Few British jewellery houses balance tradition and innovation quite like Pragnell. Known for its dedication to craftsmanship and gemmological expertise, the company has built a reputation as one of the United Kingdom’s most respected independent jewellers. Today the brand operates showrooms in Stratford-upon-Avon, Leicester and London’s Mayfair, offering fine jewellery, historic pieces and bespoke commissions.

While Pragnell is widely recognised for its classical aesthetic and historic jewellery expertise, collections such as RockChic demonstrate how the house continues to evolve its design language for a modern audience.

More Than 170 Years of British Jewellery Heritage

Pragnell’s story stretches back more than 170 years, making it one of Britain’s longest-established family jewellers. The business traces its origins to 1847, when George Pragnell began trading in jewellery and watches.

Today the company remains family-owned and run, now in its sixth generation, with Charlie Pragnell serving as Chief Executive. Over the decades the house has developed a reputation for exceptional craftsmanship, gemmological knowledge and historic jewellery restoration.

Pragnell’s workshops continue to produce jewellery using traditional techniques alongside contemporary design ideas, maintaining a balance between heritage and innovation.

This long-standing commitment to craftsmanship provides an important context for collections such as RockChic, which explore new approaches to diamond design while remaining rooted in traditional jewellery making.

The Exhibition Piece That Started It All

The idea behind the RockChic collection can be traced back to a striking exhibition knuckle ring created by Pragnell.

The ring featured a series of reverse-set princess-cut diamonds, arranged so the stones were turned upside down, exposing their angular edges rather than the polished table normally seen in traditional diamond jewellery.

The design immediately stood out because it presented the diamond in an unconventional way. Instead of focusing solely on brilliance, the inverted setting revealed the geometric structure of the gemstone itself.

This concept became the starting point for the RockChic collection, with the reverse-set diamond approach evolving into a wider range of rings, earrings, bracelets and necklaces.

The exhibition knuckle ring that inspired Pragnell’s RockChic collection, featuring a line of reverse-set diamonds across the hand. Imagery courtesy of Pragnell.

The Reverse-Set Diamond Technique

At the heart of the RockChic collection lies the distinctive reverse-set diamond technique.

Rather than presenting the table of the diamond facing upwards, the stones are inverted, exposing their pointed pavilion and angular edges. This allows the structure of the gemstone to become part of the design.

To achieve this effect, Pragnell’s gemmologists carefully select diamonds that can be cut to identical proportions, ensuring the inverted stones align precisely within the jewellery.

The result is a collection where diamonds appear more architectural, highlighting the geometry of the stone rather than relying solely on traditional sparkle.

Pragnell’s RockChic collection styled with layered gold necklaces, reverse-set diamond bracelets and rings. Imagery courtesy of Pragnell.

Diamonds with Attitude

True to its name, RockChic introduces a bold design direction within Pragnell’s jewellery portfolio.

The collection combines clean gold structures with inverted princess-cut diamonds, creating jewellery that feels modern and graphic while still rooted in fine jewellery craftsmanship.

Across the collection, this design language appears in several forms:

• Reverse-set diamond rings with sculptural silhouettes

• Diamond hoop earrings framed by polished gold rails

• Necklaces and bracelets built around geometric diamond lines

• Stackable rings and bangles that mix minimalism with strong visual presence

Many of the pieces are crafted in 18ct gold, allowing the angular structure of the diamonds to stand out against the polished metal.

The result is jewellery that feels contemporary while still unmistakably refined.

Pragnell’s RockChic collection showcases inverted princess-cut diamonds set within bold gold forms, bringing a modern edge to classic diamond jewellery. Imagery courtesy of Pragnell.

Jewellery for Modern Styling

Although the RockChic collection introduces an unconventional setting technique, the pieces are designed with everyday wear in mind.

Rings can be worn individually or stacked with classic diamond bands, creating contrast between traditional and inverted stones. Earrings and bracelets offer a similarly versatile approach, allowing wearers to build layered combinations.

This flexibility reflects how jewellery is worn today — less as formal statement pieces and more as personal collections that evolve over time.

RockChic pieces styled together, pairing reverse-set diamond bracelets, rings and layered gold necklaces in Pragnell’s contemporary diamond collection. Imagery courtesy of Pragnell.

The Jewels Club Take

RockChic demonstrates how a heritage jeweller can reinterpret one of jewellery’s most familiar materials.

By turning the diamond upside down, Pragnell presents the gemstone from a completely different perspective. The focus shifts from brilliance alone to the geometry and structure of the stone.

For a house known for classical elegance, the collection represents a confident step into contemporary design territory.

RockChic shows that innovation in jewellery does not always require new materials or technologies — sometimes it simply comes from looking at a diamond in a different way.

Discover More

Explore the RockChic collection at: pragnell.co.uk

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