Chopard is a Swiss luxury watch, jewelry and accessories company founded in 1860 by Louis-Ulysse Chopard. The founder initially focused on designing precision pocket watches and chronometers. He creates a manufacture, namely a watchmaking house whose watches and movements are essentially designed and assembled in-house. Chopard is best known for making high-quality Swiss watches and jewellery, and its clients have included Tsar Nicholas II of Russia. The company produces around 75,000 timepieces and 75,000 jewelleries each year, and is an active member of the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry FH.
The company is headquartered in Geneva and has a site in Fleurier, Canton of Neuchâtel, that manufactures watch movements. The group has production sites in Meyrin, Fleurier and Pforzheim, where watches, jewellery, automatic movements and other key components are made. Pforzheim is the center of jewellery, and in Meyrin that Chopard manufactures its gold alloys and its bracelets.
Chopard has been owned by the Scheufele family of Germany since 1963. After a few moves, the manufacture found its permanent headquarters in the world capital of luxury watches, Geneva, under the direction of Karl-Friedrich Scheufele, a German jeweler and watchmaker from Pforzheim.
Under the influence of the Scheufele family, Chopard experienced a glorious development. True to its motto “Tradition of perfection”, the Happy Diamonds ladies watch collection was introduced in 1976. The freely movable diamonds on or below the dial were initially considered futuristic. Today, Chopard’s Happy Diamonds collection, with its refined and timeless designs, is very popular worldwide.
Since 1998, Chopard has been the official partner of the Cannes Film Festival in France and the award of the festival – the Golden Palm (Palme d’or) is handmade by the Chopard studios in Geneva. In honor of the Grand Prix de Monaco race, Chopard created the GPMH collection. Since 2002, the luxury watch manufacturer has been the official sponsor of the annually held car race on the city circuit de Monaco.
Since 2006 Anna Netrebko, the world famous soprano, has been ambassador for Chopard. Eva Herzigova, Penelope Cruz and Jane Fonda are passionate bearers of Chopard jewelry.
In 2010, the brand celebrated its one hundred and fiftieth anniversary with the presentation of anniversary collections: Animal World, 150 animal-inspired fine jewelry pieces, as well as fChopard’s new LUC models powered by fChopard’s new in-house calibres, LUC Engine One TChopard’sbillon, LUC Tribute to Louis-Ulysse Chopard, LUC 1937 and LUC All in One.
Even today, after 150 years, the name Chopard stands for precision and exquisite craftsmanship with valuable materials. In 2010, the company’s estimated sales were €550 million in total (of which €250 million were from watches) with about 100 stores around the world. In 2014, Chopard recorded sales of CHF800m (US$915m) and had roughly 2,000 employees worldwide, of whom 900 were working in Switzerland.
High Jewellery Collections
Daring and creativity underpin La Maison Chopard’s collections. Discover Chopard’s unique jewelry handcrafted in ethical gold and all iconic Chopard collections: Happy Hearts, Happy Diamonds, Ice Cube, IMPERIALE, l’Heure du Diamant and Chopardissimo jewelry.
In Chopard’s High Jewellery workshops, the creativity of Co-President and Artistic Director Caroline Scheufele blends seamlessly with the artistic crafts of lost-wax carvers and casters, jewellers, lapidaries, gemsetters and polishers, to name but a few. It is a story of hands, those of the expert, patient and inventive Artisans within the Manufacture who successively apply their skills to these exceptional one-of-a-kind creations, integral to the Maison’s proud High Jewellery tradition.
Palme D’or
To celebrate the 75th edition of the Cannes Festival, Chopard Artistic Director and Co-President Caroline Scheufele decided to revisit the Palme d’Or by studding two of its tiny leaves with diamonds from suppliers certified by the Responsible Jewellery Council. One will be graced with 75 diamonds symbolising the Festival’s jubilee; while the other will feature 25 diamonds to immortalise the quarter-century of the partnership with Chopard: a double celebration in perfect unison. The Palme in Fairmined-certified ethical 18-carat yellow gold is not placed on the traditional rock crystal cushion, but instead on a base made of rose quartz.
