There is only one jeweller whose tasks are all these routinely; who possesses the Royal Warrant of the world's richest woman and it's favourite reigning monarch; whose noblesse oblige necessitates the envoy of a highly skilled maintenance team into the specially sealed off Jewel Room at the Tower of London once a year to minister to the priceless inventory within and, who has over the decades created and cared for these jewels that individually help define the history of England and collectively represent what must remain the piquant but unattainable apotheosis of even the most resourceful of expert thieves.

Garrard like Harrod's is a tangible inflection of Britain's Royal Family. At 112 Regent Street it is where they shop, albeit for consumer goods of a most particular order, and not always during accepted trading hours. Nonetheless it is an institution whose sheer existence represents both the endurance of the Royal generations and ratifies a connection between the 'commoner' and those whose bloodlines come only in the bluest of hues. For unlike Buckingham Palace, Garrard's doors do not forbid the passage of those whose family trees may not be made of such solid, centuries old oak, or whose caste is somewhat below Brahmin. Their tradition of service to their devoted international clientele is legend and nothing gives them more pleasure than to develop long-term relationships with their clients and grow with a family from birth to grandparental status.

"It is a company that you have to discover and you have to discover it personally," says Mr. Richard Jarvis, Garrard's Managing Director who has himself been with the firm for over 27 years. "It is a very difficult business to promote in terms of the media - you can't tell the story. When a business is over 250 years old you have to discover it yourself and you have to discover the service and the quality that really lie beyond the barrier of simply entering the doors. It is all those things, most particularly the service, but we are By Appointment not just to the Royal Family but to anyone in the world." Egalitarianism does have its limits however, and when 200 year old pieces of silverware pass through Garrard's portals long enough only to model price tags of UK250,000, for most of us, prudence must necessarily precede purchase.

In June 1735, George Wickes, a goldsmith and the Suffolk born son of a well-to-do tradesman, parted from John Craig with whom he had shared premises in Norris Street for five years, and opened up his own business in Panton Street, "two doors from the Haymarket" in the increasingly prosperous West End. His brand new ledger meticulously lists the contents of his new shop and workshop, and one of his first expenses was the registering of the "King Arms and Feathers" at a cost of UK14.3s6d to indicate the royal patronage that he had attracted in Norris Street where he was known to be a source of good plate amongst the nearby houses of the Royal Family and nobility; the new fashionable Squares and Houses of Parliament and most significantly for Wickes, near the house in Pall Mall built for Lord Carlton and since 1732 the home of Frederick, Prince of Wales and his wife. His fortunes were predictively consolidated on 24th March 1735, when he neatly entered against the name of His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales in this very first ledger still in Garrard's possession today, (subsequent ledgers are housed in the Victoria and Albert Museum) a transaction: "To a black Eboney Handle for a tea kettle and a Button for a teapot Os.Od."

Amongst his peers, Wickes work appears to have been at least their equal in terms of skill and fashion and during the 1730's and 1740's he showed particular mastery of the rococo style so much so that his plate drew comparisons with master craftsmen such as Paul de Lamerie and Paul Crespin. His prolific work for the Prince of Wales recommended him to comparable and lesser nobility and soon his ledgers were quickly and neatly filled with peerage titles. Dukes and Duchess, Earls and Marquesses, Bishops, the Speaker of the House of Commons, military and navy officials and the landed gentry.

The King however felt less disposed towards Wickes. Not for faulty craftsmanship, one hastens to add but rather that his son's patronage of Wickes and companies of similar calibre was so devoted as to preface extravagance. In 1737, a castigated Prince and his wife were banished to Kew, far from glittering distractions leaving Wickes and other like him to write off large orders in red letters under headings of 'Damage and Loss to me...' One year later, a more parsimonious Prince placed an order for several small pieces and a great silver gilt epergne weighing over 845 oz and still in the Royal Collection. The Royal charm must indeed have counterpointed his credit history. Upon his death, the Princess of Wales would continue her patronage, as did her son, who later became King George III.

