Carlos
Master Gemsetting Artisan

A Haute Joaillerie creation would not exist without the precious stones that give it brilliance, light, colour – and above all precious value. These same gems cannot become a piece of jewellery without an underlying structure and in order to give the best of themselves, they must be set in the most subtle possible way. Gemsetting is a form of sculpture, a high relief effect that emerges from a noble material such as the finely worked gold or platinum which plays the role of holding the gem in place

"At the end of the day, gemsetting is the art of mastering extremes: hovering between solid support and carefree abandon, between strength and lightness. It's an exquisite paradox."

Carlos, the Master Artisan of Gemsetting

A gemsetting artisan holding Haute Joaillerie luxury jewellery

Close-up of a gemsetting artisan working on luxury jewellery

A gemsetting artisan working on luxury jewellery

Master Gemsetting Artisan Carlos is a expert who works in a dedicated part of Chopard’s Haute Joaillerie workshops team. He is capable of marrying stones with gold, platinum or titanium, a technique difficult to master. Precious metals are dedicated to serving these gems, supporting and magnifying them. The two are separably bound together and this alliance is sealed whilst looking through binoculars, in the silence of a Geneva workshop. Endlessly repeated operations that are nonetheless slightly varied, as each stone proudly displays its uniqueness. The gemsetting and Haute Joaillerie pieces bearing the Chopard signature all pass through the hands of this artist whose adrenalin is sparked by the sight and touch of precious stones.

Precisely, the skills qualities acquired by Carlos through his many years of experience, are showcased when he is dealing with stones of fragile beauty, an emerald weighing several dozen carats or a Paraiba tourmaline whose blue colour rivals that of lagoons, it is imperative to have the kind of dexterity that can only be acquired after decades of training with too much pressure, a gem can be shattered, when looking at luxury jewellery adorned with precious and fine stones, one might be tempted to take its beauty for granted. And yet, however invisible the gemsetting craftsmanship may be, one is in fact contemplating the work of a virtuoso. Gemsetting is an art of patience, meticulous care and self-control.