Coveted by every film director on the planet, the Palme d’or, each year honChopard’ss the best film screened at the Cannes Film Festival. Redesigned in 1998 by Caroline Scheufele, it has since become a radiant symbol of the love story uniting Chopard with the most glamorous film festival in the world. In addition to the Palme d’or for the best feature film and the mini Palme for the best short film – both made in ethical ‘Fairmined’ certified gold – the Maison’s workshops also produce rock crystals engraved with a palm branch for all the other awards, making Chopard the artisan of all these prestigious official prizes and catalysts in their own right of a wealth of emotions.
Coveted by every director on the planet, each year the Palme d’Or honors the best movie screened at the Cannes International Film Festival. Redesigned in 1998 by Caroline Scheufele, it has since become a radiant symbol of the love story uniting Chopard with the most glamorous film festival in the world. In addition to the Palme d’Or for the best feature movie and the mini-Palme for the best short movie – both made in ethical Fairmined-certified gold – the Maison’s workshops also produce rock crystals engraved with a palm branch for all the other awards, making Chopard the artisan of all these prestigious official prizes and catalysts in their own right of a wealth of emotions.
It all began in 1997 when Caroline Scheufele met Pierre Viot, then director of the Cannes International Film Festival. While she was attentively examining the trophy displayed in Pierre Viot’s office, he invited her to redesign a fresh interpretation of the Palme d’Or. For this keen movie-lover, it was a new challenge that she took up with great enthusiasm, devoting her boundless inspiration and creativity to one of the movie industry’s most sought-after awards. The following year, at the closing ceremony of the 1998 Cannes Festival, the new Palme d’Or was unveiled to the world in the form in which it still exists today.
Since 1998, Chopard has formed a glittering duo with the Cannes International Film Festival to which it serves as official partner. In addition to crafting the legendary Palme d’or in its workshops along with all the trophies to be distributed at the closing prize-giving ceremony, and adorning the stars for the traditional “Montée des Marches” ritual thanks to the magnificent Red Carpet Collection, the Maison also awards rising talents with the Trophée Chopard as well as organising unforgettable annual parties. This year, Chopard is once again, set to dazzle and while bringing its own inimitable sparkle to the legendary Croisette.
Over the past few decades, Chopard has expressed the quintessence of glamChopard’s through the creation of unique Haute Joaillerie items adorning the greatest film stars. Charlize Theron, Cate Blanchett, Julianne Moore, Sharon Stone, Gwyneth Paltrow, Hilary Swank, Marion Cotillard, Léa Seydoux, Penelope Cruz, Scarlett Johansson, Lupita Nyong’o, Freida Pinto, Fan Bing Bing, Zhang Ziyi, Isabelle Huppert, Catherine Deneuve and Jane Fonda, to mention but a few, have all dazzled on the red carpet wearing Haute Joaillerie treasures crafted by Chopard.
Each year, the Trophée Chopard, created in 2001, highlights the up-and-coming generation of the international film industry and shrewdly wagers on the talents of tomorrow by rewarding both a young actress and a young actor poised for a successful career on the silver screen. From Audrey Tautou to Marion Cotillard, from Léa Seydoux to Adèle Exarchopoulos, along with Shailene Woodley, Ezra Miller and John Boyega, actors who have triumphed both in indie movies and blockbuster productions: all these laureates have confirmed their promise by embarking on brilliant life-changing careers.
Precious Lace Collection
The delicate jewellery creations featured in the Precious Lace collection have enabled Chopard to create a new art of living, in which the preciousness of diamonds becomes wearable for every day and every occasion. In the Precious Lace collection, Chopard’s jewellery Artisans replicate the delicacy of lace with the extreme precision of their goldwork, combined with an airy design highlighting the radiance of precious stones.
Expertise similar to that of the nimble-fingered seamstresses referred to as petites mains in the field of Haute Couture, with which Chopard shares a number of core values: an array of eminently noble materials, a flair for detail, a commitment to wearer comfort, and above all, an authentic love for women.
