Boodles Family

Nicholas recently bought an incredible 37-carat Burmese sapphire and is waiting to see it mounted in a ring. "I still get excited when I see a stunning stone set in a beautiful piece of jewellery," he says. "I'm lucky to have a job that combines my family with my passion." 

He is now one of Britain's most respected gemmologists. "I joined Boodles straight from school — I didn't go to university," says Nicholas. "It was assumed that I'd join the family business. Looking back, it was a real lottery. But thankfully, after 43 years I still adore it."

Together with his brother Michael, Nicholas has been instrumental in the transformation of Boodles from fine county jeweller to thriving brand with a discerning international clientele. "The fine jewellery industry has changed dramatically in the past five years, with luxury fashion brands launching their own ranges," he says. "There is far more style in jewellery design these days." Determined to stay one step ahead, they have raised their game. "We have a strong design team creating distinctive jewellery exclusive to Boodles," he says, "we have spent the past 15 years nurturing our individuality."

Nicholas, the current Chairman, credits his father with teaching him the basics of good business: integrity, paying your bills on time and looking after your staff. His son Jody, Head of Gemstone buying, shares his passion for fine jewels.

All the family express a desire to pass on the company to future generations in even better shape than when they took it on. "We're like decathletes — we have an interest in all parts of the company," Nicholas says. "It makes us pretty unique."

1. Describe Boodles in three words.

   British, fun and always exciting.

2. What is your favourite gemstone and why?

   It has to be diamonds. White, yellow or pink — they never fail to excite me.

3. What is your favourite Boodles design and why?

   Blossom, our new iconic design, which is selling like hot cakes.

1. What is your most wonderful or extravagant jewellery purchase this year and why

   A 37 carat Ceylon sapphire. It's very, very blue with exciting square cutting.

2. Name a family trait you feel you have inherited.

   Integrity, from my father.

3. Which talent would you most like to have?

   To be a scratch golfer.

4. Name your favourite book or film and say why.

   I love all David Lean’s films but my favourite is Ryan’s Daughter. The music and the beaches are wonderful.

5. Name your three top desert island discs.

   The Radetzky March by Johann Strauss, Maybe by The Ink Spots and Chanson D’Amour by Charles Aznavour.

6. What was your last luxury purchase?

   A made-to-measure Savile Row suit. I asked my tailor to make me look like Michael Heseltine and he made a pretty good job of it.

7. Describe your family in two to five words

   I adore them so much.

8. What is your perfect breakfast?

   Hand-squeezed grapefruit juice (not out of a carton), half a bowl of porridge with single cream and demerara sugar, and two fried eggs with two well-done slices of bacon with brown toast and coffee, preferably at The Gleneagles Hotel.

9. 
   
   Where is your favourite restaurant near home?

   Tyddyn Llan in North Wales, a hidden gem that should win the Tatler best restaurant prize.

10. Name your three top British hot spots.

    Having a picnic in the garden with Alex and Daisy; the Bar at The Goring Hotel and Dormy One Up on the 18th tee at Royal Liverpool Golf Club.

11. What are the two top qualities you look for in your staff?

    Having exactly the right attitude and lashings of common sense.

12. What is your management, or leadership style?

    I expect the highest standards in everything we do at Boodles.

In the 1980s, Michael was busy focusing on the stock market. Nowadays, he's busy focusing on Boodles' commercial success. As far as career changes go, it was a big leap from chartered accountant to managing director of a fine jewellery firm. But the lure of the family business proved too strong. "I was born into Boodles, so it was always a possibility. It wasn't rammed down my throat though," says Michael. "It felt like a good decision, and I was right — I've never regretted it."

There's been a Wainwright at the helm for more than a century. Michael's father, Anthony Wainwright - who ran the company from 1945-92 — took over directly from his grandfather and great grandfather. His brother is Chairman. Jody and James, his nephews, hold the positions of Head of Gemstone buying and Head of Digital. "My brother and I are fifth-generation Boodles," says Michael. "I'm based in London, Nicholas is in the north. We speak on the phone every day."

