AN IMPORTANT PAIR OF EMERALD AND GEM-SET PENDENT EARRINGS, BY CHOPARD

RED CARPET COLLECTION, 2017

Each circular-cut emerald measuring approximately 18x18mm, within a heart-shaped purplish-blue...

AN IMPORTANT PAIR OF EMERALD AND GEM-SET PENDENT EARRINGS, BY CHOPARD

RED CARPET COLLECTION, 2017

Each circular-cut emerald measuring approximately 18x18mm, within a heart-shaped purplish-blue titanium motif pavé-set throughout with circular-cut emeralds, tsavorites, blue sapphires, blue tourmalines and amethysts accented with brilliant-cut diamonds, suspended from a briolette cluster of similar stones and a pear-shaped amethyst surmount with further similarly-cut stones, mounted in 18K gold and titanium, signed Chopard, numbered, with maker's case, length 6cm

 

The legendary House of Chopard was founded in 1860 by Louis-Ulysse Chopard in the Swiss village of Sonvilier, focusing production on pocket watches and chronometers. Chopard revolutionised watch manufacture and lead the charge on creating and selling complete timepieces instead of just the mechanical movement which had been the industry standard. Chopard quickly rose to fame and could boast elite clients such as Tsar Nicholas II of Russia.

After Chopards death in 1915 the business was led by his son Paul-Louis and grandson Paul-André. The father and son leadership expanded Chopards remit to create women’s wristwatches and by 1921 had grown enough to move the business to the larger town of Chaux-de-Fonds. Finally, in 1937 production was moved to Geneva, the city whose name has since so iconically appeared on the dials of Chopard watches.

In 1963 Paul-André Chopard sold the family company to the much-admired horologist and goldsmith Karl Scheufele III. Under Scheufele’s leadership the brand grew in production and popularity at an astonishing rate.

A watershed moment occurred for Chopard in 1976 when Scheufele, in collaboration with in-house designer Ronald Kurowski, released the first watch to feature free-floating diamonds within the face of the piece. The pleasing dance of the diamonds as one moved their wrist proved to be a huge success and Chopard pieces are still admired and sought after today for this innovative quality. The Happy Diamond Collection of 1985 continued this trend of free-floating diamonds and was inspired by Karl Scheufele’s daughter Caroline’s sketch of a clown with a “tummy full of diamonds”. This joy and exuberance are a mainstay of Chopard design and history.

Chopard began their genius idea of collaborating with and sponsoring events for titans of industries, creating collections in tandem, in 1988 with their partnership with the legendary Mille Miglia sportscar race. Since then, Chopard have sponsored many events but most notably, and annually, the Cannes Film Festival. Sarah Greene includes Lot 178 in her favourite pieces from this auction, showing there is a natural affinity between celebrated actresses and pieces designed by Chopard.

Lot 178 comes from the 2017 Red Carpet Collection which was designed for the year’s Cannes Film Festival and marked the 20th anniversary of Chopard’s connection to the glamorous and artistically driven awards. This collection, designed by Caroline Scheufele, featured bold, rich colours, and succeeded triumphantly in its goal to modernise the interpretation of red carpet jewellery. The teardrop shape of lot (44257-3) was noted and admired most for the sensuality it lends to the wearer, in addition to the kaleidoscope of colour that draws attention to the stunning piece.

Speaking to jewellery journalist Katerina Perez, Caroline Scheufele explains:

“In recent years, a sort of trend has emerged. Looks on the Red Carpet have become more fashionable and less classic. No one wants to wear a diamond solitaire or a ‘riviera’ necklace. Quite the opposite. Many actresses even experiment with ways to wear jewellery to reflect their own style. Take for example the attaching of brooches to the hair. These stars are more than happy when I include titanium jewellery in the Red Carpet collection as they seek something both incredibly light and bright. I would like to believe that I have somehow contributed to the shaping of Red Carpet trends,”

Caroline Scheufele has certainly done more than contribute to Red Carpet trends, her collections are the trailblazers which dictate where jewellery design is heading and impacts all corners of the fashion world. The list of actresses who have worn pieces by Chopard in recent years only begins with Charlize Theron, Cate Blanchett, Julianne Moore, Sharon Stone, Gwyneth Paltrow, Marion Cotillard, Léa Seydoux, Penélope Cruz, Lupita Nyong’o, Fan Bing Bing, Isabelle Huppert, and Jane Fonda.

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