de Boulle INSTORE ACS Aug16

AUGUST 2016

THE MAGAZINE FOR THE AMERICAN JEWELRY STORE OWNER

BIG COOL NO. 1

SMALL COOL NO. 1

DE BOULLE DIAMOND & JEWELRY Denis and Karen Boulle

THOMAS MANN GALLERY I/O

Thomas Mann

coolest INTRODUCING THE 10 COOL FEATURES TO TRY IN YOUR STORE VON BARGEN’S JEWELRY YAF SPARKLE BOUTIQUE THE GURHAN ATELIER BIG COOL NO. 2 SMALL COOL NO. 3 BIG COOL NO. 3 HONORABLE MENTIONS

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RENAISSANCE FINE JEWELRY SMALL COOL NO. 2

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M E E T T H E 2 0 1 6 S L AT E O F AM E R I C A ’ S C O O L E S T S T O R E S STAMP APPR VAL OF

OWNERS DENIS AND KAREN BOULLE

1ST PLACE

big cool division

DE BOULLE DIAMOND & JEWELRY A SECOND LOCATION MAKES A SPLASH IN THE FOURTH LARGEST CITY

QUICK FACTS LOCATION: Houston, TX URL: deboulle.com OWNERS: Denis and Karen Boulle FOUNDED: 1983 OPENED FEATURED LOCA- TION: 2015 STORE DESIGN: Gensler AREA: 1,800 square feet COST OF BUILDOUT: $2 million EMPLOYEES: Six BRANDS: De Boulle Collec- tion, Patek Philippe, David Webb ONLINE PRESENCE: 12,971 Likes on Facebook; 4.5 Stars on Yelp

DENISANDKARENBOULLE’S firstpriorityhasalways been tomake clients feel comfortably at home. At the same time theywant tomake sure everything theydoisassociatedwithexquisitequality,fromthefine jewelryandwatchestheyselltothequalityofmaterials used in the design of their stores. IncreatingasecondhomefordeBoulle,theirDallas- basedbusiness, whichwasnamedaCool Store in2007, theBoulleshadtheopportunitytorolloutthewelcome mat for Houston, the fourth largest city in the U.S. WhilethedeBoulleDiamond&JewelryPatekPhilippe ShowroomintroducesHoustontothedeBoulleCollection of jewelry, designed or selected by Karen, the location alsohousesthefirstofficialPatekPhilippeshowroomin theworld.Thatcallingcardhasgainedthemimmediate entrée intoHouston’s elite shopping and social scene.

“Patek Philippe is our biggest drawing card,” Denis says.“OurbrandisnotbigenoughtoopenintoHouston by itself and succeed.We found very select brands that can’t be found elsewhere that we can use to differenti- ateourselves.Thatisthekey—offeringpiecesthatthey can’t get anywhere else.” The boutique is also the only DavidWebb dealer inHouston. They chose as their location the new River Oaks District, where their heavy-hitting neighbors include Cartier, Chopard,HarryWinston, JohnHardyandVan Cleef &Arpels. They wanted the store to be welcoming but also el- egant and bespoke enough to outshine competitors on the global luxury-brand level. “Wewerecomingupagainst all the big boys in the industry, STORY BY EILEEN McCLELLAND

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BIG COOL NO. 1 de Boulle Diamond & Jewelry

whohadanunlimitedpocketbook,”Karensays.“Wehad tocreatesomethingthathadtobespecialandnotcookie cutter.Wehadtocompeteasthelittlebittyindependent, andwe were going to do the best that we could. And so we spent moneymore freely thanwas probably wise.” And they also wanted to be able to use the Houston store as a prototype for future ventures. “Wewantedthestoretobeopenandwelcoming,but elegant.Notintimidating,”Karensays.“Nottoocutting edge or too old fashioned. Classical and timeless.” TheyturnedtotheHoustonofficeofGensler,aglobal architecture,designandplanningfirm.Genslerarchitect and designer Lisa Pope-Westerman pulled together elements of residential and retail design to achieve an engaging balance. Denis says theGensler teampoured their heart and soul into the project, which, at less than 2,000 square feet, was relatively small in the grand scheme of archi- tecture and design. Pope-Westermansaysshewasimmediatelyimpressed with how lovely and hospitable the Boulles are. “The biggest thing I noticed visiting them in the original store inDallaswas that they treated you as if theywere welcoming you into their own home,” she says. “They wanted tocarry that throughto theprototypeHouston store, that very personal feeling.” A homey lounge between the jewelry showroom and the Patek Philippe shop in shop serves as a visual icebreaker with its comfortable furniture, coffee bar andrelaxedvibe.Brightyellowchairsprovideenergetic splashes of color while echoing the trademark tone of de Boulle gift bags. The curtains are a replica of those

