Chopard‘s Caroline Scheufele has unveiled a one-of-a-kind capsule collection of haute joaillerie with Julia Roberts, a tribute to Chopard’s Insofu emerald.
Copresident and artistic director of Chopard, Scheufele envisioned a collaboration that could fully express and enhance the gem’s natural beauty, and looked to house ambassador Roberts as the ideal partner to exchange ideas and creativity.
“Collaborating with Julia on this capsule collection has been an incredible journey,” Scheufele said. “From the moment we discovered the Insofu emerald, we knew it was a gem that could inspire greatness. This parure is a testament to that inspiration, a fusion of our shared passion for beauty, elegance and responsible luxury.”
The Chopard Insofu is a 6,225-carat emerald discovered in the Kagem mine in Zambia. It’s name “Insofu” means elephant in the language of the region where it was discovered. Chopard purchased the stone in its rough form, seeing the potential given its unique changing shades of green and unparalleled purity of its texture.
As Chopard’s global ambassador, Roberts has often worn designs imagined by Scheufele and her haute joaillerie workshops, developing a deep understanding of the maison. The brand has had several jewelry collaborations on the books in the past, having crafted pieces with Julianne Moore, Marion Cotillard, Mariah Carey and Rihanna.
“Caroline immediately caught my attention when she told me the story of her exceptional Insofu emerald. It was such an exciting challenge when she later proposed we work on a bespoke design, and together, we’ve had a lot of fun bringing this set into reality, creating jewelry that’s beautiful, sustainable, and mixes the timeless allure of emerald with stunning colors and a stone I cherish, the turquoise,” Roberts said of the partnership.
The Swiss luxury timepiece and jewelry maker has deep ties to the film industry, sponsoring the Cannes Film Festival, using the event to premiere its red carpet and high jewelry collections. In 2023, Scheufele went even further, sending a collection of couture gowns down the runway during the festival on a star-studded roster of her longtime friends including Naomi Campbell, Helena Christensen and Eva Herzigova.
A sketch of the making of the Chopard x Julia Roberts collection.
Courtesy Chopard
The Chopard x Julia Roberts three-piece set uses avant-garde execution with heirloom aesthetics and includes a ring, a necklace, and a pair of earrings from a selection of the Insofu cut emeralds. The parure blends an array of vivid contrasting hues — crystalline green of the emeralds, matte sky-blue turquoise ( a gemstone the brand said is a particular favorite of Roberts’, who has worn it throughout her life) and cherry-red rubellites.
Chopard x Julia Roberts
Courtesy of Chopard
The cocktail ring fans out over adjacent fingers from its emerald heart forming a flat, vibrant flower with drop-shaped gem petals. Droplets of pear-shaped emerald, rubellite and turquoise dangle in chandelier-style from the earrings, echoing the similar-shaped tassels scattered across the necklace formed by a row of colorful gems featuring the same cut.
Each piece in the set is made in Fairmined-certified ethical rose gold, reflecting Chopard’s decade-long Journey to Sustainable Luxury, a cornerstone of the maison and a cause near to Roberts, too. “For a few years I have been supporting Chopard on their Journey to Sustainable Luxury, and I’m very proud that each piece in this collection has been handcrafted in Fairmined-certified ethical gold,” Roberts said.
“This collaboration has given me a deeper appreciation for the craftsmanship, artistry and hard work of so many that goes into bringing a piece of jewelry to life. Now that our high jewelry set is ready, it’s stunning and I can’t wait to wear it,” the Oscar winner said.
