Anyone with a real weakness for sparkle will know that witnessing a collection’s creation from raw stone to high jewellery is almost unheard of. Chopard’s Insofu Collection is a rare exception.
For only the second time in its 165-year history, the first being the Garden of Kalahari Collection with a 342-carat rough diamond in 2017, the Swiss Maison has created an Haute Joaillerie (high jewellery) collection from a raw stone rather than polished gems.
It’s an unusual move, but one that guarantees traceability and allows for closer collaboration with those at the very start of the supply chain.
The story behind the stone
Chopard’s Insofu emerald is impossible to ignore. Discovered in Zambia’s Kagem mine, its size and quality earned it the name “Insofu,” meaning “elephant” in Bemba.
In 2022, Caroline Scheufele, Chopard’s co-president and artistic director, acquired the 6,225-carat rough emerald and unveiled it in Paris, with plans to transform it into a number of pieces.
Emeralds do not reveal their magic easily. Unlike diamonds, they demand a deft touch. For the Insofu, Chopard brought master gem-cutters from India to its Geneva workshops, where nearly a year was spent planning each cut to preserve the stone’s soul and reveal its brilliance. Fragile and filled with natural “jardin” inclusions, it required patience and precision. The result: 850 carats of pure emerald.
The collection
The Insofu Collection spans 15 creations, including earrings, necklaces, rings, a bracelet and a jewellery watch, each expressing a different facet of the emerald’s character. Inspiration flows from the organic curves of nature to the symmetry of Art Deco, with a playful nod to the Roaring Twenties and the joie de vivre of The Great Gatsby.
At its heart is a striking elephant pendant, honouring the collection’s name. Emeralds of varying cuts form the body, diamonds trace the tusks, and a raised trunk, a symbol of prosperity and good fortune, anchors the piece. It hangs from a long chain of alternating diamonds and emeralds, giving it both elegance and presence.
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Other highlights include Deco-inspired chokers, sweeping sautoirs that graze the waist, commanding cocktail rings and sculptural cuffs. A standout quartet of necklaces can be styled together or apart: a diamond choker set with a 2.5-carat square-cut emerald; a pink sapphire and emerald necklace crowned with a 15.53-carat octagonal emerald; a long chain of emeralds, pearls, and diamonds; and a soft pink-pearl sautoir that balances the bolder designs.
Texture and contrast play a key role. One statement cuff, for instance, layers tightly woven pearls with a vertical trail of emerald-studded foliage, accented by vivid tsavorites. The smooth lustre of the pearls against the sharp facets of the stones creates a dialogue between sea and earth, a reminder of their natural harmony.
“In every stone lies a story, and my role is to listen and honour the natural magic they carry as treasures from the Earth,” says Scheufele. That vision extends into couture: five gowns from her Caroline’s Couture line were created to accompany the collection, completing a dialogue between fashion and high jewellery.
Luxury That Gives Back
Luxury that gives back
Chopard is not just about beautiful jewels. It is about responsible luxury. Every Insofu emerald is tracked for life through the Provenance proof emerald paternity test, which injects DNA-based nanoparticles into the stone’s natural fissures. Even decades from now, each jewel can be traced back to its exact origin. Since 2018, all Chopard gold has been 100% ethical, proving that luxury and ethics can coexist.
The Maison’s collaboration with Gemfields ensures that communities around the Kagem mine benefit from funding for education, healthcare and livelihoods. Chopard has also partnered with Elephant Family, with a portion of proceeds from every Insofu piece supporting elephant conservation and biodiversity across Asia, while helping communities live in harmony with wildlife.
The Insofu Collection is more than high jewellery. It is proof that true beauty shines brightest when it does good.