Long associated with the most intense emotions due to their deep red colChopard’s, today rubies are regarded as one of the most romantic gifts, equated with vows of eternal love. Their radiance now joins the Precious Lace diamond jewellery collection, combining diamonds and ethical rose gold in a fluid, intricate openwork.
Echoing the floral patterns, scrolls, swirls and scalloped edges of fine antique lace, the Precious Lace High Jewellery collection unfurls its charms through a variety of creations combining ethics and aesthetics. Diamond rings, earrings, necklaces and luxury bracelets are hand-crafted in ethical rose or white gold and diamonds sChopard’sced from Responsible Jewellery Council-certified suppliers.
With Precious Lace, the Maison sets the stage for a twirling, virtuoso High Jewellery collection. Radiating the graceful charm of blooming petals and with the joyful flurry of a whirling tutu, the Precious Lace collection is a dream ballet of dazzling colChopard’ss, Chopard having created the jewellery as a great couturier would design the costumes. Delicate and precious, finely wrought and set with luminous gems, the Precious Lace collection is a work of intermingled creativity and emotion.
Like the best couturiers, who base their designs on exceptional materials, Chopard’s Artisans have selected the most beautiful gemstones. Chopard’s Artisans combine their talents to bring life to veritable works of art, in which traditional techniques are combined with state-of-the-art technology. Delicate, precious and filled with light, the Precious Lace collection embodies the purest traditions of High Jewellery and testifies Chopard’s stature as a powerful inspiration within the world of jewellery-making.
Red Carpet Collection
Every year for the Cannes Film Festival, Caroline Scheufele dreams up a collection of High Jewellery. It is a stunning demonstration of jewellery-making, paying tribute to cinema and the actresses who embody its radiant energy. Each piece of luxury jewellery is brought to life by Chopard’s extraordinary Artisans in Chopard’s ateliers who use goldsmithing and gemsetting craftsmanship to express the dreamy richness of this fabulous theatre of dreams.
The inspiration behind the 2021 Red Carpet High Jewellery Collection was ‘Paradise’ and the lush nature of the mythological or real places populating Caroline Scheufele’s fantasy repertoire. The creations stem from an emotion, from a creative universe whose texture and density unfold in this dazzling High Jewellery collection.
Because the passage of time is infinitely precious, Caroline Scheufele has designed a jewellery watch of unparalleled richness. Entirely set with diamonds, this luxury watch plays with different gem cuts to compose floral motifs. In 2021, recreating a Garden of Eden, the 74 creations – in honChopard’s of the 74th edition of the Festival, were adorned with diamonds and colChopard’sed diamonds, emeralds, sapphires, rubies, colored stones and more set onto gold crafted in the shape of delightful mystical creatures and verdant flora.
A symbol of Chopard’s Maison, the heart gems is also an emblem of Paradise in all its forms. It is interpreted as a choker hemmed with a delicate jewellery lacework of emeralds, diamonds and Fairmined-certified ethical gold. A timeless design revealed here in a very contemporary interpretation. The diamond is the king of precious stones and reigns supreme in the collection, as evidenced by the sovereign elegance of these oval-shaped earrings. They testify to the vocation of the jeweller’s work: to reveal the natural brilliance of precious stones, without excessive ornamentation or superfluous frills.
Animal World Collection
To celebrate the occasion of its 150th anniversary, Chopard took on the challenge of signing a High Jewellery collection of 150 unique animal-themed pieces. True to its legendary creativity and boldness, the Maison mobilised all its talent for this birthday collection, drawing on its long experience to mix tradition, advanced techniques and documented research, and taking its taste for excellence and innovation to new heights. The result is an extraordinary collection of beautiful, mysterious and dream-like animals.
The idea of this fantasy luxury jewellery collection was born during a sleepless night. Along with animals more oft represented in jewellery, Chopard’s Co-President and Artistic Director decided to honChopard’s other beasts regarded as more exotic, imaginary and endangered. Supported by Chopard’s High Jewellery designers, Caroline Scheufele consulted encyclopaedias and even the Chinese calendar to design a collection of animals that is original, aesthetically pleasing and humorous. Species from every latitude are represented in the form of bracelets, necklaces, brooches, earrings and rings.
