After nearly 150 years, the Swiss jewelry company still sets the precedent for luxury

By Sara Neff

Chopard has long been an industry standard for exquisite jewelry and timepieces. Since its founding by Louis-Ulysse Chopard in 1860, it has continuously pushed the boundaries of elegance and luxury through to today’s current standard. While Chopard is easily recognized world-wide as the leader in fine and superior watches, the Geneva company’s exceptional jewelry is garnering more attention than ever.

This May celebrated two major milestones: the 60th anniversary of the prestigious Cannes Film Festival and Chopard’s tenth year of its official partnership with the festival. As celebrities from around the globe flocked to the south of France to honor the year’s best films, Chopard jewelry accentuated the beauty of each actress as they ascended the famous steps to the red carpet. The Cannes Film Festival sets the standard for the following seasons’ trends. Whether in fashion, hair, make-up, or jewelry, all eyes are watching what, or rather who, the starlets are wearing. Following tradition, Chopard was in high demand this year and could be seen gracing the necks and adorning the ears and wrists of everyone from Elizabeth Hurley to Eva Herzigova.

The famous jeweler is also a favorite at the Academy Awards, with all of the past four Best Actress winners glistening in Chopard on the big day. Is Chopard the newest good luck charm for Hollywood’s A-list? Maybe. Or maybe it’s just the sumptuous taste for fine and sophisticated jewels that the winners have in common.

Transcending its own standard for luxury, Chopard has created the Haute Joaillerie Collection. The techniques used to create the unique and innovative pieces showcase the talent possessed by only the most-experienced goldsmiths and jewelers. Each piece from the Haute Joaillerie Collection is crafted to exude the utmost in perfection, originality, and beauty. Much like haute couture, haute joaillerie is handcrafted to please even the most discerning tastes. Not only does the collection hold some of the largest diamonds, such as a 31-carat Ashoka cut diamond ring mounted with 406 brilliants, but it also contains some of the world’s most striking colored gemstones. A marvelous sapphire and diamond bracelet set with 105 sapphires totaling 272 carats, and 126 diamonds; and a 14 carat exceptional Burma pear shape ruby mounted in pink gold and diamonds are just two of many splendid pieces featured in the Haute Joaillerie Collection.

Co-president and design director of Chopard Caroline Gruosi-Scheufele is the driving force behind the Haute Joaillerie Collection. While her frequent travels pull her to all of the remote corners of the globe, they also allow her to draw inspiration from different cultures and permit for the finding of the finest stones and the most precious metals. The result is the most impeccable and lavish jewelry in the world, with each piece being truly one-of-a-kind. One piece, a 31-carat royal blue heart-shaped sapphire complete with an astounding 1,250 brilliants, is a contemporary innovation, yet it still faithfully upholds the venerable Chopard tradition of classically beautiful jewelry.

Throughout its nearly 150 years as a fine jeweler, Chopard has never failed to provide the world’s jewelry connoisseurs with the most striking and flawless jewels and timepieces. Gruosi-Scheufele’s imagination is endless, and she continues to assist Chopard in becoming one of the most sought after jewelers in the world. Because of Chopard’s extreme dedication to the trade, the jewelry world continues to shine and will continue to do so for many years to come.