In over a century and a half of life, Chopard has never ceased to innovate, surprise and excite. It has earned a place in the history of watchmaking and jewellery with outstanding creations that are now part of a shared memory. Just think of the dance of the “Happy Diamonds”, combined with gold in jewellery or – in a disruptive way for that time – with steel in watches; or think of Animal World high jewellery, the collection of real and fantastic creatures created for the brand’s 150th anniversary, incredibly expressive and perfectly made. The maison has also linked its name to the world of cinema. Among other things, it has been an official partner of the Cannes Film Festival since 1998 and Chopard jewellery has been worn on international red carpets by today’s most famous divas and top models, from Julia Roberts – the face of their recent Happy Sport campaign – to Julianne Moore, Cate Blanchett, Eva Herzigova, Charlize Theron, Jessica Chastain, Carla Bruni and many more. Uniquely positioned in the high jewellery firmament, Chopard has always stood out also for their authentic philanthropic commitment: «When one has been given so much in life, it is only natural that one should give back in one way or another» underlines Caroline Scheufele, co-president and artistic director of Chopard, the creative soul of the family business, who has made this reflection a rule of life and the very cornerstone of the company philosophy. With special or dedicated editions, Chopard has partnered with various nonprofit associations around the world over time. These include All Hands and Hearts – Smart Response, which helps rebuild schools in areas affected by earthquakes and natural disasters; The Naked Heart Foundation supports people with disabilities or special needs, especially children; Education Above All works to ensure children’s right to education in the world’s most deprived regions; the José Carreras Leukaemia Foundation helps finance leukaemia research projects, while the aim of the partnership with Eagle Wings is to study and protect the alpine ecosystem. But Chopard’s most ambitious project in social and environmental responsibility is definitely their commitment to “sustainable luxury”, a complex program launched several years ago, when ethical issues were not yet popular in the high jewellery segment and were often seen as some sort of snobbery “by those who could afford it”. Already a certified member of the Responsible Jewelry Council and always compliant with the Kimberley Process guidelines, which require members to use conflict-free diamonds, Chopard presented its “Journey to a sustainable luxury” in collaboration with Livia Firth’s EcoAge organisation during the 2013 Cannes Film Festival. Since then Chopard has partnered with the Alliance for Responsible Mining to help artisanal and small-scale mining organisations obtain the Fairmined certification, which certifies that mining operations comply with the highest standards on environmental protection and working conditions. With this certification, communities can sell their gold at a higher price, with beneficial effects on the local economies and social structures. From 2018, Chopard has been using 100% ethical gold – i.e. responsibly sourced or recycled gold – for their jewellery and watches. The recycled gold comes from refineries certified by the Chain of Custody of the Responsible Jewelry Council or from recycled gold scraps, since Chopard has had its own foundry since the 1970s. The extracted gold comes from artisanal mines in South America; here it is worth mentioning Chopard’s commitment in support of the Barequeros, the artisanal gold miners of El Chocó, the second largest gold region in Colombia, as well as one of the poorest in the country.
The Barequeros extract gold using traditional techniques and without resorting to mercury, protecting the region’s extraordinary chopard HUESERS – 032 commitment biodiversity. To be legally registered, they must apply for a special permit that authorises them to manually produce and sell up to 420 grams of gold per year. Barequeros gold is now part of a fully traceable, responsible international supply chain and Chopard is a partner in the initiative led by the Swiss Better Gold Association (SBGA), ensuring that Barequeros miners receive a highly competitive price for their gold and a special 0.70 USD premium on every gram of their gold sold. The pride and joy of the house, and a perfect synthesis of these complex ethics programmes, the Green Carpet Collection consists of high-end jewellery in ethical gold and diamonds from RJC certified suppliers. It is constantly enriched with finely crafted pieces and capsules, much admired on international red carpets. Because we are not just talking about gold: Chopard has also been a pioneer in ethical gemstones. Over the years, the company has introduced responsible gems into the Green Carpet Collection, traced at every stage of the supply chain and bearing the relative certifications. In 2015 it was the turn of the first traceable opals, from the family mine in Australia, and, in 2016, the first responsibly sourced emeralds, certified by Gemfields, one of the world’s largest mining groups. In 2018, the first ethical Paraiba tourmaline, from the Mavuco mine in Mozambique, caused quite a sensation for its beauty and quality. It was then cut into a triangle and mounted on a splendid necklace designed by Caroline Scheufele with Julianne Moore, who showed it off in Cannes and said she was proud to have walked the red carpet «wearing jewellery with a beautiful story to tell».
