Chopard amazes with its “Red Carpet” fine jewelry collection

Last May, Chopard unveiled new pieces from its “Red Carpet” collection – inspired by the greatest film stars – during the climbing of the steps at the famous Cannes Festival, for which the firm designs the precious trophy. Presented during the Paris Fashion Week in July 2018, we were amazed to discover some of these 71 magnificent and inventive pieces. For the next Cannes Red Carpet in May, there will be new creations which we have just discovered at Baselworld.

Meet the brand’s creative soul, co-president and artistic director Caroline Scheufele.

A “Red Carpet” collection in tribute to fine crafts

Caroline Scheufele, you have been passionate about gemstones from a young age. Do you remember your first jewelry collection?

My first piece of jewelry dates from the mid-1980s and was inspired by the “Happy Diamonds” watch collection, which was already very successful at the time. My idea was to draw a “Happy Diamonds” clown with articulated legs and a transparent belly in which small diamonds and colored stones twirled. Without my knowing it, my father took over my design and had this piece produced. When he introduced it to me, it was a total surprise. This piece is therefore at the root of the entire “Happy Diamonds” jewelry collection.

The 2018 “Red Carpet” collection includes 71 pieces, each as exceptional as the next. What were your sources of inspiration?

For this year’s “Red Carpet” collection, I was mainly inspired by my many travels. In the evening, I usually write down in travel diaries anything that can inspire me: architecture, art, literature, cinema… Nature is also an endless source of inspiration for me.

Tell us about this amazing feather necklace.

Among the 71 pieces that make up this year’s “Red Carpet” collection, this necklace is a special piece that we created as a tribute to fine crafts. For this piece made of real fathers, we were inspired by the traditional costumes and savoir-faire of the people of the Mongolian Plains.

It consists of a carved gold cameo adorned with blue apatite, purple garnet and red jasper volutes embedded in a necklace of rooster, grey heron, ostrich and black pheasant feathers.

How did you work with the feathers?

This sparkling work was produced in collaboration with French feather worker Nelly Saunier and was crafted thanks to the expertise of our Chopard Fine Jewelry workshops. They are the largest in Switzerland and count over 45 specialized artisans.

A “Red Carpet” fine jewelry collection inspired by extraordinary gems

This “Red Carpet” collection enhances gems of exceptional quality, such as these wonderful Colombian emeralds. How did you work to magnify them?

I fell in love with a set of 17 unoiled emeralds – a true gift from the Earth, an absolute rarity. As you know, the fact that nature gives birth to so many gems of such matching colors is truly exceptional. To enhance the emeralds’ remarkable beauty, I opted for a classic, timeless and elegantly simple necklace, with alternating emeralds and diamonds. At the center of this precious row, two magnificent D-flawless diamonds are attached, the largest of which – pear-shaped – weighs over 20 carats. This collector’s piece, presented at the last Cannes Film Festival, required no less than 268 hours of work in our workshops. Matching earrings complete this set worthy of the richest jewelry boxes.

Where are your jewelry pieces made?

Our Fine Jewelry creations are made in our Fine Jewelry workshops at our head office located in Meyrin, Geneva, Switzerland. In our workshops, it all starts with a story of hands – the expert, patient and inventive hands of our artisans who make the creation of exceptional pieces possible, among which: lost-wax sculptors, jewelers, gem cutters, gem-setters and polishers…

You were talking about traditional savoir-faire, but how do you see the digital revolution in your profession?

On one hand, the digital revolution has changed the way we work, through the various 3D modeling tools available to us today. These allow us to work faster and better visualize the shapes and volumes that we explore in our creations. On the other hand, our profession remains a craft, fundamentally. It is closely linked to materials, savoir-faire and the touch of our master jewelers (we have over 10 different professions in our Fine Jewelry workshops).

No digital revolution can ever replace this know-how, the fruit of tens of thousands of hours of work behind a simple workbench.

We have just discovered some pieces from the new 2019 “Red Carpet” Collection at Baselworld. Here are some pictures – and in particular the orchid ring and earrings.