For over two-and-a-half centuries, Garrard has occupied a singular place in the world of jewelry. There, craftsmanship meets ceremony and stories are told in gold, silver, and gemstone. Its legacy is threaded through royal coronations, historic commissions, and moments of personal significance. Each piece echos a timeless elegance that transcends fashion or trend. Yet, even the most venerable of houses must navigate the currents of the modern world, where heritage and innovation must coexist, and where authenticity and sustainability are more than mere aspirations.

Today, Garrard moves with a quiet confidence, balancing its storied past with the demands of today’s luxury consumer. The brand’s ateliers continue to produce treasures of exceptional quality, while digital platforms allow its creations to find new admirers across the globe.

The heart of the renewal

Joanne Milner joined Garrard as chief executive in February 2016, ushering in a period of regeneration and renewal for the British jeweler. Drawing inspiration from Garrard’s centuries of history, she has focused on building a brand that resonates with and is valued by today’s luxury consumers. Her previous success at Debrett’s, combined with 15 years in private equity, equips her to drive global growth while enhancing Garrard’s reputation as one of Britain’s great jewelers.

Today, as chair of Garrard, Milner continues to guide the business at a strategic level. Under her leadership, the house has expanded internationally, deepened its sustainability commitments, and strengthened its digital presence, reaffirming its place as both a custodian of history and a forward-looking luxury brand.

As the company looks ahead, Milner is looking to lead in areas such as sustainability. “We are a brand that’s celebrating 290 years, and we’ve made some of the most famous jewelry. We’ve had a close synergy with the British royal family. Interestingly, we hold the Royal Warrant—the King’s Royal Warrant—and one of the really big, significant criteria for holding a warrant is your sustainability. It’s something that His Royal Highness has held close to his heart for longer than anybody else was talking about sustainability. And so, I think it’s a responsibility if you’re going to be in that position to lead by example. One of the advantages of being an independent jeweler is that you can create your own rules. You don’t have to go through layer after layer, procure it a certain way, or do it another way. We could get to the right answer, even if it weren’t through the more conventional route.”

Honoring responsibility

For Garrard, the challenge has been how to honor this responsibility in every aspect of the business, including the labels and packaging. Milner explains that bespoke volumes and one-off commissions made the traditional packaging market difficult to navigate.

“We knew we wanted to do something different with our packaging. We wanted to make it more sustainable, and we are one of the few independent jewelers left in existence, really, and so we don’t buy in huge volumes. A lot of our pieces are bespoke, so you’re often looking for one-offs. We found it really challenging to go down the traditional packaging route to find something that protected the jewelry, would allow it to be shipped to a client if they’re buying remotely, and would also be something they would keep.

“So, first of all, we took away all the layers that we felt somebody would dispose of, other than the bag,” she adds. “It obviously needed a bag, but we made it fully recyclable and used FSC-certified paper. And then, regarding the other packaging, we spent a lot of time with several packaging companies, but we couldn’t achieve what we wanted at the price we needed. And so we actually spoke with a company that produces jewelry boxes and trays, and they sell them. They’re a retailer. And we spoke to them and asked if they would look at making something for us, and they did. There’s more to be done, but it’s a huge step forward in where we work.”

Creativity and compromise

The solution required creativity and compromise. Sustainability is rarely straightforward, and some elements—like the zip—still fall short of perfection. Yet, she sees value in taking measured steps forward.

“It’s not fully recyclable and it’s not from fully recycled materials yet,” she told London Packaging Week. “It’s as sustainable as we could make it, a significant amount of it is recycled material, and we focused on that because the packaging is part of the product, so we thought it was more important that it came from recycled material than was recyclable because that’s probably not where it was going to end up. But definitely, we would like to keep looking at what’s out there to improve that.”

Action over perfection

Her philosophy emphasizes action over perfection, a mindset that drives both innovation and authenticity. Milner recognizes that waiting for an ideal solution can stifle progress, especially in areas where the rules are not yet written, such as sustainable luxury packaging. For her, the willingness to experiment, make compromises, and iterate is just as important as the result.

This approach allows Garrard to innovate within its heritage, balancing practicality with aspiration. In her own words, “It’s important. And I think one of the biggest risks of not doing something is that people cannot make it perfect the first time. And you should not delay, even if you only get partway. It’s a big step forward from where you were, and I think there’s a pressure that you shouldn’t say anything unless you’re perfect, which I don’t agree with, because nothing and nobody is perfect.

“Therefore, being honest about, ‘Okay, we found that bit hard, so we’ve made a compromise.’ This is where we are, but this is what we’re aiming for and this is our target,” she continues. “This is what we’ll keep working for. I think it inspires other people to think, okay, I can start the journey, even though I know I’m not going to get it perfect initially, at least make that start because every bit helps.”

Resonating with clients

This honesty has resonated with Garrard’s clients, who now embrace the new sustainable packaging without longing for the old.

“We’ve taken it up on ourselves,” Milner continues. “Once explained to the consumer why we are doing it, there is a big positivity from the consumers. Nobody has said, ‘Can I have the old packaging?’ Nobody. So, for sure, the consumers appreciate it and expect it from a brand like ours. They do. And we expect it of ourselves.”

Running a luxury business, Joanne emphasises, requires balancing sustainability with operational realities. There is no perfect solution, but conscious choices made thoughtfully accumulate into meaningful progress.

Small choices. Big Impact

Even the smallest operational choices are opportunities to reduce waste without compromising the customer experience. Garrard redesigned packaging inserts to be more versatile, minimizing the number of box sizes required while maintaining elegance.

“I’m really proud of the aesthetic that we got for something that ticked the boxes that we wanted to tick from a sustainability perspective,” explains Milner. “I’m proud that we got there because, my goodness, it would have been easy to give up halfway through. It was really, really hard. And something we spent a long time looking at was how we can maximise a particular use of a given packaging size. One of the boxes has lots of different inserts, so you’re making fewer different sizes, which means we could order more of the different units. Actually, things can be adapted. You don’t need a specific box for every specific product that you have, and we have done a lot on that side, as well.”

Collaboration required

For Milner, the challenges facing luxury and jewelry brands are shared difficulties. They include sourcing responsibly, reducing waste, or innovating in label and packaging design. She believes that when competitors share insights and breakthroughs, the entire industry benefits, creating momentum that no single company could achieve on its own. Collaboration, in her view, accelerates progress, inspires innovation, and ensures that solutions are practical, scalable, and truly impactful.

“I think there are still things that need to be addressed to be able to make things easier for the consumer to really understand,” she adds. “When I’m looking at a business, it’s about being able to show your whole business and what you’re doing in every aspect because packaging is one part of it. It’s about making sure consumers understand what’s turning the dial the most. And sometimes the media machines make it seem like something is turning a dial, when it’s not. So, it’s trying to make sure there’s that message.”

Through Milner’s leadership, Garrard demonstrates that a house can honor its heritage while embracing responsibility and innovation. Every decision – from packaging to global strategy – is informed by craft, conscience, and care. They ensure that Garrard remains both a custodian of history and a forward-thinking force in luxury.