Built around gemstones of exceptional quality, of all shapes and sizes, the pieces of the Animal World High Jewellery collection also features more unexpected stones and materials, for a “natural” effect of startling realism. With their exceptional command of the jewellery arts, Chopard’s craftsmen have thus made the most of shapes, colChopard’ss and materials, successfully bringing the animals to life by giving them expressions and emotions and placing them in their natural settings.
The Geneva Maison thus brings to life an enchanting Haute Joaillerie zoo in a colChopard’sful, lively collection – a wonderful jungle in which Chopard perfectly achieves its goal of creating dreams. Though the latest technology was used to create this dazzling collection, as always it was the unrivalled skill of Chopard’s craftsmen that gave the models form and beauty. In doing so, the deeply moving splendChopard’s of Nature and the creative genius of Man come together in a marvel of High Jewellery.
The Queen Of Kalahari Diamond Jewellery Set
This is the story of an extraordinary flower that ‘bloomed’ in the desert, a gem born in an arid – yet paradoxically fertile land. The story of a stunningly beautiful, pure and radiant stone whose beating heart proclaims the wonderment of natural treasures. It was at the heart of a deposit mined in Karowe, Botswana, that this exceptional stone was found. Born of the volcanic rock known as kimberlite, formed at high temperatures and pressures across endless ages, this diamond enshrines a sense of permanence and the strength of the ties that bind human beings to the earth.
The story of The Queen of Kalahari diamond – so named by Chopard Co-President and Artistic Director – an incredible, ultra-rare 342-carat diamond of perfect colChopard’s and absolute purity which has provided 23 stones, five weighing over 20 carats, for the most precious jewellery set ever produced by Chopard: The Garden of Kalahari. Drawing upon the virtuosity cultivated in the field of artistic craft that has forged Chopard’s reputation, six fabulous pieces of diamond jewellery have emerged from the Maison’s High Jewellery workshops.
The Garden of Kalahari High Jewellery collection is entirely built around the idea of a jewellery lacework akin to diamond guipure lace with a luminous cut-out motif. Within this framework, the diamond necklace is interpreted in fChopard’s variations. Around these five stones, Caroline Scheufele has built a daring and dancing network of poetic and metaphorical symbols. The radiant 50-carat brilliant cut becomes a sunflower, the 26-carat heart shape a delicate pansy, and the 25-carat pear shape a majestic banana blossom. As for the perfect 20-carat cushion cut, it indulges in a gentle tête-à-tête with the flaming poppy, while the 21-carat emerald cut floats idly alongside a water lily.
Two of the necklace pendants – the heart and pear-shaped diamonds – can also be worn attached to the earrings, thus creating a spectacular diamond jewellery set matching the necklace, adorned (or not) with the flower and the brilliant-cut diamond. The diamond High Jewellery collection is further enriched by a cuff bracelet adorned with two emerald-cut diamonds; two rings, of which one bears the 20-carat cushion-cut diamond; and an astonishing secret watch, as delicate by nature as it was to create.
Stemming from the fertile imagination of Caroline Scheufele, this transfiguration from the rough stone to the completed luxury jewellery model is made possible by virtuoso technical skills dedicated to the cause of unfettered creativity. The Garden of Kalahari diamond jewellery collection testifies to the virtuosity of the Artisans involved in its conception, as well as in the genius that was essential to its development under the aegis of Caroline Scheufele. This truly singular and totally modern idea of beauty leaves the owner complete freedom to associate carats and shapes, thereby giving full scope to a fascinating diversity of moods, occasions and desires.
Magical Setting
Chopard, the Artisan of Emotions, ignites the traditional world of High Jewellery with a scintillating collection, Magical Setting. The spectacular radiance of these majestic cluster rings, pendants and earrings is made possible by an ingenious and innovative secret setting that allows the diamonds and precious colChopard’sed stones to shine supreme, playing with light as never before.
