Chopard’s Caroline Scheufele proves luxury and responsibility aren’t mutually exclusive
Caroline Scheufele’s family acquired Chopard when she was barely two years old, so it’s no exaggeration to say she’s grown up with the brand. She is also the reason it moved into jewellery: it was established in 1860 as a watch company, which her parents bought in 1963; it wasn’t until 1985, when a 17-year-old Caroline sketched a clown pendant with diamonds and coloured stones floating in its stomach, that the business expanded into this new arena. Her parents Karin and Karl Scheufele III decided to put her design into production, launching the maison’s first jewellery line.
She is famed for this innovative spirit. In 1998, she proposed redesigning the iconic Palme d’Or trophy for the Cannes Film Festival, a symbol whose look had remained unchanged for 50 years. By crafting the new trophy and establishing Chopard as the festival’s official partner, she secured the brand’s identity as a red-carpet jeweller.
Chopard’s Insofu collection began with a 6,225-carat rough emerald and a year-long study on how to honour its true essence
As the company’s co-president, alongside her brother Karl-Friedrich, and its artistic director, she has long championed the idea of creating luxury with a conscience, emphasising ethical and meaningful creations. Take, for example, the approach to metals: since 2018, the company has used 100 per cent ethical gold in all its jewellery and watches, while in 2023, it announced its commitment to using Lucent Steel, a metal made with at least 80 per cent recycled content—a figure that the company says will rise to 90 per cent by 2028. The approach also extends to partnerships with mining communities and the development of natural haute perfumery, all rooted in the belief that true luxury should not harm anyone, including the planet.
Caroline Scheufele sketched her first jewellery design at 17—a clown pendant that launched Chopard into a new era
Another example of this commitment to continuous improvement is the Insofu high jewellery collection, released earlier this year. Traceability and transparency were ingrained in every step of its creation: Chopard acquired a rough emerald weighing 6,225 carats direct from the Kagen mine in Zambia, working in collaboration with responsible mining firm Gemfields; it used the Provenance Proof Emerald Paternity Test developed by Gübelin Gem Lab to verify authenticity; then entrusted artisans to study the stone for a year and determine how best to cut it.
The pieces for the collection were only imagined once the gem-cutters explained the likely outcomes. As Scheufele put it to Tatler in an interview earlier this year, “For me, beginning with a rough stone and being involved in the cutting process—sharing in the responsibility of unveiling a gemstone’s true essence—feels like entering into a captivating dialogue with nature. I see the Insofu collection, and the wider project surrounding it, as a pioneering and meaningful chapter for our maison. It reinforces our dedication to artistry, ethical practices and excellence in craftsmanship, values that lie at the heart of Chopard’s DNA and that guide us on our ongoing path towards sustainable luxury.”
Apart from looking good, a woman has to feel good
By - Caroline Scheufele
She has also expanded her creativity to fashion, releasing the first Caroline’s Couture collection, comprising 50 looks, at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival. She followed it this year with a capsule collection inspired by the Insofu emerald and by a woman’s need to feel comfortable, no matter how glamorous her outfit.
“Many couture houses are sort of killing the woman inside,” she told Tatler after its release. “Apart from looking good, a woman has to feel good. There should be a sense of joy when one wears a dress. Scheufele’s artistic vision has evolved to combine aesthetics with responsibility, aiming to create pieces that not only captivate the eye but also touch the heart. Her calm yet firm character and unending curiosity prove that leadership in the luxury industry means being honest, responsible and faithful to timeless values.
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