British Fine Jewellery Houses: Boodles and the Names to Know

The great British fine jewellery houses include Garrard, Asprey, Graff, Annoushka and Boodles, a family-owned Liverpool jeweller with roots going back to 1798 and now run by the sixth generation of the Wainwright family. What links them is a British habit of putting the gemstone first, designing with restraint and building pieces to be passed down, and Boodles is the house Coveti stocks, with 997 pieces now listed across the fine jewellery edit.

When people ask me which luxury jewellery brands are worth knowing beyond the Paris names, I start with Britain. This guide sets out what makes British fine jewellery its own thing, profiles Boodles in depth, and ends with how to choose a house and what to buy first.

Key facts

• Boodles traces its roots to 1798, when the Kirk family established a jewellery business that later acquired Boodle and Dunthorne.
• Boodles House, opened in 1921 on the corner of Lord Street and North John Street in Liverpool, is still the company’s head office.
• In March 2024, sixth-generation family members James Amos and Jody Wainwright became Joint Managing Directors of Boodles.
• The Boodles Raindance ring was chosen in 2010 for the permanent jewellery exhibition of the V&A Museum in London as an “iconic British jewellery design”.
• Boodles is the only British jeweller to offer ASHOKA® cut diamonds, a 62-facet cut that appears up to 30 percent larger than an emerald cut of the same carat weight.
• Since 2021, Boodles has used Single Mine Origin (SMO) gold in all of its jewellery.
• Garrard was founded in 1735 and Asprey in 1781, both in London.

What makes British fine jewellery distinct?

There is no single British look, but there are habits you notice once you have handled enough pieces.

The stone leads

British houses tend to design around the gem, not around a logo. Boodles describes its own challenge as “allowing the personality of each gemstone to shine through”, and that line could stand for much of the British tradition.

Family and continuity

Several of the best-known British names are old firms with long, unbroken stories. Boodles is still owned and run by one family, six generations on, and that long view shows up in how the pieces are made: to be worn daily and handed down.

Craft with a sense of humour

British design often carries wit alongside rigour. Boodles collections take inspiration from a summer sunset, a peacock’s feather and a flamingo’s pose, and its designers add hidden gem set details that only the wearer will find.

A long culture of standards

Britain has hallmarked precious metals for more than seven centuries, one of the oldest forms of consumer protection in the world. That culture of testing and assurance still shapes how British buyers think about fine jewellery.

Who are the best-known British fine jewellery houses?

Here is a short overview for context. Boodles is the house Coveti stocks, and the profile that follows goes into detail.

Who is Boodles?

Boodles is a sixth-generation, family-owned British fine jeweller headquartered in Liverpool. For the full history, read who is Boodles; here are the moments that matter most.

From 1798 to Liverpool

The story starts with the Kirk family, who established a jewellery business in 1798. Henry Wainwright managed Kirk & Co at 7 Parker Street in Liverpool and became owner of its Liverpool branch in 1898. In 1910 his sons Harold and Herbert bought the stock, premises and goodwill of Boodle and Dunthorne, an old-established firm of jewellers.

In 1921 the family opened Boodles House in Liverpool, which remains head office today. A second shop followed in Chester in 1965, Manchester in 1980, and the first London shop, opposite Harrods, in 1987. Boodle & Dunthorne became simply Boodles in 2004, and the first Bond Street shop opened in 2007.

The family today

Nicholas and Michael Wainwright took full control in 1992 and built a leading design team. In March 2024, James Amos and Jody Wainwright were appointed Joint Managing Directors, with Michael Wainwright becoming Chairman and Nicholas Wainwright continuing as President. In 2023 Boodles was named British Luxury Brand of the Year at the Walpole British Luxury Awards.

How Boodles makes jewellery

Boodles aims to design all of its pieces in-house. For its rings, the house chooses each diamond individually, designs the setting, crafts the metal and sets the stones one by one, checking quality at every stage. Boodles diamonds are typically selected within the D to G colour range, and its diamond rings have the carat weight engraved inside the shank.

How has Boodles shaped British design culture?

Few jewellers are as woven into British public life as Boodles, and the record goes back almost a century.

Commissions and trophies

In 1934 Boodle & Dunthorne designed and made a silver-gilt switch box presented to King George V when he opened the Birkenhead library. In 1947 it made the solid silver stand for one of Princess Elizabeth’s wedding cakes, and in 1958 it made the gold trophy for Mr What, the record-breaking Grand National winner that won by 30 lengths.

Collaborations with British institutions

In 2015 Boodles worked with The Royal Ballet on Pas de Deux, a high jewellery collection inspired by two dancers moving in partnership. In 2017 came The Poetry of Landscape, drawn from Britain’s natural scenery and seasons. In 2024 the house marked 200 years of the National Gallery with a high jewellery collection built on four themes: Play of Light, Perspective, Brushstrokes and Motherhood. The same year, Boodles and Mulliner created a one-of-one Boodles Bentley.

Museums and gardens

In 2022 Boodles was invited to show its story at the Lady Lever Gallery during the gallery’s 100th anniversary, in an exhibition that traced how Liverpool shaped the business. The house has also designed gardens for the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, including a Secret Garden with garden designer Thomas Hoblyn in 2021.

