Luxury is a parallel universe. Stepping from Queen St into Partridge Jewellers’ headquarters is transcendence – gritty inner city to rarified opulence.

It’s a cloudy Wednesday in Auckland and I’m meeting Grant Partridge. He’s the owner of New Zealand’s pre-eminent watch and jewellery retailer, and keen to chat about their 160-year anniversary – and the six generations of Partridges who’ve made it happen.

Partridge’s Rolex and Patek Philippe store is Monte Carlo-style luxe. I’m greeted by a besuited staff member, led up the grand staircase into the dining room and an opulent bar. I’m offered a hot drink.
Grant enters, takes a seat, and we talk about heritage.

The Partridge story spans hemispheres. Grant’s great-great-great grandfather, James Partridge, ushered in the Partridge era when he erected a sign with the family name above his jewellers in the small market town of Kingsbridge, Devon. It was 1864.

James Partridge had taken over a family business. He was a celebrated craftsman, with ambitions beyond the small town. Many small business owners looking for a better life were heading south to the Antipodes in the 19^th century so, in 1874, he and his family (wife, six children) boarded the SS Waipa and set sail for New Zealand.

Prized skills

They made a home in the port town of Timaru. It was bustling and an opportune locale for a skilled jeweller; immigrants from the United Kingdom wanting a taste of the motherland. His talents were prized, he crafted medals, trophies and Masonic collars for those of local importance.

The passion for jewellery was passed on to his sons; Oswald and Roland founded jewellery stores in Timaru and Christchurch. But it was Linnaeus, the youngest son, who really made a mark.

Linnaeus had ambition and skill. He made the move to the North Island, setting up a Partridge jewellery store in Willis Street, Wellington.

He, too, was celebrated for his skills and sought after. The esteem with which he was held can be measured by a commission in 1908 – the crafting of a silver model of the ship Tutanekai for the prime minister and his wife, Sir Joseph and Lady Ward, on their silver wedding.

“I’ve got pictures of him working,” says Grant. “They had a big workshop of about 30 or 40 people making jewellery. In those days they used to make everything.”

The business was passed on to Linnaeus’ son Cecil (Grant’s grandfather), who passed it on to his son Ray (Grant’s father). It was from Ray that Grant learned the art of jewellery retailing.

School’s out

Grant wasn’t particularly good at school. “I went back from a second year in the sixth form and realised that I shouldn’t be there ... or the teachers told me I shouldn’t be there!”

His parents allowed him to leave at 16 and he was offered a job in a bank. But Ray could see where Grant really wanted to be.

“He said, ‘you really want to come work here, don’t you?’ I said, ‘yes, I’ve always wanted to work here’. So, I worked for my dad at 16, serving in the shop and doing all the menial jobs, the tough work. He was a tough taskmaster; he’d make people work hard, but I loved working for him. He was my idol.”

By the age of 21 he had his own store, and the ambition to move the business forward.

Ray retired in 1995, leaving Grant to run the business, and within three or four years “things started accelerating”.

While previous Partridges were all “jewellers at the bench” Grant’s talent was for creating and elevating customer experiences. He was also a visionary – able to predict trends and get ahead of the market.

Work of genius

Gaining the rights distributions of Rolex and Patek Philippe watches, well before the brands were established in the public consciousness, was a work of genius. There was no magic formula for securing the brands; he credits the acquisition to good manners, a positive attitude, and the company’s provenance.

“We were a family company; we had a long history. And we were a long way away and couldn’t do any [reputational] harm if we didn’t get it right!”

Watches are now the mainstay of Partridge (they have 18 brands) – Omega, Cartier, Breguet – and a raft of other exclusive offerings. This is fortuitous as the watches (especially Rolex and Patek) sell to a client base that isn’t generally affected by economic downturns.

“We’re very lucky that we went the watch brand way. Because in a tougher economy, certainly the watch brands still sell; especially Patek and Rolex. Some brands have ups and downs, but they are very stable.”

While the watches bring gravitas and economic security to the company, Grant’s passion is jewellery. Partridge has just hired a new French designer (“she is very clever”) and he says the jewellery team is exceptional. “We have some great people making the jewellery for us, they’re very good. I have some of the best goldsmiths in the country working for me.”

Grant buys all the stones (“except diamonds, I have a person who does that because that’s a little bit more standard, there’s a grade and you buy that grade”). He deals with gemstone merchants in Germany and Thailand and has just returned from a buying trip in Switzerland.

The next 18 months to two years will see a push into the engagement market. “We have a lot of great things lined up. I’m really looking forward to seeing what happens in this space.”

Social media

Social media has seen brand recognition explode and while Grant says he doesn’t engage with this, he acknowledges brands have boomed in recent years. But he doesn’t feel those who invest in watches and jewellery are looking for Insta-ready moments, but personal enjoyment.

“The watches and jewellery that we sell give people pleasure. They are a reward, an object of desire. Or they may represent a challenge, a goal that someone has to work hard for,” he says.

The 160-year anniversary is a big deal and will be marked by “some very, very special pieces of one-off jewellery”. There will be a “grand finale” in mid-November, attended by people from around the world. But the continuation of the family business may be the best celebration of all. Grant’s three sons are, or soon will be, working alongside him.

One of them currently runs the Rolex/Patek Philippe store. Another, a lawyer, is going to join the business after time overseas. And his younger son, who works at PwC as a consultant, is also set to join.

“They’re all quite different. They all like the watches, but their girlfriends are all pushing them into the jewellery side of things,” he laughs.