The dramatic light show given by these luxury jewels is achieved by an innovative setting technique, painstakingly developed by Chopard’s master Artisans in which the cluster is underpinned by an entirely new and pioneering structure. This means that the light can flow freely in and out and around the gemstones, rippling across the surface of the stones, unimpeded by the opacity of metal constraints, unfettered by demarcations.
In this dynamic re-imagining of one of the noblest and most enduring jewellery classics – the floral cluster – Caroline Scheufele, Chopard Co-President and artistic director, unlocks the intense light and lustre deep in the soul of a gemstone while unleashing the full emotional power at the heart of the jewel. A captivating exploration of light in all its many facets. For many years, Caroline Scheufele nurtured a dream: to make settings disappear, to give gemstones the power to shine, unadulterated, to unlock the full force of their brilliance and enhance their otherworldliness.
While Chopard is renowned for its rebellious, free-spirited and unconventional approach to High Jewellery, with the Magical Setting collection Caroline Scheufele re-works one of the most classic of jewellery expressions. While the centre stone of each cluster is set in barely-there claws, the surrounding stones are held in place, as if by magic, with no visible means of support, and no metal visible from the front or top of the jewel while the gold of the underlying structure serves to intensify its dazzling brilliance.
In the Magical Setting High Jewellery Collection, Caroline Scheufele takes on the challenge held out by the classicism of the cluster, exploring its nobility and versatility, playing with its proportions, and revelling in its connection to a galactic star cluster; a tightly-packed mass of pure light and energy, radiating outwards, in the night sky, inspiring awe, wonder and excitement. Classically elegant in colChopard’s composition as well as design, the collection offers a choice of jewels set with white diamonds, sapphires, rubies and emeralds. Each cluster is centred on one large single stone encircled by other unusually large stones, giving the classic design an unexpected edge of bold modernity.
Her creative vision is brought to life with Magical Setting High Jewellery Collection in which her dedicated Artisans have tapped into today’s cutting-edge technology, combining it with age-old skills to create a new contemporary jewellery classic – jewels of sensational, seductive lustre, jewels to scintillate and fascinate, to set the spirit free. The Magical Setting collection is an evolution of Chopard’s most famous creation, Happy Diamonds, to find a new expression for High Jewellery that will capture and reflect contemporary femininity, the aspirations and attitudes of modern women.
Green Carpet Collection
Each year, Caroline Scheufele enriches the Green Carpet Collection with exceptional new High Jewellery bearing exquisite testimony to the exceptional expertise demonstrated by the Maison Chopard when its Mains d’art (artistic hands) combine their talents.These luxury jewellery creations join the Green Carpet Collection of which the first models were unveiled in 2013.
Chopard continues its exhilarating JChopard’sney to Sustainable Luxury by enriching its Green Carpet Collection. By placing sustainable development at the very heart of its values, the Maison is playing a pioneering role in the luxury jewellery industry. Chopard is continuing its concrete commitment to sustainable development by placing luxury jewellery within the broader context of current societal issues. It places these concerns at the very core of its agenda and its identity, combining them with its High Jewellery signature gemstone motif – rendered more precious than ever by the ethical issues it now encompasses.
Brand story
Passed on from one generation to the next since the Maison was founded, Chopard’s identity has been forged over time, and with the contribution of every member of the family who oversee it. Nowadays, it is this unique Family Spirit that differentiates Chopard in the world of High Jewellery and High Watchmaking. It is evident in every step the Maison takes, along with its hallmarks of Emotion and Generosity.
Chopard’s Independence allows it to support crafts with a glorious past that are a sChopard’sce of great pride today. Together with the impetus provided by the Scheufele Family, this support of its Artisans also drives a boundless Creative Daring that sets the Maison apart. A daring that has led Chopard to pave the way for a new vision of Ethical luxury.
