British Royal Jewelry Designers: Garrard & Beyond

The Craftspeople Behind the Crown

Behind every extraordinary piece of British royal jewelry stands a craftsperson — a goldsmith, gem-setter, or designer whose skill and artistry transformed precious stones into objects of enduring beauty and symbolic power. The history of British royal jewelry designers is a history of extraordinary talent, royal patronage, and the evolution of jewelry-making from medieval craft to modern art form.

The relationship between the British monarchy and its jewelers has been one of the most productive partnerships in the history of decorative arts. Royal patronage provided jewelers with the resources, the prestige, and the creative challenges that pushed their craft to its highest levels of achievement. In return, the jewelers created objects that expressed the monarchy's values, celebrated its occasions, and preserved its history in precious stone.

Garrard: The Crown Jeweler

No name is more closely associated with British royal jewelry than Garrard. Founded in 1735 by George Wickes, the firm became the official Crown Jeweler in 1843 when Queen Victoria appointed it to the position — a role it held for over 150 years until 2007. During that time, Garrard was responsible for the maintenance and creation of the Crown Jewels, the design of royal jewelry for state occasions, and the creation of personal jewelry for members of the royal family.

Garrard's most famous royal commission is arguably the engagement ring given by Prince Charles to Lady Diana Spencer in 1981 — the 12-carat oval Ceylon sapphire surrounded by diamonds that is now worn by Catherine, Princess of Wales. This ring, chosen by Diana from a Garrard catalog, has become one of the most recognizable pieces of jewelry in the world and a symbol of royal love and continuity.

Other significant Garrard commissions include the recutting of the Cullinan Diamond into its nine major stones (carried out by the Dutch firm Asscher but overseen by Garrard), the creation of numerous tiaras and suites for members of the royal family, and the ongoing maintenance of the Crown Jewels collection.

Rundell, Bridge & Rundell: The Regency Jewelers

Before Garrard, the dominant royal jeweler was Rundell, Bridge & Rundell — the firm that served the Prince Regent (later George IV) and created some of the most spectacular jewelry of the Regency period. George IV was one of the most extravagant jewelry collectors in royal history, and Rundell's provided him with diamonds, sapphires, and rubies on a spectacular scale.

Rundell's also created the new coronation regalia for George IV's coronation in 1821 — including a new Imperial State Crown set with hired diamonds (the permanent stones were added later) — and numerous pieces for the royal family that remain in the collection today.

Asprey: Luxury and Royal Patronage

Asprey, founded in 1781, has held a Royal Warrant from the British monarchy for generations and has created numerous pieces for the royal family. Known for its exceptional craftsmanship and its ability to work across a wide range of styles and materials, Asprey has been a trusted supplier of luxury goods and jewelry to the royal family for over two centuries.

Cartier: The King of Jewelers

The French house of Cartier — which Edward VII famously called "the king of jewelers and the jeweler of kings" — has had a long relationship with the British royal family. Cartier created numerous pieces for Queen Alexandra, Queen Mary, and other members of the royal family in the Edwardian and interwar periods, and its distinctive style — characterized by platinum settings, geometric designs, and the combination of colored stones with diamonds — influenced British royal jewelry aesthetics profoundly.

Cartier's most significant contribution to the British royal collection is arguably the Vladimir Tiara — originally made for the Grand Duchess Vladimir of Russia and acquired by Queen Mary in 1921 — which Cartier adapted to allow the pearl drops to be replaced with emerald drops. This tiara is now frequently worn by Queen Camilla.

Contemporary Royal Jewelers

In 2007, the role of Crown Jeweler passed from Garrard to G. Collins & Sons, a family-owned jeweler based in Royal Tunbridge Wells. The appointment of a smaller, family-owned firm reflected a shift in royal jewelry philosophy toward supporting British craftsmanship at all levels.

Contemporary members of the royal family have also embraced a wider range of jewelry designers, including younger British designers whose work reflects contemporary aesthetics while honoring traditional craftsmanship. The Princess of Wales has been particularly noted for her support of emerging British jewelry designers alongside her use of historic pieces from the royal collection.

The Gemstone Connection: Designers and Crystal Healing

The great royal jewelry designers understood gemstones not merely as decorative materials but as carriers of meaning and energy. Garrard's choice of a Ceylon sapphire for Diana's engagement ring — a stone associated with wisdom, truth, and divine favor — was not accidental. The firm's long experience with royal jewelry had given it a deep understanding of gemstone symbolism and the importance of choosing stones whose properties aligned with the occasion and the wearer.

This understanding connects the great royal jewelry designers to the broader tradition of crystal healing that Gem Ritual explores — a reminder that the healing and symbolic properties of gemstones have been recognized and acted upon by the most skilled craftspeople in the history of jewelry-making.