Over the past two decades, Michael has overseen Boodles' evolution from fine jeweller with three shops in northern England to a design-led brand with a strong presence in London, the North of England, and Dublin.

"Our new-look shops, designed by architect Eva Jiricna, are cool and contemporary and in the South East, where we didn't open our first London store until the 1990s, we are perceived as a fashionable new brand," he says. "We're just launching our ecommerce site. These are exciting times for Boodles."

1. Describe Boodles in three words.

   Fun, fashionable and family-owned.

2. What was your last luxury purchase?

   A case of half bottles of 1989 Sauternes.

3. What is your favourite gemstone and why?

   Ashoka cut diamond - unique to Boodles.

4. What is your favourite Boodles design and why?

   Blossom - my wife and daughter wear it every day.

5. Name a family trait you feel you have inherited.

   Inquisitive (otherwise known as nosey).

6. Which talent would you most like to have?

   More natural ability at most sports I play.

7. What are your plans for the future?

   More of the same and to own a classy steeplechaser.

8. Where are you happiest?

   Ile de Ré, an island off the west coast of France, with my family and close friends.

9. Describe your family in two to five words.

   My best friends.

1. Name your favourite book or film and say why.

   The Deer Hunter.

2. Name your three top desert island discs

   Make Me Smile by Cockney Rebel. Anything by the Rolling Stones.

3. Name your three top British hot spots

   Thurlestone, South Devon; The Royal St George's Golf Course, Sandwich; Cheltenham Racecourse.

4. What are the two top qualities you look for in your staff?

   A can-do attitude and integrity.

5. What is your management, or leadership style?

   Hopefully "by example".

6. Where is your favourite restaurant near home?

   The Wellington Arms near Baughurst.

7. What is your perfect breakfast?

   Kedgeree with a light curry sauce.

Gorgeous diamonds are in Boodles' blood. It's a love that goes back generations and has been passed on to Head of Gemstone buying, Jody Wainwright. Jody deals with the same contacts his grandfather worked with, and his father, Nicholas, is one of Britain's foremost gemmologists.

"I grew up surrounded by diamonds, but working at Boodles wasn't preordained," he says. "Until my mid-20s, I worked as a youth pastor at a London church. It was only when I'd achieved some key life experiences in that field that the idea of working for the family business began to excite me. My father agreed to me doing a year's trial and here I am 10 years later."

He has inherited the conviction that only the best diamonds will do. "95% of our jewellery incorporates precious stones, and I have to hunt out hundreds of special diamonds each year," says Jody.

"There are qualities I look for before checking out a diamond's certificate of authenticity. If a stone doesn't talk to me — if it doesn't have a personality of its own — it's not destined to be a Boodles diamond." His favourites are sapphires and pear-shape diamonds. "In my job, I travel all over the world to find the best gemstones," he says. "You can't beat the thrill of buying a gorgeous jewel."

1. Describe Boodles in three words.

   Fabulous, classy, fun.

2. What is your favourite gemstone and why?

   The best of diamonds and finest of sapphires — preferably Burma or Kashmir

3. What is your favourite Boodles design and why?

   The Fire Bird Suite. It's stunning and I'm not sure any other design house could do it as well.

4. What is your most wonderful or extravagant jewellery purchase this year and why?

   6.57ct D Flawless — Type 11A — Ashoka cut diamond. I feel like sucking it...it looks like a Fox's Glacier Mint!

5. What was your last luxury purchase?

   Two Hermès ties, on my birthday.

6. Which talent would you most like to have?

   Patience.

7. Name your favourite book or film and say why.

   It has to be The Good Book. I've read it regularly over the past 16 years and am more impacted by it than anything else.

8. Name your three top desert island discs.

   U2, The Joshua Tree; Michael Jackson, Thriller; Hillsong United, Aftermath.

