The queen of Kalahari

This is the story of an extraordinary flower that ‘bloomed’ in the desert, a gem born in an arid – yet paradoxically fertile land. The story of a stunningly beautiful, pure and radiant stone whose beating heart proclaims the wonderment of natural treasures. The story of The Queen of Kalahari diamond – so named by Chopard Co-President and Artistic Director - an incredible, ultra-rare 342-carat diamond of perfect colour and absolute purity which has provided 23 stones, five weighing over 20 carats, for the most precious jewellery set ever produced by Chopard: The Garden of Kalahari. Drawing upon the virtuosity cultivated in the field of artistic craft that has forged Chopard’s reputation, six fabulous pieces of diamond jewellery have emerged from the Maison’s High Jewellery workshops.

An exceptionally rare gem

It was at the heart of a deposit mined in Karowe, Botswana, that this exceptional stone was found. Born of the volcanic rock known as kimberlite, formed at high temperatures and pressures across endless ages, this diamond enshrines a sense of permanence and the strength of the ties that bind human beings to the earth.

“I immediately sensed that this was an incredibly rare gem of exceptional beauty and purity”

Caroline Scheufele

Absolute purity and perfect colour

Combining D colour – the most beautiful – with grade F (Flawless) clarity, 342 carats represents an extremely rare size for a diamond of such absolute purity and perfect hue. Among the ensuing 23 diamonds, five weigh more than 20 carats and each of the main stone cuts – cushion, brilliant, heart, emerald and pear – is represented.

Creative Daring

Around these five stones, Caroline Scheufele has built a daring and dancing network of poetic and metaphorical symbols. The radiant 50-carat brilliant cut becomes a sunflower, the 26-carat heart shape a delicate pansy, and the 25-carat pear shape a majestic banana blossom. As for the perfect 20-carat cushion cut, it indulges in a gentle tête-à-tête with the flaming poppy, while the 21-carat emerald cut floats idly alongside a water lily.

“This is a truly exceptional stone. We did not wish to treat it as a mere trophy, but instead to prepare it for a destiny worthy of its stature.”

Caroline Scheufele

The secret touch

Two of the necklace pendants – the heart and pear-shaped diamonds – can also be worn attached to the earrings, thus creating a spectacular diamond jewellery set matching the necklace, adorned (or not) with the flower and the brilliant-cut diamond. The diamond High Jewellery collection is further enriched by a cuff bracelet adorned with two emerald-cut diamonds; two rings, of which one bears the 20-carat cushion-cut diamond; and an astonishing secret watch, as delicate by nature as it was to create.

THE MOST PRECIOUS HERITAGE OF ALL

The Garden of Kalahari diamond jewellery collection testifies to the virtuosity of the Artisans involved in its conception, as well as in the genius that was essential to its development under the aegis of Caroline Scheufele. This truly singular and totally modern idea of beauty leaves the owner complete freedom to associate carats and shapes, thereby giving full scope to a fascinating diversity of moods, occasions and desires.