PEACE OF MINeD A Story Of Provenance.

For some years now, Boodles have worked to build a special connection with the unique place that is the Cullinan Mine: source of the largest rough diamond ever discovered: the 3,106 carat Cullinan diamond. It yielded Cullinan I and Cullinan II – the ‘Greater and Lesser Stars of Africa’ – both of which are now among the Crown Jewels.

They featured during Her Majesty The Queen’s Coronation on 2 June 1953, in the Sovereign’s Sceptre and the Imperial State Crown. And like those diamonds, the remarkable stones in this collection come straight from the Cullinan Mine and are thoroughly traceable. Coinciding with The King’s Coronation, this collection represents a true privilege.

1977 Was a Significant Year

First and foremost, The Queen’s Silver Jubilee: 25 years since Her Majesty’s Accession. And for Boodles, their first trip to the Cullinan Mine. While the people of Britain sang ‘God Save The Queen’, Boodles late Chairman, Anthony Wainwright, and his wife Jean donned spotless white boilersuits and travelled hundreds of metres below ground. They were travelling at the invitation of the World Diamond Council.

Anthony Wainwright’s youngest son – Boodles Managing Director, Michael Wainwright, his wife Annie – and their daughter Honour, now Boodles Marketing Manager – visited the Cullinan Mine, in South Africa, to literally follow in Anthony’s footsteps. Many of the rough stones they returned with became the jewellery in this collection.

When you wear a piece from this collection, you’ll be adding your story to one which started more than a century ago – back in January 1905, when what is still the biggest rough diamond ever discovered was found at the Cullinan Mine in South Africa. At an incredible 3,106 carats, this was the diamond later cut to yield the 530.2 carat ‘Great Star of Africa’, and the 317 carat ‘Lesser Star of Africa’ – both now in the British Crown Jewels, visible in the Sovereign’s Sceptre and Imperial State Crown respectively So as one anniversary year is echoed by another, and we welcome a new monarch, we celebrate as always with diamonds.

As a diamond lover, you’ve probably heard of the ‘four C’s’ –cut, colour, clarity and carat. Boodles like to add a fifth: Clive. Clive is our master diamond cutter, and responsible for helping Director of Precious Gemstones, Jody Wainwright, create some of our most beautiful diamonds. It’s Clive’s expert eye – and guiding hand – that guarantees a diamond’s perfect finish.

From Mine, To You

It all begins with a ‘eureka’ moment: a sparkle is spotted amid the rock dust; a flash of fire, shimmering in the dark. The team in South Africa know what Boodles are looking for: high colour, high purity ‘roughs’. A deal is done, and the stone is on its way to Boodles.

The term ‘polishing’ does Clive’s work an injustice; few realise it can take months to polish some Boodles diamonds. It’s not unheard of for him to spend a full day polishing an important diamond’s ‘table’ (the top facet of the diamond) alone. After a quick trip to New York and back for GIA certification, the finished diamond is in London once more, to be placed in its setting. Then finally, it’s over to you. Which is of course where the next chapter – and your own story – begins.