Boucheron is a renowned French luxury jewelry brand with a history spanning over a century. In 19th century France, there was a craftsman named Frédéric Boucheron, who came from a family of velvet merchants and started his own business at an early age. His passion for jewelry led him to explore various materials and metalworking techniques.
In 1858, at the age of twenty-seven, Frédéric opened his first boutique in the Galerie de Valois at the Palais Royal, the luxurious heart of Paris. This marked the beginning of Boucheron's illustrious history. During the height of the Second French Empire, Boucheron's reputation quickly spread throughout Paris, gaining immense popularity. By 1866, Frédéric established his jewelry workshop, and the following year, he won a gold medal at the 1867 Paris World Exposition.
In 1878, at the Exposition Universelle in Paris, Frédéric once again showcased his work and received the prestigious "Grand Prix" award. During this time, Boucheron not only catered to the French royal family and nobility but also attracted clients from other European countries. In the same year, Prince Felix Yusupov of Russia visited Paris and commissioned Boucheron to create a brooch set with six removable diamonds.
In 1887, a grand jewelry auction was held at the Louvre, featuring gemstones from the French crown, attracting jewelers from around the world. Frédéric participated in this auction and ultimately secured two famous Mazarin diamonds that originally belonged to Louis XIV, as well as a diamond from Empress Eugénie, outbidding many competitors. The news quickly spread throughout Paris. Frédéric purchased the diamond with the intention of setting it into a ring as a gift for his wife, which helped establish Boucheron as a brand synonymous with true love.
In 1893, Boucheron established its boutique in Place Vendôme, along with its jewelry workshop, becoming the first jeweler to set up shop in this prestigious square. Frédéric chose the address at 26 Place Vendôme, which offered the best natural light, believing that this would enhance the brilliance of the diamonds displayed in the shop's windows.
Due to its longstanding popularity with the Russian royal family, including grand duchesses and the tsar and tsarina, Boucheron often received orders from them during their visits to Paris. In 1897, the brand opened its first overseas boutique in Moscow, which was later moved to Saint Petersburg.
In 1921, Boucheron was commissioned by British aristocrat Margaret Greville to create a tiara, which was later gifted to Queen Elizabeth, the wife of King George VI. Many years later, her grandson, Charles, Prince of Wales, presented the tiara to his future wife, Camilla.
Boucheron was originally a family-owned business founded by Frédéric, and it was inherited by his children after his passing. In 2000, the brand was acquired by the Gucci Group, which was later purchased by the French luxury giant Kering in 2004. Today, Boucheron has transitioned from a family enterprise to a part of an international luxury group.