As the years passed, Wickes business increased manifold and his reputation as one of the great master goldsmiths saw him much sought after by those wishing to place their sons into apprenticeship. He took on many, but it was the orphaned son of a Uttoxeter baker who proved pivotal in guiding the fortunes of the evolving company to even higher success. From 1747, the year in which Wickes own involvement appears to have lessened to the point of near retirement, Edward Wakelin became closely involved with the firm both in production and management. By 1750, Wickes was no longer marking the plate as his own having taken up residence on a considerable estate in Suffolk, and Wakelin became centrifugal with a distinctive design sensibility that showed fine and complex engraving and a masterful command of a neater, more formal style replacing the exuberant rococo, in which interest had now wained.

With former fellow apprentice, John Parker, Wakelin purchased the business outright in 1760, continuing to prosper and commissioning works from other specialist craftsmen in addition to the product of the extended Panton Street workshops. Sixteen years later, records appear to show that two older owners had retired to be replaced by John Wakelin in partnership with a William Taylor. There was little change in the firm's standing as prolific suppliers to the nobility of plate in the grand neo-classical style or, as master craftsmen sponsoring the rise of young goldsmiths, until 1792, when the name Robert Garrard, originally apprenticed to a hardwareman, appears.

In 1792, upon the death of William Taylor, Garrard became a partner in the firm and following his marriage to Sarah Crespel, the couple had three sons, Sebastian, Robert and James, all of whom were to succeed to the business. Robert Garrard senior, appears to have assumed sole control of the business "Robert Garrard and Bros.," he set about making it the finest and largest in the entire West End.

The ambition of the younger Garrard was fortuitously timed. Former Royal Goldsmiths and Jewellers, Rundell, Bridge and Rundell were rapidly declining in both sovereign esteem and business and in 1843, Queen Victoria appointed Garrard to the coveted position of Crown Jewellers, a warrant that Garrard has held ever since. Amongst the many fine orders placed by the Queen as a matter of course, and in addition to the regalia for Coronations and other state occasions, Garrard's were faced with one of the most difficult tasks ever to face a jeweller in 1862, the recutting of the Koh-i-Noor diamond from India.

As with many of the world's most fascinating stones, legend accompanied the massive Koh-i-Noor and in 1862, a gross of media attentions accompanied the very public cutting. In 1850, the East India Company marked its 250th anniversary by presenting the Queen with the Diamond which has since that time, been maintained as all the other crown jewels have by Garrard. Reported to have originally weighted a massive 787 carats, the Koh-i-Noor came to Garrard's as a not inconsiderable duck's egg of a stone weighing in at 191 carats.

Legend has the stone dating back to the early 14th century when it was in the possession of the Rajah of Malwa. It then became one of the precious jewels of the Mogul emperors until 1739 when Nadir Shah of Persia obtained the diamond after invading Delhi - the stone derives its name from the exaltations of the victorious Shash as he is said to have exclaimed: "Koh-i-Nor" (Mountain of Light) upon seeing it for the first time. Following his assassination, the stone was fought over for many years, finally ending up in the Punjab and when the state was annexed by the British in 1849, the East India Company took the stone as partial security for the Sikh Wars.

The prize diamond, then valued at almost UK300,000 was put on display at the Great Exhibition of 1851 and whilst the size of the stone could hardly fail to impress, the lacklustre sheen was cause for much comment prompting the decision to have the Koh-i-Noor recut form a rose to a shallow brilliant. Garrard brought over expert cutters from Amsterdam to undertake the delicate procedure and sovereign protocol intervened to the point that the Duke of Wellington Road to the Crown jewellers on a white charger and helped cut the first facet of the diamond which was henceforth assisted by 204 horsepower steam engine. A painstaking two months later, the Koh-i-Noor was a less awesome but nonetheless staggering 109 carats.

