A Royal Connection

We are immensely proud of our tapestry of royal connections, which stretches back to the early 19th century. The founder of our family company, George Pragnell, began his career as an apprentice at Biggs of Maidenhead, jeweller to Queen Mary. As a young man, he was instructed to entertain the young Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret as their grandmother perused the jewels on display.

When George Pragnell opened his own jewellery house in Stratford-upon-Avon in 1954, he recognised the value of such royal relations. Over the decades, Pragnell acquired the prestigious jewellery houses, George Tarratt (est. 1915) and Philip Antrobus (est. 1815) - the creator of the Queen’s engagement ring.

The company’s antique jewellery prowess was also bolstered through its family ties. Jeremy Pragnell, George’s son, married Jane Blott, a sixth-generation member of the family behind Bond Street jeweller, Waters & Blott (est. 1850), which manufactured Antrobus jewellery. In turn, Emily Pragnell, the wife of Jeremy’s son Charlie, is a relative of the Garrard family, Crown Jeweller from 1843 until 2007.

Six generations of jewellery-making expertise are reflected in our breadth of knowledge and commitment to quality craftsmanship. Our in-house team includes GIA-trained gemmologists, antique jewellery specialists, master craftspeople and accredited Swiss watch experts. Not only do we source exceptional period and antique jewellery, but we also specialise in redesigning antique jewels into wearable and contemporary creations.

Our royal heritage is also reflected in our fine jewellery designs. When we acquired Philip Antrobus, we inherited its archive stretching back to 1815, and many of our contemporary jewellery creations are inspired by pieces from the past. Nowhere is this more apparent than in our Antrobus collection, a modern interpretation of the Queen’s engagement ring and the diamond bracelet she wore on her wedding day in 1947.