High jewellery today

Recent Boodles high jewellery has often grown out of family stories. The 2021 collection, Around the World in 16 Days, was inspired by a photo album from Anthony Wainwright’s 1962 trip around the globe. The 2025 collection, A Family Journey: Around Africa in 10 Days, followed Nicholas Wainwright and his niece Honour, Boodles Director of Marketing, through the colours, wildlife and landscapes they met along the way. There are 24 A Family Journey pieces at Coveti, several set with sapphires, rubies and pink diamonds.

Which Boodles signatures should you know?

Raindance

Raindance was created in 2000 and is the house’s best-known design. In 2010 the V&A Museum chose the classic ring, set with nine brilliant cut diamonds, for its permanent jewellery exhibition as an icon of British jewellery design. In 2025 the Boodles Raindance Garden won a gold medal at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, marking 25 years of the collection. There is much more in our Boodles Raindance guide.

• Raindance Classic Platinum Diamond Ring
• Raindance Half-Hoop Platinum Diamond Ring
• Raindance Classic Cluster Platinum Stud Earrings

Ashoka

The Ashoka is a 62-facet diamond cut developed by the William Goldberg family in New York, who secured its patent in 1999. Boodles is the only British jeweller to offer it, and it is exclusive to Boodles in Europe. It can take up to six months to cut and polish, fewer than one percent of rough diamonds can achieve the shape, and it appears 30 percent larger and more brilliant than an emerald cut diamond of the same carat weight.

• Ashoka Diamond Platinum Stud Earrings
• Trilogy Ashoka Cut Platinum Diamond Engagement Ring

Pink diamonds

Boodles first bought Argyle pink diamonds in 1998 and has been entrusted with the last remaining stones from the Western Australian mine, along with the Argyle Pink Diamonds™ brand. Those stones will form part of the Boodles 2027 High Jewellery collection. Our pink diamonds guide explains why they are so scarce.

Sourcing: SMO gold and Peace of Mined

Since 2021 Boodles has used Single Mine Origin gold in all its jewellery. Its Peace of Mined collection, launched in 2022, uses diamonds that are completely traceable, and its partnership with the Diavik Mine lets it trace specific diamonds from mine to finished piece. Diavik closed in March 2026, so those stones are now finite.

• Boodles Brilliance Platinum Diavik Diamond Engagement Ring

How do Boodles collections compare at Coveti?

Counts and starting prices below are for the Boodles pieces listed at Coveti, correct at the time of writing.

How do you choose a British fine jewellery house?

Start with the stone you love

If white diamonds are your thing, look at how a house cuts and selects them. If colour draws you, look at the gemstone range; Coveti’s gemstone rings are a good place to compare.

Look for a signature you will still want in twenty years

A recognisable design, such as Raindance, gives a piece identity without relying on a logo. Ask yourself whether you would wear it on an ordinary Tuesday.

Ask about sourcing

Traceability has become a fair question to ask any jeweller. Boodles is unusually open about its gold and diamond sourcing, which is worth weighing against houses that say less.

Compare across countries too

British houses sit well beside the French and American names. At Coveti you can compare Boodles with Cartier, Messika and David Yurman.

What should you buy first from Boodles?

My advice is to start with the piece you will wear most, then build around it.

An everyday pendant

The Love Letter Rose Gold Initial Pendant is the most accessible way into the house, and the Blossom Mini White Gold Diamond Pendant adds a diamond without fuss. Browse more in pendant and charm necklaces.

Earrings you will not take off

The Roulette Yellow Gold Diamond Flip Earrings work from desk to dinner, and the Ashoka studs above are the upgrade. See all diamond stud earrings.

A ring with a story

The Be Boodles Classic Motif Ring is a relaxed first ring. For something more significant, a Raindance half hoop stacks well, and our statement rings edit and toi et moi ring guide show bolder options. If it is an engagement ring, start with the engagement ring guide and the engagement rings category.

Frequently asked questions

What are the most famous British fine jewellery houses?

Well-known British fine jewellery houses include Garrard, Asprey, Graff, Annoushka and Boodles.

How old is Boodles?

Boodles traces its roots to 1798, when the Kirk family established a jewellery business that later acquired Boodle and Dunthorne.

Where is Boodles based?

Boodles is headquartered at Boodles House in Liverpool, which the family opened in 1921, and has a flagship store on London’s Bond Street.

Is Boodles still family-owned?

Boodles is a sixth-generation, family-owned jeweller, led since March 2024 by Joint Managing Directors James Amos and Jody Wainwright.

What is the Boodles Raindance ring?

The Raindance ring is a Boodles design created in 2000, and in 2010 the V&A Museum chose the classic nine-diamond ring for its permanent jewellery exhibition as an icon of British jewellery design.

What is an Ashoka cut diamond?

An Ashoka cut diamond has 62 facets, was developed by the William Goldberg family in New York, and is offered in Britain only by Boodles.

What gold does Boodles use?

Since 2021, Boodles has used Single Mine Origin (SMO) gold in all of its jewellery.

What is the most affordable Boodles piece at Coveti?

At the time of writing, the Boodles Love Letter initial pendants are among the most accessible pieces at Coveti, starting at $2,350.

Shop Boodles at Coveti

Every Boodles piece at Coveti is new and authenticated, and ships insured worldwide by DHL Express and FedEx, mostly Delivered Duty Unpaid. Explore the full Boodles collection at Coveti, from Raindance and Ashoka to pink diamonds, and find more across diamond rings and diamond necklaces.