Since July of last year, the jewelry and watch house of Chopard has produced its fine baubles and timepieces with 100% ethically-sourced gold. This bold commitment, as well as additional programs revolving around sustainability, are the culmination of a 30-year vision by the Scheufele family to create vertically-integrated production that allows for singular oversight and control of all manufacturing processes. In fact, Chopard created its own in-house foundry in 1978, has been a certified member of the Responsible Jewellery Council since 2012, and embarked on a program called The Journey to Sustainable Luxury in 2013.
Artistic Director and Co-President Caroline Scheufele said, “Since the launch of The Journey to Sustainable Luxury, we have been improving the sustainability performance of our production processes, building responsible supply chains, and playing our part to catalyse positive change for the communities and people touched by our business and products. It is not an easy journey, but it is the right one.”
These efforts have led to outright positive action. Chopard no longer sources gemstones from Burma owing to the Rohingya crisis there. A partnership with the Alliance for Responsible Mining, a South American mining NGO, has lead to mines achieving Fairmined certification with Chopard’s support. The company supports many global humanitarian efforts like the Jose Carreras Foundation, Naked Hearts Foundation, All Hands and Hearts and the Eagle Wings Foundation (to name just a few).
And, perhaps, more importantly, these efforts show up in their exquisite creations. The new Alpine Eagle watch is crafted from a special Lucent Steel A223 alloy that is composed of 70% recycled steel (and Chopard recycles 100% of steel production waste).
The new Alpine Eagle in steel, $12,900, chopard.com
The very high-end L.U.C Collection of exquisite timepieces uses Fairmined gold. In fact, the superbly complicated L.U.C Tourbillon QF was among the first timepieces wrought from the verified material. And the chic new L.U.C XPS Twist QF timepiece is crafted from Fairmined white gold.
This L.U.C Tourbillon QF Fairmined timepiece was the first L.U.C watch to utilize Fairmined gold.
The new L.U.C XPS Twist QF timepiece, $20,400, chopard.com
The stunning L.U.C XPS Spirit of Nature embodies Chopard’s sustainability efforts not only in the Fairmined and vegetable-dyed materials used, but also in its overall theme. The extremely thin (7.2mm) case somehow manages to contains an artisan-crafted ode to nature in the exquisitely textured, leaf-inspired dial work. That unique texture takes centerstage on this watch, especially owing to the artful minimalism of the hands and indices.
The new L.U.C. XPS Spirit of Nature, from $18,000, chopard.com
The elaborate L.U.C. Flying T Twin takes a decidedly clean approach to a mechanical first for the brand: A flying tourbillon feature. Many watchmakers would tend to make a big, fussy timepiece to spotlight this kind of horological marvel, but the Flying T Twin takes a more laid-back, wearable approach. It, too, is wrought from Fairmined gold, of course.
The exquisite L.U.C Flying T Twin, price available on request, chopard.com