9. Name a family trait you feel you have inherited.

   Impatience

10. What is your perfect breakfast?

    Two poached eggs (soft in the middle), bacon (well done), one tomato (cut in two, seasoned and cooked well), mushrooms and granary toast. Preferably served at The Brasserie at the Grosvenor.

11. 
    Where are you happiest?

    Probably on a desert island with a few people and belongings...

12. What are your plans for the future?

    To become better, not worse. To learn more and do it. See plenty of my family. Do my best for Boodles.

13. Describe your family in two to five words.

    Absolutely wonderful.

14. 
    Where is your favourite restaurant near home?

    Alounak - Lebanese (250 miles away!), North End Road. Not the classiest, but very tasty.

15. 
    Name your three top British hot spots.

    1) Moel Famau in North Wales on a snowy day.
    2) Holy Trinity Brompton on a Sunday morning.
    3) Driving in my car.

16. What are the two top qualities you look for in your staff?

    Good character and LIFE.

17. What is your management, or leadership style?

    It keeps changing. I’ll let you know...

Like his two uncles before him, James learnt the ropes the old-fashioned way: on the job. After working on the shop floor in Regent Street, he took over the running of the Boodles concession at Harrods before being made Director of the shop in Dublin. Now back in London, he is fully immersed in the marketing side of the business.

James is in charge of the digital development of Boodles and having set up the newly launched e-commerce business, he is also responsible for making strategic marketing decisions as well as driving brand and business development.

"There is a real camaraderie at Boodles. We are all fully committed, but work is lots of fun too. It would be far more interesting to speak about family feuds, but we don't have them. We all get on extremely well."

He closes by saying "I have a burning desire to see Boodles become one of the truly great British luxury brands."

1. Describe Boodles in three words.

   British, friendly and fun

2. What is your favourite gemstone and why?

   Diamonds will always win this one (coloured the best), but for an alternative I’d go for a Paraiba tourmaline. The electric blue colour is simply incredible.

3. Favourite Boodles design and why?

   Raindance – beautiful, asymmetric and simple (and our most successful design too!).

4. What is your most wonderful or extravagant jewellery purchase this year and why?

   I bought my wife a Boodles pendant with diamonds in rose gold when we moved back from Ireland.

5. Name a family trait you feel you have inherited?

   Being an erratic golfer.

6. Which talent would you most like to have?

   To be a great storyteller.

7. Name your favourite book or film and say why.

   Gladiator – I’ve seen it 24 times now. It just seems to get better every time.

8. Name your three top desert island discs.

   La Isla Bonita – Madonna (my favourite song when I was growing up); Jerusalem by William Blake (our school song); Somewhere over the Rainbow by Israel Kamakawiwo’ole (our wedding song).

9. 
   What are your plans for the future?

   At home: major changes are about to happen – learn to be a father!
   In business: to help Boodles become one of the great British luxury brands, both online and offline.

10. What was your last luxury purchase?

    A fantastic luxury holiday in Morocco organised by Original Travel. We ended up in the wonderful Kasbah Tamadot in the Atlas Mountains (Sir Richard Branson’s hotel).

11. 
    Where are you happiest?

    At home with my wife Laura, and my black Labrador, Morris.

12. What is your perfect breakfast?

    Two poached eggs on buttered white toast with two pieces of bacon on the side of the plate, coffee and orange juice – ideally with a good breakfast companion  - at Franco’s on Jermyn Street London.

13. 
    Where is your favourite restaurant near home?

    Medlar on the King’s Road in Chelsea – unbelievably good food with a friendly, relaxed atmosphere. It is run by Joe Mercer Nairne who has just won Tatler Young Chef Award 2012.

14. Name your three top British hot spots.

    The view from the 11th green of Thurlestone golf course in South Devon; the ferry crossing to Yarmouth in the Isle of Wight on a sunny summer’s day; and Battersea Park in London.

15. Describe your family in two to five words.

    Growing rapidly! (...twin boys due in October)

16.  What are the two top qualities you look for in your staff?

    The right attitude and initiative.

1. What is your management, or leadership style?

   Democratic and objective focused.