Founded in 1798, Boodles has grown from being a county jeweller to becoming a leading British luxury brand, with ten shops across the UK and Ireland. For six generations, Boodles has been managed by one family from its head office in Liverpool. Now led by brothers Nicholas and Michael Wainwright, in its early years the company was a silversmith and goldsmith, making the trophies for The Grand National for much of the twentieth century. Under the direction of Anthony Wainwright in the post-war years, the company broadened its view and increased its ambition, a story that was to take it from silverware to fine jewellery.
In 2022, Queen Elizabeth II reached the incredible milestone of 70 years as monarch of the United Kingdom and The Commonwealth, and in June Boodles was honoured to be able to mark this achievement by standing alongside other leading British brands as a sponsor of The Platinum Jubilee Pageant.
Sustainability has become the driving force in many business decisions, revolutionising the company’s approach to printing, packaging, and recycling. A commitment to traceability and sustainability also underpins the sourcing of diamonds, gemstones, and precious metals at Boodles. This year’s principal collection was ‘Peace of Mined’, a story of provenance featuring diamonds sourced directly from The Cullinan Mine in South Africa – the historic mine that produced Cullinan I and Cullinan II, both of which were worn by Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II at her Coronation in 1953.
Furthermore, Boodles has moved to source all gold from one single mine: the Yanfolila Mine in West Africa, in a pioneering move by a leading jeweller. Single Mine Origin (SMO) gold provides a traceable, auditable chain of custody for every gram of gold produced, from the mine all the way to the finished piece of jewellery.
"Every piece of Boodles jewellery has been designed by the team in our Liverpool head office, and we are involved with the most British of institutions from RHS Chelsea Flower Show to The Royal Ballet to being the title sponsor of The Cheltenham Gold Cup," says James Amos, Director of Boodles (pictured above), when asked why the company should win British Luxury Brand of the Year 2022. "Our customer base is primarily British and we are seen as the go-to jeweller for British people. We are one of a very few British family-owned businesses in Bond Street, and our whole approach to business has a little bit of British eccentricity to it!"
And what would it mean for Boodles to win the highest accolade at the Walpole British Luxury Awards 2022?
"Winning Best British Luxury Brand of the Year would be a serious honour for us all at Boodles," says Amos. "To quote Michael Wainwright, our Managing Director: 'it would be the very highest point of my 40 year career. We have always been dedicated to British luxury so this would be the award of all awards'."
The Walpole British Luxury Awards 2022 takes place at The Dorchester in London on Monday 21 November 2022. More information here.
