Boucheron Jewelry - Boucheron

Boucheron Jewelry House was founded in 1895. Its founder, Fredrik Boucheron, began to work in the period 1852 - 1870.

At that time, Empress Eugenie, wife of Napoleon III, dreamed of reviving the fashion of the times of Louis XVI. Evgenia was famous for her beauty, and was a trendsetter for the whole of Europe. It was she who introduced the fashion for comfort, travel, big hotels and relaxation on the ocean coast, not to mention jewelry and perfumes. Empress Eugenie established the Marie Antoinette style at court. For that time, garlands of flowers, roses, arrows, ribbons were typical. And besides flowers, the main trends in fashion were Egyptian, Greek, Roman and Etruscan motives.

Wealth, luxury and status in the secular environment were demonstrated so much that the ladies put on almost all of their jewelry at the same time. And perhaps only society ladies. A courtesan named La Bel Otero once ordered a corsage made of precious stones from Boucheron. One day, sparkling with her adornments, she was having dinner at the Maxim, and at that time Liane de Pugi, her rival, entered. She entered in a black velvet dress with no jewelry. Everyone was somewhat surprised at this outfit. However, her maid was walking beside her. And when Liane took off her hat and cloak, amazement gave way to admiration. All of her priceless jewelry glittered on the servant. Lian sat down at the table to thunderous applause. And La Bel Otero immediately hastened to leave.

Boucheron jewelry - Boucheron photo

Frederic collaborated with the then famous decorator Henri Penon. Together they decorated the Boucheron windows, and the fruit of their imagination appeared the showcases, where decorations were adorned with velvet draperies. The windows were luxuriously decorated, and a crowd of onlookers always gathered near them. Diamonds look amazing on a velvet background. They shimmer with all the colors of the rainbow ... Boucheron loved to work in Japanese, Chinese and Egyptian styles. He was very fond of the style of the 18th century, which was called "Marie Antoinette".

Frederic Boucheron loved to use all kinds of materials in his jewelry. Of course, diamonds brought in from the mines of South Africa were in the first place. The frame for these jewelry was selected from the most worthy and noble material - platinum. But other jewelry materials such as rhinestone, ivory, cast glass, blue steel, Boucheron wood were also often used, and knew how to combine them with different stones.

His jewelry has a slightly restrained, graceful and sophisticated character. Frederic Boucheron fantasized himself and knew how to appreciate the work of his designers. He was happy and happy not only with his own success, but also with the success of his colleagues. Thanks to the friendly and wonderful team, in which everyone knew how to rejoice and share success, such talents were born as Rene Lalique, Paul Legrand, Alfred Menu, Jules Debu and many others. Its craftsmen became famous for their adornments and impeccable technique of execution. Everyone was especially amazed by the decorations, unusual for that time, which were created with the effect of transparent glass.

Frederic Boucheron's son continued his father's work. He opened branches of the firm in London and New York, used a new method of cutting stones. Louis Boucheron, like his father, loved the theme of nature: flowers, fruits, animals, feathers, stars. The designers of the Boucheron firm became virtuosos of their craft, realizing a unique vision of beauty in the art of jewelry.

The Boucheron House has been awarded several times at international exhibitions.

In the 20s and 30s of the last century, long earrings, bracelets and various pins were fashionable, which women of fashion wore on a hat, dress or belt.And in this, the House of Boucheron managed to demonstrate the unique art of its masters.

In the late 1920s, the Boucheron firm adorned the Maharaja Patiala's caskets with precious stones. Especially bright and delightful the designers of Boucheron succeeded in jewelry in the spirit of oriental “art deco”. The Shah of Iran was so delighted with the creations of Boucheron that he entrusted Louis Boucheron to evaluate the treasures of Persia called “the treasures of a thousand and one nights” and “the treasures of Golconda”. Louis did this and subsequently kept the secret of the treasures he saw. In 1958, the Shah of Iran again turned to the House of Boucheron, but this time to Gerard Boucheron, the son of Louis, in order to continue the assessment of Persian treasures and create a museum of famous jewels. Gerard, like his father, loved stones and conveyed their beauty, using a special cutting technique. He brought the best master jewelers to Iran to restore the famous treasures. And in 1960 the museum was opened.

Since 1970, Gerard's son Alain entered the family business, and he became a worthy successor to the Boucherons. In jewelry, he embodied the harmony of nature - the magnificent unity of stone and wood, stone and tortoiseshell... These are exactly the combinations that Frederic Boucheron once managed to express, drawing inspiration from the diversity of the world around him.

Customers in the Boucheron Jewelry House were famous and famous persons - Empress Alexandra Feodorovna, Grand Duchess Maria Alexandrovna, Her Majesty Queen of Spain Isabella, the great actress Sarah Bernhardt, Her Majesty Eleanor of Bulgaria, Her Majesty the Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip and many, many other princes and princesses, dukes and kings.