Pragnell embraces Made-in-Britain storytelling with new collection
Jacobean plasterwork in the jeweller’s Stratford-Upon-Avon showroom inspires the gold and diamond Origin designs, which carry ‘Handcrafted in Great Britain’ seals
By Amy Wakeham
If you visit Pragnell’s Stratford-Upon-Avon showroom and look up, you will spot a piece of British history. On the ceiling of the jeweller’s flagship boutique – a Tudor cottage at 5 Wood Street – is a honeycomb plasterwork pattern. It was installed during the reign of King James I by Abraham Sturley, an architect and close friend of Shakespeare. Dubbed the Royal Court pattern, the design required special permission from the King himself to use.
As you might expect after spotting that detail, the location of the Pragnell showroom itself has a rich history. Over the centuries, the site has been home to a lawyer's office, a butcher, a private residence, and The Unicorn Inn, a public house and theatre where many of Shakespeare’s works were performed.
The 430-year-old ceiling has been a longtime inspiration for Pragnell’s jewellery designers, ever since the pattern was first revealed during renovations of the showroom. And now, it forms the basis of a brand-new collection, Origins.
The plasterwork ceiling of the Pragnell showroom in Stratford-Upon-Avon, also featuring the crest of King James I.
Sharing a centuries-old design language
The jewellery within the Origins collection pays homage to the storied ceiling, with a geometric design inspired by Sturley’s royally approved work.
It has been applied to rings, earrings, necklaces, and bracelets. Each piece within the collection has been designed by a member of the Pragnell family.
The Origins collection is a celebration of the strong British heritage of the family jeweller, which has a legacy that spans more than 170 years and six generations. Today, the business is run by Charlie Pragnell, and his cousins Tom Crookenden and Hugo Blott.
Embracing Made in Britain
Pragnell has workshops in Stratford-Upon-Avon, Leicester and London, and makes about 80% of its pieces in the UK. Since 2025, all new jewels – including the Origins collection – carry the Pragnell Seal that is an indication of their provenance.
The seal, which is stamped onto individual pieces of jewellery, features a falcon, the bird of prey seen at the top of Shakespeare’s family coat of arms, gripping a rin in its beak. Beneath it are the words: Handcrafted in Great Britain.
The Pragnell Seal acts as an assurance that the piece of jewellery has been handmade in the UK by skilled craftspeople.
The plasterwork ceiling of the Pragnell showroom in Stratford-Upon-Avon, also featuring the crest of King James I.
Royal ties
Pragnell has significant links to the British royal family. George Pragnell, grandfather of Charlie Pragnell, started his career at Biggs of Maidenhead, Queen Mary’s favourite jeweller. And Philip Antrobus, a jeweller that Pragnell acquired in 1991, made Queen Elizabeth II’s engagement ring, as well as a diamond bracelet that Prince Philip gave to her as a wedding present.
It is this rich history, along with its deep connections to British craft, which have prompted Pragnell to successfully and authentically lean into the Made in Britain narrative in recent years.
Such storytelling is particularly alluring to customers across the Atlantic, helping the jeweller to report record sales. In October 2025, Charlie Pragnell told The Times that his £94 million-turnover company had experienced a 50% increase in custom from Americans since the start of the year. “We believe a lot of that is because we explain that we handcraft in Great Britain,” he told the newspaper.
Gold and diamond bangles and ring from the Pragnell Origins collection.
Find out more about the new ‘Origins’ collection at pragnell.co.uk