1974 Garrard & Co. Amethyst Gold Bracelet

About the Item

Amethyst bracelet by Garrard & Co. Set with six oval pierced amethyst links with a combined approximate weight of 120 carats, to an articulated bracelet with curved yellow gold bar shaped spacers, smoothly conforming to the wrist, with a hidden secure clasp and safety catch, approximately 8" in length. Marked 18 carat yellow gold, maker's mark 'G & CO', English, circa 1974. Please note shipping to the United States of America requires the purchaser to fill out a CBP 5106 customs form before the item is shipped. This form is a legal requirement for any item over $2,000 which is being imported into the United States. One of the details the form requests is the purchaser’s social security number or importer’s number.

Creator:
Garrard & Co. Ltd.
Metal:
Yellow Gold
Stone:
Amethyst
Stone Cut:
Bead
Place of Origin:
United Kingdom
Period:
1970-1979
Date of Manufacture:
Circa 1974
Condition:
Wear consistent with age and use.
Seller Location:
London, GB
Reference Number:
Seller: 252331stDibs: LU1861971913

Shop All Garrard & Co. Ltd.

Garrard & Co. Ltd.

The first official Crown Jeweler for the British royal family, Garrard & Co. Limited has crafted iconic and historically celebrated rings, watches, necklaces and other jewelry for centuries.

Master silversmith George Wickes founded Garrard in 1735 and quickly gained a regal platform with patronage from Frederick, Prince of Wales. The company underwent a range of name changes and shifts in leadership over the years, with Robert Garrard becoming a partner in 1792. He assumed sole control of the firm a decade later and eventually passed the company down to his sons — James, Sebastian and Robert Garrard II — where it would remain in the Garrard family until 1946 with the death of Robert’s great-grandson.

Garrard Co. Ltd registered its current name in 1909 and, despite a temporary merger and relocation with Asprey, the firm still operates out of its original location on Albermarle St. in London. It was acquired by American private equity firm Yucaipa Companies in 2006.

Garrard created silver, tableware and decorative objects for the royal family as well as the Crown Jewels for a range of coronations beginning with King Edward VII’s in 1902. The esteemed luxury house created Queen Victoria's Small Diamond Crown, which featured colorless stones and was suitable to be worn while she mourned the passing of her last husband, Prince Albert. Later, for the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953, Garrard provided a pair of gold armlets. The company’s 1893 Girls of Great Britain and Ireland tiara adorns Queen Elizabeth II on British banknotes.

Among Garrard’s best known works is undoubtedly Princess Diana’s engagement ring — a 12-carat blue sapphire surrounded by 14 diamonds, set in 18-karat white gold. Unlike most royal engagement rings, the one Princess Diana chose wasn’t a one-of-a-kind piece commissioned from the Crown Jeweler, but rather a catalog offering for anyone who could swing the $60,000 price tag. As a result, this was a matter of controversy within the royal family. It is now Kate Middleton’s ring.

Garrard is committed to ethical sourcing and sustainable practices. Today, its all-female design team — led by creative director Sara Prentice — continues to merge ageless techniques with modern technology to uphold the firm’s legacy in the creation of precious handcrafted engagement rings, brooches and other adornments.

While Garrard and the royal family parted ways in 2007, the house still produces pieces that captivate new generations of jewelry wearers all over the world, just as it has for hundreds of years.

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