The need for security is ancient. The history of locks began in prehistory, as early as 50,000 BC, when humans sought to protect their belongings and families. At that time, security was limited to a large stone or a wooden bar to block a door.

The craft evolved around 4,000 BC with the dawn of metalworking. Keys were initially made of wood with large teeth, and later of bronze. In the Middle Ages, driven by the construction of religious buildings, locksmithing progressed from a branch of metallurgy into a distinct trade.

The Renaissance was the era of the master locksmiths, reinforcing the artistic vision of the lock; artists began commissioning ornamental locks and keys. The French monarchs of the 18th century played a significant role in developing this profession as an art form. Their era marked the formalization of the locksmith trade, the artisan you turn to when you lose a key or need to change a lock.

The master key, capable of opening multiple locks, was invented in the 16th century. The history of the lock continued in 1784, when Englishman Joseph Bramah refined the mechanism and patented the cylinder lock. In the first half of the 1800s, the American Yale family invented and patented the pin tumbler lock and the flat serrated key. Simultaneously, combination locks, magnetic locks, and time locks were patented.

In the 19th century, iron was abandoned in favor of cast iron, a more malleable material that allowed for the creation of more standardized locks. The 20th century was marked by the electrification of workshops, which changed manufacturing forever. Locks became modernized, and many innovations appeared: panic bars, armored doors, and high-security systems.