As at the root of most superstitions, a less mystical reason for the Koh-i-Noor's deportment only on female Regents most probably came from the Queen subsequently wearing the diamond as a personal ornament rather than a state treasure, in all likelihood as a token gesture to her Indian subjects. Many years later, Garrard's were to reset the Koh-i-Noor, firstly in the State Crown for Queen Alexandra, then for Queen Mary and lastly for Elizabeth, now the Queen Mother.

Garrard's continued to flourish in its work for less universally glorified patrons with the designs giving way to a more historical interpretive mode. The heroes of Medieval history and Gothic folklore replaced the rural-inspired naturalistic settings and huge centrepieces embellished with the battles of dragons and knights; wild Highlanders jousting with King Robert the Bruce and subjects gleaned from the fictional fancies of Sir Walter Scott were immortalised in sculptures of superbly modelled silver. The taste for antiquity had translation in the designs of Edmund Cotterill as the Empire spread round through the Middle East and onwards through India to Australasia.

Amongst the many trophies that were commissioned from Garrard's was the Royal Yacht Squadron's Cup presented in 1848 by the Marques of Anglesey but perhaps better known today as the American's Cup, first won by the US schooner of that name and having enjoyed a popular if brief tenure in Western Australia in more recent times. Garrard's continued to be passed down the eponymous generations until 1952 upon the death of Henry Garrard who had fathered no sons, when it amalgamated with another well-established firm the Goldsmiths' and Silversmiths' Company which had been founded in 1898. The firm then moved to its current premises in Regent Street.

Before the company passed out of family hands however, there were many coronations and official occasions for which their unparalleled services would be required. In 1870, tiring of the clumsy and procedurally-complex fashion in which it had to be retrieved from the Jewel House, Queen Victoria lost preference for the Imperial State Crown and commissioned a light state crown from Garrard's for her own personal use.

For the coronation of Edward VII and Queen Alexandra in 1902, Garrard were responsible for preparing the plate and regalia and carried out a number of modifications as the King who was recovering from ill-health could not bear the strain of the heavy and cumbersome St. Edwards Crown which dates back to 1660. Queen Victoria had decreed that the Koh-i-Noor be a part of the Crown Jewels and it was worn by the Queen Consort, set in Alexandra's crown.

The new Queen was to be a devoted patron of Garrard's and favouring a romantic style, she began a fashion for choker necklaces which has since been revived by the Princess Diana. It was during the reign of Edward VII as also that the Cullinan Diamond was presented by the Transvaal Government to the King on the occasion of his 66th birthday. Unearthed in the Premier Mine in South Africa, the Cullinan was stumbled upon by the Manager of the mine, who, out walking one night saw it gleaming on the rock face and dislodged it with his walking stick. Named for Sir Thomas Cullinan who had discovered the mine in 1902 and became its president in 1902, the Cullinan Diamond was the largest lump of gem crystal ever found, weighing in at 3,106 carat and purchased by the Transvaal government for UK 750,000.

In 1908, the King sent the stone to Asschers in Amsterdam, for cutting and the yield was a staggering nine major gems and 103 small brilliants. The two largest of the gems were retained for the Crown Jewels; the most important of which is the Star of Africa weighing 530 carats which Garrard was commissioned to place in the Sovereign's Sceptre with the cross, originally made for King Charles II, which symbolises the sovereign's temporal power as ruler of his or her people. For the coronation of King George V, the second smaller stone, weighing 317 carats, was inserted at the front of the Imperial State Crown replacing the Stuart Sapphire, dating back to the 13th century which was moved to the back.

In 1911, Garrard's moved to premises in Albemarle Street and were also commissioned to make a traditional crown for Queen Mary. The Koh-i-Noor was thus reset a second time, supplemented with the third and fourth Cullinan diamonds. These Cullinan diamonds are now in the personal possession of the present Queen and are referred to as 'Grannies Chips' by the Royal Family as Queen Mary, to whom they were made a personal present, often wore them as a single brooch and drop.

