Boodles Chairman Nicholas Wainwright and his niece Honour Wainwright, Boodles
Director of Marketing, set off on a journey through Africa in search of inspiration and
some extraordinary stones. The result of their journey is our 2025 High Jewellery
collection, A Family Journey: Around Africa in 10 Days, inspired by the colours, wildlife
and landscapes they encountered along the way. From lions in the Maasai Mara, to
sunset skies over Tanzania, each moment left its own unique mark. There are forty-
two pieces in total in the collection – each one full of colour, full of character, and full
of memories of a very special trip.
A Family Journey, Africa
An adventure to Africa
The Story
From boarding the Blue Train in South Africa to soaring over the Maasai Mara in a hot air balloon, they travelled in search of extraordinary gemstones, design inspiration and a little Boodles magic.
The Inspiration
Inspired by a journey through Kenya and Tanzania, the collection drew on the extraordinary landscapes, colours, characters and wildlife encountered along the way. Translated through exceptional gemstones and intricate craftsmanship, the pieces capture the spirit, atmosphere and vivid beauty of the continent.
Special Stones
The collection showcases an extraordinary array of gemstones, each chosen to echo a moment from the journey, from exceptional tanzanites and vivid pink tourmalines to mandarin garnets, tsavorites, emeralds and morganites. Complemented by rare diamond cuts, including Ashoka, the palette captured everything from golden sunsets and rich earth tones to the vivid hues of wildlife and sky, resulting in pieces of remarkable colour and presence.
Behind The Design
From the warm glow of African sunsets filtered through baobab trees to close encounters with elephants, giraffes and lions, each moment was distilled into carefully considered forms and settings, with gemstones selected to reflect the landscape’s rich and varied palette.
The Journey
A Family Journey: Around Africa in 10 Days marks the third chapter in Boodles’ ongoing journey around the world. It follows in the footsteps of Anthony Wainwright’s travels around the world in 1962, and more recently, Nicholas’ European adventure in 2023. This latest collection was inspired by a very special ten- day trip through Africa.
Craftsmanship
From initial sketches to the final setting, each piece was meticulously developed, with Rebecca Hawkins and her team translating the colours, textures and stories of the journey into refined, wearable designs. Intricate stone setting, the considered use of enamel and carefully balanced compositions required exceptional precision, ensuring every jewel not only captured the spirit of Africa, but was crafted to the highest standards of Boodles artistry.
Boodles & Friends
Saul Goldberg, son of renowned diamantaire William Goldberg, creator of the Ashoka cut, joined Nicholas on the first leg of the African journey, bringing with him deep expertise and exceptional connections in the world of rare diamonds. Their time together not only fulfilled a long-held ambition, but also resulted in the selection of remarkable Ashoka stones, now featured within the collection.
Just A Drop
Alongside the journey’s creative inspiration, the trip also provided Honour with the
opportunity to see how Boodles’ chosen charity’s initiatives were progressing.
Having long supported the work of Just a Drop, Honour visited projects in Kenya to
see their impact firsthand - initiatives that provide sustainable access to clean
drinking water and support education and local communities. Through efforts such
as sand dams and water systems, these projects are helping thousands of people
build more secure and independent futures, reinforcing Boodles’ belief in
contributing meaningfully to the communities it relies upon.
“The landscapes and wildlife were breathtaking, but it was the colours that truly stayed with me. We brought that vibrancy into the collection through exceptional gemstones: opals, morganites, tsavorites, and of course, some remarkable diamonds. Each stone was chosen to echo a moment from the journey. Our aim was to create pieces that feel both precious and personal — a celebration of Africa’s beauty, through a Boodles lens.”
The Boodles Archives
The Boodles Archive offers a glimpse into a series of exclusive high jewellery collections, each defined by one-of-a-kind designs and exceptional gemstones. Drawing inspiration from places, people and journeys, these collections reflect moments in time translated through craftsmanship and creativity.