Cadogan

► Always a story

Boodles is that rarest of creatures: a brand with centuries of brilliant craft heritage, while at the same time always as fresh as spring blossom. Quintessentially British, it is one of the only remaining family-owned jewellers on London’s Bond Street. Timeless, and yet utterly modern.

Founded in 1798, Boodles is known for the quality of its precious gemstones and the skill of its creations. Thanks to an inspirational team of in-house designers, the company’s visionary philosophy continues to champion exemplary British craftsmanship. Boodles’ signature style is so iconic, in fact, that their Raindance ring resides in the permanent collections of the Victoria & Albert Museum in London to represent the very best of British jewellery. The Boodles secret is simple. As a sixth-generation family enterprise, it cares passionately about all that it does. And despite receiving many outside offers to buy up the business, Boodles remains resolutely committed to doing things independently, in its inimitable way. Brothers Nicholas and Michael Wainwright now lead the company from the head office in Liverpool and flagship showroom in Bond Street. They are ably assisted by the next generation: Nicholas’s son Jody is director of precious gemstones, while his nephew, James Amos, is responsible for the brand’s public image. On 9 June 2018, it was announced in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List that Boodles chairman Nicholas Wainwright would be awarded an MBE for ‘services to UK jewellery exports and charitable fundraising’. The team at Boodles goes out of its way to exceed expectations. Customers often become friends, and Boodles is known for going to extreme lengths to meet their precise needs, often acting as a concierge service for clients. Stories abound of Boodles’ gems being driven through the night to reach all-important celebrations – and of Boodles’ employees hopping onto planes to help customers ‘pop the question’ in style. Boodles’ customers reward this commitment, with many travelling to London from far-flung reaches specifically to see new collections. Boodles was proud to celebrate its 220th anniversary in 2018, presenting various new designs to commemorate this special milestone. New launches included a spectacular one-off necklace featuring 93 D-colour Ashoka cut diamonds, and hundreds of tiny Argyle pink diamonds: the result was a covetable accumulation of rare diamonds and an unparalleled achievement in outstanding jewellery design. Boodles was delighted to collaborate with longstanding partner, Patek Philippe, to create a limited edition Patek Philippe World Time watch with a reference to Liverpool, the birthplace of Boodles, replacing London for this special series. The icing on Boodles’ 220th anniversary cake. In addition, 2019 sees the unveiling of an exceptional new High Jewellery collection, a selection of exceptional design-orientated pieces, inspired by the art of storytelling. Each individual piece has a unique tale to tell, with themes and inspirations ranging from the magic of nature to the mythology of the supernatural, from calligraphy symbols to architectural motifs, and all things in between. There’s an effortless sense of grace, discretion and fun about Boodles. Fans of Boodles say you simply won’t find it elsewhere. Perhaps that’s because Boodles recognises – and expresses in its byword – that behind each stone there’s ‘always a story’.

Above left ► Rose gold, diamond bracelet.

Above ► Raindrop necklace with cabochon-cut moonstones, pink opals and diamonds.

Below, left ► Marquise-cut, pink diamond ring and Sophie diamond heart platinum earrings.

Below ► The iconic self-winding Patek Philippe World Time model. The word ‘Liverpool’ is included in pink, in tribute to Boodles birth place & brand’s colour, and the 220th anniversary.