As a consequence of acquisition or marriage, Pragnell houses the heritage of several great British jewellery brands: ‘Philip Antrobus – est 1815’, ‘George Tarratt – est 1913’ and ‘Waters and Blott – est 1850’. It is 65 years since George Pragnell arrived with his young family at Five Wood Street, Stratford-upon-Avon, with dreams of setting up home and continuing the family business there. Today George’s grandsons, Charlie Pragnell and Tom Crookenden, continue to work from Wood Street and Pragnell’s headquarters remain in the old Tudor family home.
In 1991, Jeremy expanded the shop into number six and now Charlie is completing that expansion into number seven, establishing a proud family legacy beyond even George’s dream. Number seven houses a new jewellery workshop above the showroom and a state-of-the-art kitchen so customers can dine in the shop under the Jacobean ceiling among the rare jewels and antique silver.
Pragnell’s jewellery ranges from traditional goldsmithing to contemporary collections. At Pragnell’s heart lies The Masterpiece Collection, in which every piece is one of a kind, incorporating a rare gemstone, selected by a family member.
‘My grandfather’s advertisements used to say, “Our knowledge is your safeguard” and to this day our foundations are solidly built on knowledge, expertise and training,’ says Charlie. ‘In Leicestershire we have fully accredited watch and jewellery workshops with 17 gemologists across the company.’
Our own family name is still above the door, which maximises how much we want to ensure our customers are properly cared for
The Pragnell Seal is a guarantee that the design is exclusive to the house and of fine British craftsmanship, cemented by Pragnell’s 2018 Queen’s Award for Enterprise. ‘More and more people are seeking individuality beyond a badge,’ says Charlie, ‘and we wholeheartedly believe in individuality and rarity.’
2019 was a year to celebrate, partly because Pragnell acquired some extremely rare multicoloured diamonds. This is a triumph for Pragnell, given that fancy coloured diamonds have risen in price by 318 per cent since 2005. It’s also the year that Pragnell launched its ‘RockChic’ and ‘Bohemia’ collections, attractive to younger women and those buying for themselves.
Meanwhile Pragnell’s Mount Street store, which opened two years ago, has become increasingly established and a destination for high-profile individuals seeking absolute discretion. ‘While our customers love the rarity and individuality that we can offer, they also value the privacy and independence of a family-run firm,’ says Charlie.
‘Our own family name is still above the door today, which maximises how much we want to ensure our customers are properly cared for. We are wholly independent so we can be flexible and adapt to situations. From a global perspective people still respect the standards that the British uphold, underpinned by our values, traditions and laws.
We’re quite rightly seen to be trustworthy and reliable purveyors of quality. Domestically, Britishness is becoming more valued with a real feeling of loyalty, inevitable in this uncertain climate. The cost of political and economic distraction has been undervalued, so I’m optimistic that, once greater directional certainty is established, we’ll be surprised and that 2020 will be an excellent year.
