Loquet opens new flagship boutique
Additionally, all of the jewellery is made in an atelier that is certified by the Responsible Jewellery Council and complies with their rigorous standards in responsible sourcing and workplace conditions
British fine jewellery brand Loquet has opened the doors to its new flagship store Belgravia’s Elizabeth Street as it celebrates its 10th anniversary.
Along with the launch of the new store, to celebrate its 10th year, Loquet has gone through an in-depth rebranding process which encompasses everything from design, website (launch 24 April), imagery and packaging.
Founded in 2013 by Sheherazade Goldsmith, Loquet takes a “contemporary” approach to the “era-spanning” concept of charm bracelets and Victorian lockets.
After having initially established itself on a pop-up basis on Elizabeth Street in 2016, number 73 is now where the brand has made permanent home to its flagship.
The store is inspired by Goldsmith’s childhood memories of visiting a sweet shop near her grandmother’s in Ealing, where visitors choose their sweets to put into their pick and mix bags. Similarly Loquet’s clients will be able to select precious charms to fill their talisman.
The new space is designed by Goldsmith alongside architect Richard Moore and features lighting and installations in warm tones of beige, green and pink onyx by Helle Mardahl and Molteni that resembles Goldsmith’s favourite memory of glass jars filled with precious fine jewellery.
The store also features a contemporary backdrop of “elegant” panelling and art by Damien Hirst, and a velted-seat booth seating area.
Loquet’s hand-crafted collections of solid gold classic, signature and heirloom lockets can be explored at the boutique alongside charms ranging from plain gold initials to the new large charms, which mark the 10th anniversary of the brand with a zoomed-in version of a few Loquet “favourites”. It also includes an evil eye charm and an 18k rose gold heart paved with pink sapphires.
The new store also offers a bespoke service where “one-of-a-kind” charms are created in collaboration with the skilled team, a process which can now be discovered in the flagship store as well as online.
Each charm and locket is handmade using VS clear G coloured diamonds that are conflict-free and responsibly sourced, with chains handcrafted in Italy.
Additionally, all of the jewellery is made in an atelier that is certified by the Responsible Jewellery Council and complies with their rigorous standards in responsible sourcing and workplace conditions.
Goldsmith said: “The design inspiration is the same as the website, a sweetshop from my childhood. A world of glass jars and pick and mix, sherbet dips and Wham bars. Love Hearts were for the older girls who played spin the bottle, whilst we wore candy charm bracelets that we ate throughout the day. There was often a rainbow somewhere in the shop, an illusion from light bouncing off the jars. The sweets were more Scrumptious Sweet Co. than Willy Wonka – and not a million miles from how our charms look inside a locket.
“I wanted to create somewhere intimate, that feels like a unique experience and celebrates the materials and colours that we use in our designs, hence the collaboration with Helle Mardahl. Her use of colour and glass plays with light and is reflective of our pieces. The marble onyx is like a jewel in itself. Each piece is unique and handpicked for its individual markings.”
She added: “Onyx also has a reflective quality about it which works brilliantly with our sapphire crystal faceted lockets and Helle’s coloured glass. The basketweave flooring is a nod to the faceted crystal we use on our signature and heirloom pieces. The space is small, so it was important the interiors celebrated the design of our collections.”
