NATURE’S WONDERS
More than a tribute to the beauty of nature, Chopard’s Red Carpet Collection blends ethics with enchanting aesthetics, writes Kiran Pillay.
One of the key highlights of the annual Cannes International Film Festival is the unveiling of the extravagant Red Carpet Collection of the event’s official jewellery partner, Swiss luxury house Chopard. For the event’s 73rd edition that was originally scheduled this May, the maison’s co-president and artistic director Caroline Scheufele had dreamt up a new series of spectacular showpieces, inspired by the world of flora and fauna, that was set to capture the hearts of both celebs and collectors once again.
Unfortunately, the festival was cancelled due to the ongoing global health crisis. Refusing to let the pandemic dampen spirits, Chopard brought the glamour of the French Riviera to the public with its very first live digital charity gala, Cannes Comes Home, on June 21. With its mission of “Do Good, Feel Good”, the ticketed online event featured live music, performances, special guest appearances, and also a live auction that included unique Chopard creations, artwork and more. The show’s co-host Scheufele also treated the audience to a grand reveal of the Red Carpet Collection 2020 pieces. Proceeds from the exclusive do were donated to the International Committee of the Red Cross and the amfar’s Fund to Fight Covid-19.
The Red Carpet Collection is an important subject to Scheufele as the initiator of Chopard’s Journey to Sustainable Luxury since 2013. The 2020 collection reflects the maison’s continued efforts to promote the practice of sustainable luxury within the industry. Chopard commits to this project by crafting only with Fairminedcertified ethical gold and diamonds sourced from suppliers
endorsed by the Responsible Jewellery Council (RJC). “The most beautiful tribute to nature is above all to respect its fragile resources,” Scheufele asserts.
This year’s collection features 73 pieces – each for every year the festival has existed – an ambitious tradition that has endured for the past 13 years. Skilled artisans – lapidaries, sculptor jewellers, gem setters and polishers – of Chopard’s haute joaillerie ateliers in Geneva apply the expertise of over 30 different crafts in a joint effort to bring to life the beauty of Mother Nature.
There are four noteworthy masterpieces. The first is an impressive piece made of Fairmined gold, expressed as a majestic eagle with outstretched wings. As though in flight, its wings unfurl to create the necklace. Clutched in the talons of this powerful bird is a pear-shaped diamond with a unique fancy brown yellow hue. Each feathery plume is finely articulated, providing a setting for diamonds. The regal collier will join Chopard’s Green Carpet Collection, a capsule of high jewellery featuring pieces made exclusively from responsibly sourced materials.
The second creation is a whimsical clover-themed jewellery set. Ready to serve as a lucky charm for its wearer, shamrock green tsavorites pair delightfully with pink sapphire blooms. For horology enthusiasts, the maison has crafted an owl timepiece from ethically sourced 18k white gold, set with diamonds totalling 9.1 carats and 4.1 carats of multicoloured sapphires. The final piece is an elegant pair of orchid earrings made of titanium and set with opal cabochons, brilliant-cut sapphires, tsavorites and tourmaline.
Scheufele is no stranger to environmental motifs. Chopard’s 150th anniversary in 2010 saw the creation of 150 haute joaillerie creations entitled the Animal World collection. The series featured pieces bedecked with precious stones whose original shapes evoked vivid renditions of animals and plants.
But Scheufele’s love of nature may only be rivalled by her passion for cinema. The official partnership of Chopard and the Cannes International Film Festival goes back to 1998, when then-director of the festival, Pierre Viot, invited her to breathe new life into the design of the Palme d’or or Golden Palm.
The iconic and prestigious award is the highest prize bestowed at the festival. Since 2014, it has sparkled more brilliantly with 118g of Fairmined-certified ethical gold and a solid block of rock crystal. The trophy represents not only the best of film production, but the best of gold production sourced through processes respectful of people and the environment. Naturally, this progressive partnership promises to persevere in its commitment to excellence, guiding a pathway to a bright future for both the arts and the environment.