Garrard
Garrard was founded in 1735 by George Wickes who was born in to a family of craftsmen. He apprenticed with Samuel Wastell at 14 before registering his own maker’s mark in 1722. In 1735 he established his business in the West End of London on Panton Street. Within the year he received the firm’s first royal order which was placed by Frederick, Prince of Wales. In 1782 Robert Garrard joined the business, originally working with the accounts and tracking inventory before becoming a partner in 1792. Just ten years later he took control in 1802 and changed the name to Robert Garrard. He registered his own maker’s mark and over the next sixteen years continued doing business. He was succeeded in 1818 by his three sons, Robert Jr., James and Sebastien and the company became known as known as R. J. & S. Garrard until James’ departure in 1835. This is when they dropped his initial from the name. In 1843 they became the Royal Jewelers with the Royal Warrant by Queen Victoria succeeding the firm Rundell, Bridge & Co. Thus making them Crown Jewelers. They exhibited at the 1851 Great Exhibition in Hyde Park. The following year they were asked to re-cut the Koh-i-Noor diamond which had been given to Queen Victoria just three years prior by Prince Albert. In 1915 the company was even asked to produce parts for the British Artillery in the First World War. They set up the Garrard Engineering and Manufacturing Company to handle the project (it continued operating successfully until 1992). In 1952 Garrard moved premises from Albermarle Street (where they had relocated in 1911) to Regent Street. Then in 1990 they were bought by The Asprey Group. Asprey was then purchased by Prince Jefri Bolkiah, brother of the Sultan of Brunei. Garrard merged with Asprey in 1998 to become Asprey & Garrard, moving into new premises on New Bond Street. The company changed ownership again in 2000. In 2002 Garrard was separated from Asprey and returned to the Albemarle Street site it first occupied in 1911. The new owners appointed Jade Jagger as Creative Director. The in 2008 Stephen Webster in 2008 took control of the brand. The company lost their crown jewelers appointment in 2007.
