Mary Waterfall,Jewellery Specialist
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Chopard has recently stepped into the spotlight as the official sponsors of the latest James Bond movie ‘No Time To Die’. Caroline Scheufele, the Artistic Director and Co President of the much loved brand, has designed a collection that embodies her vision of the modern ‘Bond girl’ and represents courage and determination. It is called The Happy Hearts Golden Hearts Collection and it is a limited edition of 7007 pieces. She has taken the classic ‘Happy Hearts’ and filled some of the usually openwork hearts with ethically mined rose gold, as well as adding the famous 007 logo.
In 1860 Louis Ulysse Chopard founded the luxury brand in Switzerland. He was a watch maker and gained a strong reputation with his innovative designs which took him overseas to such places as the court of Tsar Nicholas II in Russia. The company continued to thrive as it was passed down through the Chopard generations to Paul Louis and onto Paul Andre. However after the war the company met with challenging times, coupled with the fact that there was little interest from the next generation to continue the family business. Hence in 1963 Paul Andre sold the faltering brand to the Scheufele family, jewellers and watchmakers in Germany. Following on the tradition, they too have passed the company through the family generations, strengthening the brand and building the mighty Chopard empire that we know today. The current Company Presidents Caroline and Karl Fiedrich are a brother and sister team. Caroline has had a massive influence in developing the ladies collections, in particular their high end jewellery. While her brother has developed the gentlemen’s collections and the Chopard sports watches.
One of Caroline’s visions was to create gemstone masterpieces but without sight of the settings. She and her team created the magnificent ‘Magical Setting Collection’ which enhances the gems interaction with light, producing a magnificent sparkle because of the innovative setting technique
‘Happy Diamonds’ are perhaps the most famous Chopard collection. The free moving diamond collets dance freely within their transparent surround, symbolising freedom and a real ‘joie de vivre’. Their strapline being ‘little diamonds do great things’.
The Chopard brand is certainly doing ‘great things’ when it comes to ethical and responsible business practices. In 2013 they launched ‘The Journey to Sustainable Luxury’ which prioritises responsible sourcing of raw materials, environmental management and investment in people and local communities. The James Bond Collection is made using sustainably mined materials. The gold is mined by small scale operations that guarantee that the gold is extracted in an environmentally and ethically responsible way.
The necklace pictured above currently retails at £6,520. As with all luxury jewellery brands the prices continue to rise. When was the last time your jewellery was professionally appraised? Is your insurance cover adequate in the event of a claim?