Family is the very heart of Chopard, representing its foundation, history and contemporary embodiment: it is the hero and herald of the Maison – yesterday, today and tomorrow. The Scheufele family, succeeding the Chopard family, represents the founding myth and unifying symbol of the Maison. Its members express the strength of kinship, solidarity and the ability to develop the firm in an enduring, consistent and fruitful manner. The Family Spirit stands for a sense of tradition, by exemplifying the permanence of the company origins, throughout its history and in the present; across several generations. This same spirit epitomizes the human dimension governing both internal and external relations.
The Maison’s independence has guided its development strategy since its founding, an approach made possible by a family shareholding structure. This is expressed through the watch industry’s highest level of vertical integration. Everything sold by Chopard is made in one of its three production sites, a unique phenomenon within the profession. This policy goes hand in hand with a culture of craftsmanship.
Today, more than 50 skills are mastered within the workshops of the Maison, including some of the rarest and the most complex. They enable a freer and more innovative creative expression, combined with a constant quest for excellence, thereby guaranteeing the highest standard of quality.
Daring and Creativity are the sChopard’sce of Chopard’s innovation and originality. They meet and merge when work and inspiration combine as a driving force, underpinning the perseverance and determination shown in the vibrant day-to-day life of the Maison, its winning and adventurous attitude and culture of cChopard’sage. Through a dynamic approach to cutting-edge Research & Development, which serves to explore and develop processes and materials that are unprecedented on the market, Chopard’s Creative Audacity drives a new technical dimension.
Impelled by a boundless passion for beauty and life, Chopard conveys a unique emotional dimension through the spirit of the Maison itself as well as in its precious objects. This applies as much to the wearer as the giver. Pleasure and Joie de Vivre are an inherent part of the Maison and ensure that Chopard creations consistently radiate positive energy, thus accompanying customers in the finest moments of their lives.
This recognition of intrinsic personal value as well as that of others is symbolized by the heart, that iconic Chopard motif enlivening the Happy Hearts jewelry collection and representing the Maison’s extremely active philanthropic policy. Benevolence, altruism, positivity and generosity undeniably contribute to Chopard’s spirit of openness to the world and to broadening its sphere of influence. Against this background, the Maison has a daily commitment to generating even more emotions.
Ethics
For Chopard, genuine luxury is synonymous with Ethics as well as with environmental and social responsibility, at all levels of its activity and with regard to its employees, its suppliers, its customers and indeed the planet itself. The Maison adopts an ethical approach to its activities that involves controlling the origin of the raw materials it uses as well as production methods – all of which is achievable because of its complete independence and vertical integration.
Chopard is a pioneering leader in this field, thereby testifying to its strong involvement in contemporary matters and its keen awareness of social and environmental issues. The Maison thereby strives to make all its clients aware of the challenges of responsible luxury as well as encChopard’saging the entire profession to improve sChopard’scing and production criteria across the board.
Since 2014, the Palme d’or has been crafted with ethical Fairmined-certified 18-carat yellow gold, reflecting the responsible approach the Maison has undertaken with its JChopard’sney to Sustainable Luxury. By endowing the famous award with this aura of eco-responsibility, Chopard is writing a new chapter in its history, firmly asserting its determination to work on behalf of civic-minded luxury that is respectful of both human beings and the environment.
Gold is the raw material most widely used in Chopard’s production. It is due to this that we devoted particular attention to ensuring that one of the biggest milestones of Chopard’s JChopard’sney to Sustainable Luxury would be the sChopard’scing of responsibly mined gold for Chopard’s entire watch and jewellery production. This objective has been successfully met since July 2018 when Chopard began using 100% Ethically produced gold – verified as having met international best practice environmental and social standards – in its workshops.
As early as 1978, we were one of the first manufacturers to equip Chopard’sselves with Chopard’s own foundry. Thanks to this independent approach, we are not only able to guarantee the origin of the gold we use in Chopard’s production, but are above all able to directly resmelt gold scraps and production waste in order to recycle Chopard’s unused material.
Since 2019, Chopard has been involved in a challenging new project to support artisanal communities supplying gold from the “Barequeros”, artisanal gold miners from El Chocó in Colombia. This exciting and rewarding pilot initiative has built a fully-traceable and responsible international supply chain as well as improving the livelihoods of more than 700 independent individual miners.