We believe that the name on this blade refers to the company of goldsmiths started by George Wickes in Threadneedle Street in London who entered his mark at Goldsmiths’ Hall in 1722.

The company moved to Panton Street off Haymarket in 1735.  George Wickes gained the patronage of Frederick, the then Prince of Wales for his fine work.  When he retired in 1760, two of his apprentices, John Parker and Edward Wakelin, purchased the company and in 1776 John Wakelin and William Taylor took it over. Robert Garrard became a partner with Wakelin in 1792 and then became the sole owner in 1802. On his death in 1818, he was succeeded by his three sons, Robert (junior), James and Sebastian, trading as R J & S Garrard, or Robert Garrard & Brothers. James retired from the company, twice becoming Prime Warden of the Goldsmiths’ Company. 

In 1843 as R & S Garrard they became the Crown Jewellers appointed by Queen Victoria. The two Garrard brothers continued to run the company with a variety of partners (Samuel Spilsbury, Robert Sewers, John Peter Dexter) as R. & S Garrard & Co from 1848 until 1909.  Sebastian died in 1870 and Robert (junior) in 1881 when the business passed to his nephew, James Mortimer Garrard, with partners Benjamin Whippy Garrard and Thomas Warrington. When James Mortimer died the business at 25 Haymarket and 29-31 Panton Street was taken over by his son Sebastian Henry Garrard and became a limited liability company in 1909. The partners along with Sebastian at that time were, Henry Pearson, Henry Bell, Maurice Whippy Garrard and Charles Newbigin. In 1910 the address was listed as 25 Haymarket and 39-42 Panton Street, but a year later they moved to new premises in 24 Albemarle Street, 17 Grafton Street and 1, 2 & 3 Avery Row, New Bond Street.

The company was absorbed by the Goldsmiths and Silversmiths Co. Ltd. in 1952 at 112 Regent Street then merged with the jewellery firm Asprey in 1998 to become Asprey & Garrard, moving to New Bond Street. The company left Asprey in 2002, returning to the Albemarle Street site it first occupied in 1911. It became part of the US private equity firm Yucaipa Companies in 2006.