Boucheron

Summary

Created by Frederic Boucheron in 1858, Paris-based luxury jewellery brand Boucheron is built through four generations of direct descendants. In no time the luxury jewellery brand was designing for royal families across the world and aristocrats. First of the great contemporary jewellers to open a boutique on Place Vendôme, Boucheron continues to create the classics of tomorrow. Today, it is part of global luxury group Kering.

History

The House of Boucheron was founded as a family business by Frederic Boucheron in 1858. In 1867 he won the Gold Medal during Exposition Universelle and there was no looking back. Avant-garde and modern- Boucheron liberated both the jewellery and the women who wore it.. without resorting to ideology. He became the jeweller of free and independent women. In 1878 the Russian Prince Felix Youssoupoff purchased a corsage encrusted with six diamond bows.

In 1909 Frédéric Boucheron’s son Louis traveled to India. Inspired by the mystique of Rajasthan.. Claire Choisne created “Bleu de Jodhpur”. Per Forbes: “..daring and unusual materials like sand and marble never used before in high jewellery – yes, the very same soft, milky-white Makrana marble known for its exceptional radiance extracted from the quarries in Jodhpur, which was used for the construction of the Taj Mahal in Agra back in 1631. Thus we find the majesty of Jodhpur’s traditional palaces… and the modernity of Art Deco architecture… in Boucheron’s new haute joaillerie collection that is a blend of ancestral traditions and contemporary design…”

In 1893 Frédéric Boucheron was the first of the great contemporary jewellers to open a boutique on Place Vendôme because it was the sunniest corner of the square and he believed that the diamonds in the windows would sparkle brilliantly. Paul Legrand- chief designer- The House of Boucheron is credited with the design aesthetic of combining pearls with diamond rondelles- in 1889. Boucheron also developed a clasp-less necklace which was part of its show that won Grand Prix for Outstanding Innovation in a Jewellery Collection at the 1889 World Fair. Legrand was also influential in the design of “Plume de Paon” which was featured in Point d’ Interrogation necklace bought by Grand Duke Alexei Alexandrovich Romanov.

In 1921 Boucheron was commissioned to make a tiara for Lady Greville which was later gifted to Queen Elizabeth. Her grandson Prince Charles passed the tiara on to his wife Camilla- Duchess of Cornwall. In addition to Czar Alexander III.. royal patrons of Boucheron have included Maharajah Sir Bhupinder Singh of Patiala, Riza Shah Pahlevi, Queen Farida of Egypt and Queen Rania of Jordan. Of these the most notable was In 1928 when the Maharaja of Patiala came to Boucheron with 7,571 diamonds and 1,432 emeralds to be set into one hundred and forty nine truly exceptional pieces of jewellery. This was the first time a jewellery Maison received such a staggering order.. In 1930 the Boucheron family was named Official Guardian of the Imperial Treasure of Persia by The Shah of Iran.

Boucheron is celebrated for several milestone collections — the fine jewellery brand collaborated with Waterman Paris to produce limited edition pens with an 18K solid gold nib and blue translucent Resin body.. Boucheron and iconic fashion designer Alexander McQueen collaborated to create a limited-edition Novak bag that incorporated the snake motif of Boucheron’s ‘Trouble’. The beginning of a collaboration between Boucheron and Swiss watchmaker Girard-Perregaux witnessed ‘LadyHawk Tourbillon’ and limited edition Boucheron tribute watch. Amongst the most notable… in a joint venture with mobile phone brand Vertu… Boucheron created the world’s first High Jewellery limited edition mobile phone crafted with gold and precious gem stones!!

Expansion was on the cards. In 1893 Boucheron opened a boutique in Moscow and later shifted to Saint Petersburg in 1911. In 1903 a store in London and an office in New York. More store openings followed in Japan in 1973, Shanghai and Dubai in 2005 and Hong Kong and Kuala Lumpur in 2006. The luxury jewellery brand diversified into jewellery. Per Vanity Fair: “…the French jewelry house created a new fragrance “Boucheron Place Vendôm” featuring rich notes of orange blossom, jasmine, honey, and cedarwood, which evoke the feeling of young love—the kind everyone wants to bottle.”

