Gold, it’s beautifully made and it’s all engine-turned!”

Much like any bespoke journey, this one started with an idea. However, due to the mechanical nature of this piece, we approached it a bit differently compared to our more traditional bespoke items;

“Whenever you’ve got electronics involved it’s slightly different, although the starting point remains exactly the same. With the calculator, it started with a sketch, the customer then approved it, and we then actually got two calculators and took them apart and rebuilt them so we could ensure that the final product was unique and that it worked perfectly.”

Working on such a charming item was incredibly exciting, and our gold calculator remains a perfect example of how going bespoke can be the perfect solution for those looking for a truly unique gift.

“It was all handmade here in the factory here in Birmingham. It was made in the workshop next door, engine-turned here and polished. And what a wonderful, one-off unique piece to have! For someone who has everything, why not a gold calculator absolutely! It’s a seriously unique present, it’s a bit of an heirloom piece!”

Pushing the boundaries of bespoke design

When it comes to bespoke we really have made it all, from beautiful engagement rings to iconic gold calculators, but we’re always eager to explore new techniques when working on a bespoke project;

“I’m quite nervous about a project that’s going on at the moment which is a bespoke piece, I can’t say too much about it, but the piece is very technical and is mechanical inside. We’ve had to use an engineering firm who specialises in aircraft components to make the inside of this particular item. So I get quite excited about completely new things, we do like a challenge!”

Here at our factory, our team are always looking for a solution to the unique challenges that come with making bespoke pieces and we’re always eager to partner up with other industries and creative professionals in the pursuit of creating a perfect bespoke piece;

“It’s exciting pushing boundaries and seeing what can be done. Not necessarily accepting no as an answer. When we first did our moving owl cufflink, we ended up getting Oxford University involved and they ended up saying; “no you’re mad it’s not going to happen”, and it now works and it’s great, so it is fun and research and development is a key part of this.”

Bespoke with Deakin & Francis

If you’re looking to commission a bespoke piece, we believe that our team at Deakin & Francis are the perfect creative partners for such a unique and exciting journey

“We are one of the last artisan manufacturers in the UK and we’re not going anywhere, bespoke is a key part of our business. Once you’ve gone to the level of wanting bespoke, you’re an educated customer and you know what you want, and you’re not going to settle for a substandard product. You’re better off buying a good mainstream item than a bad bespoke. If you want a bespoke you may as well go for the best!”

If this post has inspired you to create your own bespoke item, please contact us at: [email protected]