Businessman Gerald Ratner has launched a surprise bid to buy the UK arm of the jewellery empire he famously trashed more than three decades ago after calling some products of his signature brand Ratners ‘total crap’.

The businessman is seeking to acquire the British H Samuel and Ernest Jones chains from US-listed Signet Jewellers and install himself as chairman after he lost control of the businesses in the early 1990s, reported The Daily Telegraph.

Ratner has appealed to shareholders of the company as part of a bid to purchase the loss-making UK arm, which he said he has been “pursuing since the summer”.

The brands were once part of Ratners Group, the firm that he was forced to exit after he jokingly declared a few of its cheaper products were “total crap” in a speech at the Institute of Directors 30 years ago.

Ratner also remarked that some of the firm’s earrings were “cheaper than a prawn sandwich at Marks & Spencer – but I have to say, the sandwich will probably last longer than the earrings”.

The ensuing negative reaction from consumers and the wider business community gave rise to the phrase ‘to do a Ratner’ or destroy a valid business.

Ratner said he was attempting to acquire the UK division of Signet – which was formerly Ratners Group before it was rebranded – because he claimed its American owners were “doing everything wrong”.

The newspaper said that to launch his bid, Ratner has been in touch with Signet’s CEO. He’s understood to be backed by a consortium of primarily-British investors and has said they have the funds lined up.

He’s now launching an appeal directly to the company’s shareholders, who Ratner hopes should question why the US owners do not sell the loss-making division.

He told The Telegraph: “The reason we’re putting pressure on the shareholders is simply because of the fact that they’re doing so badly in the UK, they’re closing shops all the time and last year they sold their best shops.

“So we took the view that they’re not really interested in the UK. We approached them thinking that it’s in the interests of shareholders to just get rid of it.”

Signet is worth more than $3.7 billion (£2.8 billion) with a successful US operation but a loss-making UK division.