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Boucheron’s CEO Hélène Poulit-Duquesne on Genderless Diamond Jewelry
“A jewel kept in the safe is a dead jewel,” declares Hélène Poulit-Duquesne, the CEO of Boucheron’s, who wore elegant stacks of the house’s signature gold and diamond and gemstone bracelets, multiple diamond rings and necklaces when she sat down with Only Natural Diamonds last week on a visit to New York. She’s clearly a proponent of stackable, easy everyday diamond jewelry, the kinds of pieces that you can live in.
The fashionable executive explained the demand for Boucheron’s signature diamond jewelry has never been greater, and that goes for men too.
When it comes to diamond jewelry, Boucheron is all about equal opportunity for women and men.
Known as an innovator and risk-taker, Boucheron was the first to show high jewelry on male models, and soon other houses followed suit. But the house’s signature collections have inherently been genderless. It’s not his or hers jewelry, Poulit-Duquesne points out, Boucheron’s designs appeal to all genders.
In Asia, where Boucheron has a strong following, she says men have been buying the house’s signature pieces for years and are wearing them every day. It appears the trend is taking off in America: Last week in New York, she says one male client came for a jewelry showing wearing a stack of Boucheron’s Quatre ear cuffs and “looked so chic.”
Once relegated to men on the red carpet or entertainers, she says that now men in all fields are embracing signature gold jewelry – and even some with diamonds.
You can expect to see more men in Boucheron this fall with the house’s new ICONS campaign, which shows bold expressions of its iconic pieces in XXL (or jumbo-sized) editions on models Anja Rubik and Ludwig Wilsdorff. The striking campaign, created by the photographer-stylist team David Sims and Emmanuelle Alt, underscores that these pieces are about style – not gender.
Boucheron’s everyday diamond designs are anything but basic.
The French jewelry house known internationally for its jaw-dropping and wildly imaginative high jewelry and dressing A-list celebrities in head-turning pieces on the red-carpet also infuses that creative spirit into signature everyday diamond jewelry.
These stylish jewels have a strong point of view: For example, the playful Jack de Boucheron collection is defined by a graphic concealed clasp inspired by what else but jack cables! That clever clasp delivers fashionable flexibility so the gold snake chain can be wrapped multiple times and worn as a collar, bracelet or even a belt. Now that’s stylish versatility!
Boucheron’s iconic collections offer a breadth of stylish wardrobe essentials that mix and match so you can build your own unique look – and they keep evolving. The Quatre features graphic, sleek pieces in yellow, white, and rose gold and diamonds, and for a blast of color, it comes with rows of denim blue, white or ruby red ceramic.
Another elegant signature option is the Serpent Bohème, a diamond-studded drop-shape surrounded by finely detailed gold latticework. Unveiled originally in 1968, Serpent Bohème is instantly recognizable as Boucheron and comes in new iterations every year. New styles include oversized ear cuffs and necklaces, and earrings are sold as singles, making it easier to individualize your style.
Boucheron’s diamond story is about love.
Boucheron elevates everyday stackable styles with diamonds because “they are a symbol of eternity and love in all cultures,” says Poulit-Duquesne. “There’s always an emotional connection to a diamond jewel. You don’t always remember when you bought a pair of shoes, but you always remember who bought you jewelry or where and when you bought it.”
That’s why the house has partnered with Sarine Technologies on a new program that will soon certify every diamond. Since diamonds are such an integral part of Boucheron’s story, the house has pioneered a partnership that ensure every diamond’s lineage and guarantees it’s been responsibility sourced. The program starts with diamond certificates for its Etoile de Paris bridal collection. By 2025 the house will provide digital certificates for all its diamonds that verifies the 4C’s and a traceability report which lists the diamond’s country of origin and its rough weight, tracked from mine to market through Boucheron’s “meticulously selected” supply chain.
As the first French jewelry house to offer this kind of traceability, Poulit-Duquesne has set a new standard, and already her competitors are following. “The big brands like ours will train the customers to expect to know the history of the diamond,” she says. And that’s a good thing for all consumers because everyone should know the story of their diamond.