used in their Dallas store, providing a unifying feature and an extra residential flair. The lounge serves as a transitional portal between the two sides of the store—the subtlymasculine Patek Philippe enclave and the slightly more feminine front of the store, where Karen’s jewels take center stage. The light fixtures in the front window are an ode to the residential side of the store’s personality. They act likeflickering sconces thatmight be foundon the front wall of a stately home, flanking the front doors. “The lanterns in the windows are welcoming and warm, and they invite you to take a closer look,” Pope- Westerman says. “When you do, you notice there are beautiful jewels perched on top of those fixtures. So you are engaged at different levels; you see something to attract you and lure you in, and as you get closer you seemore of the beauty inside.” Oneofthefirstobjectsofbeautyshopperswillnotice inside is the Italian crystal chandelier that looks like it would be at home in the grand foyer of an opulent residence. Brightly polished brass reflects the high-karat gold inKarenBoulle’s jewelry.While thebrassonthe façade is polished, brass finishes inside the store arematte, to take a back seat to the brilliant jewelry. Immediately to the left and right of the entry are lifestyle cases, designed to accommodate jewelry that is curated to reflect the changing seasons. The herringbone wood floors and plaster walls also provide a matte background. Choosing plaster walls over painted gypsum elevates the quality of the entire interior in a subtle way that quickly wins over guests,

TRY THIS Work with a Store Planner from the Beginning 5 Are you preparing to work with an architect or store designer on your own cool store to be? Always get design professionals onboard as soon as pos- sible, even before select- ing your space. “People who have been doing it a long time understand the pros and cons and oppor- tunities of certain spaces vs. other spaces,” says Lisa Pope-Westerman. “They will consider ceiling heights and other existing conditions. Assessing and analyzing those kinds of things gives store owners more information about which space is the better longer term investment.” PLAYLIST 5 Pop, alternative, acoustic rock, such as John Mayer and Michael Buble.

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BIG COOL NO. 1 de Boulle Diamond & Jewelry

A bold display draws attention to deBoulle’s distinctive selection of jewelry, which is sourced from around the world.

whocan’tquiteputtheirfingeronwhy exactly thespace is so warm. “It’s been really amazing to watch people come inandhear themsay, ‘It just feels sowonderful in here. Something is so special,’” Pope-Westerman says. The wall color is a carefully crafted blend of warm and cool gray tones, combining residential warmth andmodern crispness. While the palette is simple and neutral, the variety of texture andpatina adds interest. Arichmarblehalfwallseparatestheloungeareafrom the Patek boutique in the back of the store. A big budget-busting splurge for the Boulles is a two-panel logo divider wall designed by a local artisan. Eachoftheplateswithinthescreenishand-castandset withinaframeworkthatdividesthefrontretailportion from that of the lounge space. Because it’s intricately fashioned out of solid brass, the initial price estimate was $100,000 per panel. But bymaking the framework a littlemoreairy, that expenditurewas toneddown toa moremanageable $100,000 for both panels. TheDEBlogoonthescreenalsomakesanappearance on the base of store fixtures. “It’s very subtle,” Pope-Westerman says. “It’s not in-your-face. It’s almost like when you’re looking for a brand name on a piece of jewelry. It subtly signifies that it’s quality.”

Brand Power 5 De Boulle relies on brands to differ- entiate itself in a crowded luxury market.

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A hand-cast brass divid- ing wall that is one of the store’s standout features cost $100,000.

STARTING FRESH WITH DISTINCTIVE INVENTORY OPENINGA SECOND STORE has beennot only a crea- tive outlet, but also anopportunity to start fresh, to get backontothesalesfloorandtalktopeople.Denisenjoys personally greeting everyone whowalks in the door. Althoughcustomdesignisanoption,theBoullessay that the pieces ondisplay are so distinctive andunique that most shoppers find something they can’t resist waiting for them in the boutique’s customcases. Theyalsocarryestatewatches, and take jewelryand watches in trade. “We can value a piece of jewelry that someone isn’t wearing, and they can trade it for a Patek or for a new piece of jewelry,” Denis says. “It’s amazing howmuch trading we do. We looked at a beautiful 55-carat aqua- marine thismorning.” Although the Boulles recognize the rivalry between Houston and Dallas and don’t want to take sides, they havebeenpleasantlysurprisedathowquicklyHouston has embraced them, at how receptive and welcoming and diverse its residents are. “The barrier to entry here is a lot lower,”Denis says. “Dallas will watch you more before they accept you. If you come to Houston, and you are hard working with goodethicsandthestorecreatessomethingofaswagger, thenHouston people will give you a try. It’s very open, surprisingly so.” They are also enjoying the international nature of the city. Theycommuteregularlybetweenthetwolocations. “In Dallas we see locals and regular customers and there’saloyalfollowing,”Denissays.“Here,it’stheUnited Nations. Every day. We love that aspect of it.”

