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In 1983, English natives Denis and Karen Boulle launched de Boulle Diamond & Jewelry in Dallas, in a small salon. The couple introduced the city to many luxury-watch brands, along with fine jewelry collections and then moved to its much larger current location in 2001. The building had been a toy store, a restaurant and a bank, but after much reconstruction, it was transformed into a sophisticated 13,600-square-foot, two-story, French-style villa. In 2019, Denis and Karen thought it was time to renovate their flagship store, from lighting to walls, floors and showcases, without changing the interior architecture.

Nick and Emma have joined their parents, Karen and Denis, at the store and are now second-generation jewelers.

The 13,600-square-foot Dallas de Boulle store first opened in 2001 and its renovation was complete in 2020 at a cost of $1.5 million.

Karen Boulle found two sparkly, eye-catching chandeliers from Italy that became focal points of the renovated store. “The chandeliers helped ground everything and they give the cases below a sense of place in the store,” says Laura Loreman, an interior designer with Gensler, the global architecture, design and planning firm.

Before the renovation, cases were tall and had the effect of closing off the voluminous space. Now, lower case heights draw people in, both visually and physically. The airy and inviting design celebrates the arched ceiling that runs down the center of the store.

Wall colors are warm and cool gray tones, combining residential warmth with modern crispness. The effect is to give the whole store a consistently lighter look, which complement the Patek Philippe space.

The Dallas renovation coincided with the addition of what they describe as their crown jewel, a second Patek Philippe dedicated showroom. The one the Boulles opened in their Houston store in 2015 was the first in the world.

Clients enjoy comfort and an air of hospitality in the Patek Philippe showroom with colorful seating.

A spiral staircase designed by a local artisan and fabricated in steel is intricately fashioned to reveal the de Boulle hallmark, an emerald-cut shape.

Candle cases, the taller vitrine cases in the back of the store, are illuminated to both draw the eye and set the stage for the transition to the Patek Philippe showroom.

At the heart of the store is a tradition of hospitality. A cozy lounge with comfortable furniture, cappuccino and a well-stocked bar remains in place next to the sprawling fireplace. Bright yellow chairs provide energetic splashes of color and echo the trademark color of de Boulle.

A dedicated space was created for a replica of the 1959 car that won at Le Mans. De Boulle has a motorsports division and Nick de Boulle is a professional race car driver as well as a de Boulle team member. The newly installed front doors were temporarily removed to make way for the race car, even after the car was partially disassembled.

The renovation preserved the unique interior architecture of de Boulle’s flagship Dallas location. Interior designer Laura Loreman studied the size and shape of cases and floor-plan possibilities to reimagine the space without significantly revising the architecture.

All marketing is produced in-house. From social media to an annual magazine, the goal is to convey luxury and the de Boulle Lifestyle. The annual magazine has twice featured model and spokesperson Niki Taylor as the face of de Boulle.

In 2013, de Boulle began to carry Holland & Holland. Founded in London in 1835 by Harris Holland, Holland & Holland is one of the world’s most prestigious bespoke gunmakers- starting at $100,000. The company’s second official gun room is housed on the second floor of de Boulle in Dallas.

14 Images That Show Why de Boulle in Dallas Was Named America’s Coolest Jewelry Store

14 Images That Show Why de Boulle in Dallas Was Named America’s Coolest Jewelry Store

In 1983, English natives Denis and Karen Boulle launched de Boulle Diamond & Jewelry in Dallas, in a small salon. The couple introduced the city to many luxury-watch brands, along with fine jewelry collections and then moved to its much larger current location in 2001. The building had been a toy store, a restaurant and a bank, but after much reconstruction, it was transformed into a sophisticated 13,600-square-foot, two-story, French-style villa. In 2019, Denis and Karen thought it was time to renovate their flagship store, from lighting to walls, floors and showcases, without changing the interior architecture.