In that same year, Garrard received a most formidable commission when the King decided to attend the Delhi Durbar in India, a celebration of the King's coronation. For the occasion, Indian Maharajash forwarded some of the most precious stones in their possession to Garrard to enable them to make the Imperial crown of India, as the constitution forbids the Imperial State Crown from leaving England. It was an expensive exercise - UK60,000 for a unique display - a representative from Garrard's accompanied the King and Queen on HMS Medina to care for the crown during the trip - it has not been worn publicly since.

Queen Mary favoured a grand imperial style of jewellery and during the reign she influenced the fashion of the day accordingly. One of her more recognisable pieces today, is an elegant bow-knot tiara from which hang 19 drop pearls made up for her by Garrard in 1914. It was later worn by the present Queen who gave it to the Princess of Wales not long after she was married.

For the coronation of King George VI in 1937, Garrard remade the Imperial State Crown once again and also designed an unusual crown for Queen Elizabeth, now the Queen Mother made of platinum with removable arches, a circlet that can be worn on its own and the Koh-i-Noor diamond set in a Maltese Cross at the front. to this day, it remains in the Queen Mother's Crown and her own 'By Appointment' mark still sits alongside her daughter the Queen's Royal Warrant at Garrard.

The title of Crown Jewellers is not a sinecure, nor automatically handed down from sovereign to sovereign. Upon the death or in the one legendary case, abdication, of the ruling monarch, the warrants are re-evaluated and if the jewellery house is deemed unworthy or insufficiently able to carry out the incumbent duties for one reason or another, the honour is allocated elsewhere.

It is therefore a remarkable achievement that Garrard has held this coveted position for 148 years to Queen Elizabeth II and her family. The Imperial State Crown was once again remodelled for her coronation in 1953 to reduce the height of the arches and to accommodate the sapphire of King Edward the Confessor and the huge 170 carat Black Prince's ruby which is in fact a large balas spinel presented to the Black Prince in 1867. Henry V was reputed to have worn it in his helmet at the Battle of Agincourt and survived subsequent misadventures most particularly the purging by Oliver Cromwell when he destroyed all the symbols of Royalty after the execution of King Charles I in 1649 but salvaged by a loyal royalist who purchased it for UK4. It has been worn by successive sovereigns ever since.

Each year, when her Majesty opens Parliament, a privileged few are occasioned the opportunity of seeing an historical procession of the magnificent stones set into the Imperial State Crown, although many more around the world have seen in dozens of photographic representations, the unusual engagement rings commissioned from Garrard by her sons, The Prince of Wales and the Duke of York, for their respective Princess and Duchess.

Despite partnership changes and takeovers (the most recent by Ashbury's) Garrard remains a unique jewellery house whose sense of duty to their illustrious history and right royal past and present is of paramount import. Nonetheless, their commitment to styling and design reflects the passage of a modern era and historic pieces sit side by side with often idiosyncratic but extraordinary works of art from their workshop, like the metal, mineral and gemstone castles built by William Tolliday. Although semi-retired, Tolliday still works in a studio above the magnificently refurbished showrooms, the numerous specialised workshops which continue to serve as rarefied proving grounds for aspiring master craftsmen whose completed apprenticeships at Garrard's guarantee, as in times of old, a superlative reputation and skill.

In building his fairytale castles of which only three or four are completed each year, Tolliday handworks romance, fancy and precious materials such as lapis lazuli, agate, diamond, gold, and silver into miniature fortresses impervious to the passage of time. There is a long waiting list of hopeful admirers anticipating a castle of their own with Tolliday's signature written in a fine sprinkling of gold dust. The 'One One Two' collection is geared towards the younger market and is inspired by the Garrard's building itself, which today houses fine jewellery, tableware, antique and modern silver, watches, clocks of many periods and sporting, civic and commercial trophies, as well as the new gift department which offers a range of items priced from UK 10 to over UK 7,000 and include modern accessories such as desk calculators, Briarwood veneer and leather briefcases, decanters, ice buckets and shaving kits.