Following the death of its founder Frédéric Boucheron in 1902 his descendants took over the family business. In 1994 the luxury brand was acquired by Schweizerhall and resold to Gucci Group NV in 2000 for reported $145 million- and again resold to PPR in 2004. Boucheron today makes watches, fine jewellery and licenses its marque for perfumes created, produced and distributed under license by Interparfums. It has thirty-four boutiques worldwide and an e-commerce website.

In 2015 Paris-based apparel and accessories conglomerate Kering- which owns Bucheron- announced that Hélène Poulit-Duquesne had been appointed chief executive officer of Boucheron. Poulit-Duquesne reports to Albert Bensoussan- CEO- Kering Luxury – Watches and Jewellery. Boucheron was in the headlines when Creative Director Claire Choisne transformed Art Deco designs onto contemporary jewellery. Per Vogue: “The mix of purity and opulence is why it remains so timeless” she says. The lavish detail of gradated diamonds in one of Choisne’s favourite pieces in the collection- the Lavallière Diamants necklace is kept in check with pure lines and a strict monochrome scheme of white diamonds and gold and black onyx and lacquer…”

For the first time, a jeweller at Place Vendôme is directed by two women — Hélène Poulit-Duquesne, CEO and Claire Choisne, Creative Director. The luxury jewellery brand continues its upward trajectory. In 2019 a black-tie dinner was hosted to celebrate the renovated Boucheron boutique in Place Vendôm. Per Bof: “shoppers who enter the restored eighteenth-century mansion- which reopened this week after a sweeping restoration by parent Kering SA- can slip out with their purchases through a secret door through the lacquered panels of a Chinese-inspired selling room. High rollers who prefer to stay might even be invited to sleep in a VIP guest suite — operated by the Paris Ritz, no less — featuring views of the Eiffel Tower from the bathtub.”

Vision

Maison Boucheron’s founder Frédéric Boucheron was a pioneer and trailblazer in the world of High Jewellery. His cutting-edge style pushed traditional standards and this vision remains deeply rooted in the brand DNA. The team is passionate about progress and puts innovation at the heart of its creative approach. While they are proud of the rich brand heritage.. they draw inspiration from the future… opening up immense possibilities through unique creative collections that are steeped in its heritage and yet look ahead.

Mission Statement

To be ethical transparent throughout the production process.

Products and Services

Boucheron today makes watches and fine jewellery and licenses its marque for perfumes created, produced and distributed under license by Interparfums. It has thirty-four boutiques worldwide and an e-commerce website.

Awards and Recognition

The first time that Frédéric Boucheron won a gold medal was at the 1867 Exposition Universelle in Paris. This was just the start of a long string of international awards. The luxury jewellery brand is recognised for the unique jewellery that it handcrafted for royal families worldwide.

Key Team

Claire Choisne (Creative Director)

Hélène Poulit-Duquesne (CEO)

References

• Official website Boucheron
• Boucheron heritage and milestones Boucheron
• Art Deco Reaches Modern Heights Vogue
• Why Boucheron is so highly regarded Elle
• Facebook page of Boucheron Facebook
• Boucheron welcomes a new empire Elle
• Boucheron’s High Jewellery Takes Wearers On A Voyage To India Forbes
• How Boucheron uses creativity to demonstrate its sustainability Forbes
• Twitter page of Boucheron Twitter
• A look at Queen Elizabeth II’s jewellery Vogue
• Cartier Executive now Boucheron CEO Forbes
• Boucheron defies convention with More Is More Forbes
• Instagram page of Boucheron Instagram
• Boucheron Pays Homage To The Maharajah Of Patiala Forbes
• LinkedIn page of Boucheron LinkedIn
• Boucheron: House of Lights Vanity Fair
• Boucheron for Vertu Phones Luxist
• Youtube channel of Boucheron Youtube
• Boucheron looks to the Eighties Forbes
• Wiki page of Boucheron Wikipedia