5-STAR FACEBOOK REVIEW 5 MAY 21: “They had a water bowl outside and gave me a treat while I was walking by their Houston shop! I hope someday they sell doggie collars.” —Molly McKinney 5-STAR GOOGLE REVIEW 5 MAY 2016: “Best of the best in Dallas and Houston! Owners and staff treat you like one of their own.” — Bo Zhou

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de Boulle Diamond & Jewelry BIG COOL NO. 1

The Boulles: Nick, Karen, Denis and Emma

What sort of advertising

before we even started. The concrete was soaked and we had to get a special machine to dry it out.” Have you faced other challenges? 3 “If it were easy to open a second loca- tion, everyone would do it. We opened in Dallas right before 9/11. And in Houston we moved in in November while the price of oil crashed. But oil is coming back. People are very positive. Houston is going to be a bigger market than Dallas for Patek. And we created a template we can reproduce.” Where did the store’s name come from? 4 “The Boulle name stems from Parisian André Charles Boulle. (1642 to 1732) who

became known for his skillful work in the field of marquetry. His style of work was eventu- ally dubbed ‘Boulle.’ In French, ‘de’ means ‘of’ or ‘from’ — ‘of Boulle’ or ‘from Boulle.’ Having ‘de’ in front of your last name in France also carries stature in the French language and in Europe.”

have you done? 5 “Patek has been instrumental in every way, using their PR machine to get stories for us, for example. There’s been a tremen- dous amount of media exposure, every major magazine in the city.”

FIVE QUESTIONS WITH DENIS BOULLE

Is it tough to sell fine watches to millennials? 1 “Many Patek Philippe customers are 25 to 35 years old, earn good incomes and have developed a passion for timepieces. My son is 27 years old and his

friends all love watches. The perception that the next generation rely on iPhones and gadgets at the expense of watches is totally wrong. They have a bigger passion for watches, almost, than older people. Watches are a point of differen-

tiation for young profes- sionals.” Did you have any setbacks during construction? 2 “The floor is the obvious one. There had been a lot of rain and there was water leakage

ONLINE EXTRA: Check out all the Cool Stores at: instoremag.com/ acs2016

BIG COOL NO. 1 deBoulle Diamond & Jewelry

SCORE CARD

Karen Boulle is responsible for finding or creating the stunning jew- elry on display in de Boulle’s ads and in its cases.

Story Interior Exterior Individuality Marketing Online

73 % 89 % 79 % 82 % 76 % 81 % 81 % OVERALL SCORE

5 COOL THINGS

Debbie Fox: Their minimalist look with clean lines, light wood casework and open floor plan gives an upscale, but comfort- able, feeling. Keeping the color palette to three neutral colors allows them to add interesting patterns and pops of color to draw the eye where they see fit. Blending their passion for race cars brings that demographic into their business and garners ad- ditional publicity. Becky Stone: De Boulle has a particularly good Instagram presence — the photos are all appealingly composed, in-focus and on brand. They clearly have a better understanding of Insta- gram than many others in the industry. Todd Reed: De Boulle has a aesthetic that is elegant and refined at every turn, and they do the things from basic to complex that make one want to trust them and get into their world. Brandee Dallow: The coolest thing about de Boulle is its amazing and elegant Patek Philippe showroom and the fact that it was the first official Patek Philippe Showroom in the world! WHAT THE JUDGES SAY

1. DISTINCTIVE DESIGNS de Boulle Diamond & Jewelry has distinguished itself through Karen Boulle’s eye for luxury and talent for design. The de Boulle Collection is inspired by Karen Boulle’s childhood spent traveling the world — England, Singapore and elsewhere in the Far East — when her father was in the diplomatic service. 2. AWARD-WINNING ENVIRONS The location isn’t just cool in the jewelry world. It has won two awards for excellence in design: First Place in Retail Design Institute Hard Line Specialty Store Category from the Retail Design Institute and a Silver Finalist at the 2016 Association of Retail Environments Design Awards in the Hardline Specialty Store up to 3,000 square feet category.

4. SUCCESS IS IN THE AIR The store has a subtle, custom- designed scent that is light and clean and spa-like and contributes to the overall comfortable, special feeling. 5. DRIVING AMBITION de Boulle has a racing team that participates in amateur and pro- fessional races. Denis’ son, Nick Boulle, was sponsored by de Boulle Motorsports and Vista del Mar of Perdido Key, FL, in the 2016 Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona where his team finished second. Through events, press and social media, this kind of national publicity and marketing exercise has created local buzz for de Boulle, and its partners in their motorsports endeavors.

3. EXPERTS IN THE HOUSE

De Boulle’s versatile staff are experts on both fine jewelry and Patek Philippe watches, and have been trained in Switzerland. The Houston staff also spent four months training in Dallas before the new store debuted.

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