Garrard has indeed moved with the times but the romance and history of the store is as palpable as the extraordinary service which sees Managing Director Richard Jarvis still service clients personally and the dedicated team of sales staff travel the world to confer with their devoted patrons and make deliveries on a one-to-one basis.

"I' like to say that I became involved in the jewellery business for romantic reasons but unfortunately, they weren't. I actually tumbled upon it, a long, long time ago and I have been with Garrard's now for over 27 years literally joined straight from school", says Jarvis. "I wanted to do something different so I joined what was then the antique silk department of Garrard's and I just fell in love with the business, with the people in it, with the goods that we had and with the culture of the business.

"The company has changed over the period since I have been here but what hasn't altered, of course is the standard which we have always set which is first class quality and service - these standards never change. I don't think that we have improved upon them because it has always been first class but we have certainly maintained them.

"We see ourselves as a company that makes very special things for very special people. I don't know of a more magnificent showroom anywhere in the world than Garrards and in many ways we try to have an image that is not too distinct from Harrod's I suppose, in that there really is only one Harrod's and one Garrard. And I think that the most vital thing for our business is that since 1843, we have been the Crown Jewellers of England and it is very, very special title."

That very special title, naturally implies the skill of a very special man - the Crown Jeweller . William Summers, who held the title for 25 years retired and appointed David Thomas. Much like the sovereigns they serve, the appointment is made in succession.

"It is really like having something left to you in a will - being in the right place at the right time," says Jarvis. "William trained under the crown Jeweller before and David trained under William and that is really how it is passed down. For many years, David actually looked after the Princess of Wale's family, so he is certainly well-qualified for the position."

As history itself attests, everything old does indeed become new again and at Garrard's one of their current joys is to re-acquire the magnificent silver pieces that bear the markings of the original Garrard craftsmen, most particularly, Robert Garrard, and sometimes, George Wickes himself. Accordingly, the company frequently organises travelling exhibitions that cross the Atlantic, Pacific and take in such farflung locales at Brunei, Bangkok, Singapore, Australia, Chicago and San Franciso. Garrard's also have boutiques in stores in Hong Kong and Japan, and Jarvis projects that within the next few years 8-10 more Garrard's outlets will be established in Japan whose love affair with British tradition seems unwavering in its affection. They are however, very concerned that in doing so Garrard is relinquishing control; not simply selling the name and image, but the quality and standard of service that is a Queenly expectation.

"We are finding that antique silver, from UK 50,000 to UK 250,000 is extremely popular at the moment," says Jarvis of the renewed interest in the traditional silversmithy. "The biggest problem is actually acquiring them and many of the pieces that we find, haven't seen the light of day for 10, 20 sometimes 100 years. We are putting on a major exhibition in London this year in which we celebrate 250 years of ours silversmithy and we intend to have a number of our pieces that we have made over the years, back with us on loan. We are delighted to have a piece from Australia actually which is a wonderful example of Robert Garrard's work from the National Gallery of Melbourne.

"There have been quite a number of pieces that I have found personally very exciting and it is difficult to pick just one or two. We had a magnificent dinner service recently, there have also been a number of wonderful Royal pieces and where we are fortunate is that we still have our ledgers that go back to 1735 and there is nothing more thrilling than to actually find a piece somewhere in the world around about the 1740 period, trace it through our ledgers and find the original book entry. One piece I recall was found in Singapore and made originally for the Prince of Wales in 1745. The ledger entry listed the price then at UK 12.15 shillings. We then sold it six months later for something like UK125,000."

The past fascinates; it also has a tendency to repeat itself and the present day links to Britain's ancient heritage are no more tangibly realised than in the Royal Family who today represent the generations of sovereigns who headed a powerful, intriguing sometimes stormy Empire. And there is no more magical evocation of that past than the crown jewels in which history has its most enchanting repletion.