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EXCEPTIONAL STONES

Chopard unveils a paradise of rare gemstones, including a 6,225-carat rough emerald, a 10.88-carat pink diamond, and a 4.22-carat blue diamond.

Paris Haute Couture Week sparkled all the brighter as Chopard’s Co-President and Artistic Director Caroline Scheufele presented a selection of exceptional stones, tributes to the bounties of nature that are a perpetual source of inspiration for Chopard.

Among these treasures, the Chopard Insofu Emerald stands out as the most spectacular stone of them all: a 6,225-ct rough emerald mined in Zambia and the object of a traceability and responsibility process that is simply unprecedented for a gem of this importance.

Due to the exceptional purity and record size of the Chopard Insofu Emerald, specialists expect it to yield a large number of high-quality cut stones, from which the Chopard workshops will create a collection of jewellery pieces. Another remarkable stone – a 10.88-ct fancy intense pink diamond – reflects the passion for coloured diamonds harboured by the Maison’s creative soul. The radiant-cut diamond is set in a Fairmined-certified ethical gold ring. Finally, the collection includes a magnificent Toi & Moi ring composed of an exceptional 4.22 ct fancy intense blue diamond and a white diamond, both of the highest quality. Celebrated for its expertise and creativity, Chopard Haute Joaillerie is also synonymous with exceptional stones. Created more than 20 years ago under the impetus of Caroline Scheufele, its workshops have enjoyed a fabulous destiny. Their existence has been punctuated by several major milestones such as the Red Carpet and Animal World collections, as well as the Garden of Kalahari – a complete set designed from an exceptionally pure 342-ct rough diamond. Chopard has now assembled a significant number of extremely rare stones, thereby demonstrating its ability to combine its refined expertise with carefully selected noble materials. Inspired by Nature, Caroline Scheufele has assembled a collection of precious stones brought back from the four corners of the world. It includes some unique specimens, such as a 3.01-ct pear-

shaped D-Internally Flawless type IIA diamond and a 4.22-ct pear-shaped fancy intense blue diamond – a rare carat weight for a stone of such a beautiful colour, set in the workshops on a majestic “Toi et Moi” ring representing a unique symbol of the union of two equally beautiful gems. Included in the presentation was an extravagant dark grey-greenish yellow diamond that owes its “chameleon” nickname to its ability to change colour depending on its exposure to light or a source of heat. The breathtaking 31.31-ct stone is destined to be majestically set on a mischievous frog-shaped ring. Finally, a last ring is beautifully enhanced by a 21.04-ct cushion-cut Ceylon sapphire. This unheated stone radiates a unique talisman-like charm thanks to a timeless setting, simply adorned with diamonds that accentuate its natural colour.

The Chopard Insofu emerald

The exceptional and rare Chopard Insofu Emerald – whose name refers to the word for “elephant” in the Bemba language spoken by the people living in the Kafubu region of Zambia where the emerald was found in the Kagem mine – is one of the most important stones ever discovered, both in terms of weight (6,225 cts) and quality. Experts have detected the enormous potential of this gift of the Earth, still in its rough state and clearly brimming with possibilities. Remarkable jewels will thus be carved from this emerald of extremely rare purity and quality - a fabulous treasure which – in the hands of the finest stone-cutters – will give rise to a collection of unique and singular gems, the first fruits of a forthcoming Haute Joaillerie collection.

The “Rose of Caroline” diamond

Pink diamonds are among the rarest hues in the rainbow of coloured stones. Pink diamonds with a “fancy intense” colour are even rarer, which is why Chopard’s Co-President and Artistic Director was so moved when she set eyes on this 10.88 ct specimen. Featuring a radiant cut – an exceptionally 70-facetted variant of the rectangular cut – the “Rose of Caroline” is like an incandescent offering to light, revealing its feminine hue and its VVS1 clarity on the Gemological Institute of America scale.

The stone was acquired by Chopard and christened “Rose of Caroline” in tribute to the woman who gave rise to jewellery and Haute Joaillerie at Chopard. The word “rose” refers not only to the pink colour of the diamond, but also recalls a flower dear to the heart of Caroline Scheufele.

The latter is a keen nature-lover who tends her gardens with the deep sense of feeling characteristic of true experts: a garden of flowers whose perpetual renewal and fragile beauty she admires; along with a garden of precious stones, carefully cultivated by this woman who travels the world in search of exceptional gems. The “Rose of Caroline” is also a way for Chopard to pay an enduring tribute to its creative soul by lending her first name to this age-old stone.