GARRARD JEWELERS LONDON

Garrard is a renowned luxury jewelry brand that was established in London in 1735. It has a rich history of creating exquisite jewelry pieces for royalty and high society, and has long been associated with British elegance and craftsmanship.

Garrard's craftsmanship is known for its attention to detail and quality. The brand has a team of highly skilled artisans who use traditional techniques to create its jewelry. Each piece is carefully crafted by hand, with a focus on precision and perfection.

One of Garrard's most famous works is the Imperial State Crown, which was created in 1937 for the coronation of King George VI. The crown is set with over 2,800 diamonds, including the famous Cullinan II diamond, which is one of the largest cut diamonds in the world. Garrard has also created other pieces for the British royal family, including the engagement ring worn by Princess Diana, which was later given to Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge.

Garrard has had many famous clients over the years, including celebrities and heads of state. Some of its most notable clients have included Elizabeth Taylor, Audrey Hepburn, and Sir Winston Churchill. The brand has also created pieces for the Sultan of Brunei and the Emir of Qatar.

In addition to its jewelry, Garrard also produces luxury watches and accessories. The brand has several boutiques around the world, including its flagship store on Albemarle Street in London.

History of Garrard :

Robert Garrard joined the business in 1782 as accountant. By 1792, he became a partner, and in 1802, he took over the business entirely, renaming it Robert Garrard. He established his own maker’s mark and diligently maintained the firm’s exceptional standards of design and craftsmanship for the next sixteen years. In 1818, Robert Garrard was succeeded by his three sons, Robert Jr., James, and Sebastien, and the company became known as R. J. & S. Garrard. However, James departed around 1835, and his initial was dropped from the name.

In 1843, the Garrards were awarded the Royal Warrant by Queen Victoria and took over from Rundell, Bridge & Co. as Principal Royal Goldsmiths and Jewellers. This honor elevated their status as one of the top manufacturing jewelers and silversmiths in London, and they continued to serve six successive monarchs. The Garrards showcased nearly one hundred exquisite pieces of silver and jewellery at the 1851 Great Exhibition in Hyde Park, including a diamond and pearl tiara, a bracelet adorned with water-nymphs carrying a pearl and decorated with emeralds and diamonds, a Gothic-style bracelet with chased and enamelled angels holding a ruby and pearl, and a candelabrum centrepiece in the Moorish style. They received a £200 prize from the Goldsmiths' Company for the candelabrum.

In the following year, Prince Albert asked the Garrards to re-cut the Koh-i-Noor diamond, which had been presented to Queen Victoria three years earlier.

Throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, the firm undertook various noteworthy Royal commissions, such as crafting Queen Victoria's iconic small diamond crown, the Girls of Great Britain and Ireland Tiara, re-setting St. Edward's Crown, designing the Imperial Crown of India, and creating the Fringe Tiara donned by Queen Elizabeth on her wedding day. In more recent times, they also produced the world-renowned Ceylon sapphire and diamond cluster engagement ring worn by Diana, Princess of Wales, and later by Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge.

During the First World War, the company was tasked with developing precision range finders for the British Artillery in 1915. To accommodate this project, they established the Garrard Engineering and Manufacturing Company, which operated until 1992. In later years, the company gained recognition for constructing high-quality record turntables that were utilized by the BBC and commercial radio stations across Europe.

In 1952, Garrard relocated from Albermarle Street, where they had been based since 1911, to Regent Street following their union with The Goldsmiths and Silversmiths Company. The company was later acquired by The Asprey Group in 1990, who were then purchased by Prince Jefri Bolkiah, the Sultan of Brunei's brother. After merging with Asprey in 1998 to become Asprey & Garrard, the company moved to New Bond Street. However, ownership changed again in 2000 and two years later, Garrard separated from Asprey and returned to their original site in Albermarle Street. In an attempt to rebrand the company, Jade Jagger was appointed as Creative Director by the new owners, and was later succeeded by Stephen Webster in 2008. Unfortunately, by that time, Garrard had already lost their esteemed position as Crown Jewellers, which they had held for 164 years before it was taken away in 2007.