Jan 25, 2022

The Chopard Insofu Emerald

An extraordinary discovery in the history of luxury jewellery

A landmark stone, an extraordinary discovery lighting up the history of luxury jewellery. Named Chopard Insofu (‘insofu’ meaning elephant in Bemba, the language of the people living in the region of origin of the stone), this exceptional and rare stone discovered in the Kagem mine in Zambia is one of the most important ever found in terms of both weight (6,225 carats) and quality.

Experts detected the enormous potential of this gift of the Earth, still in its rough state and clearly brimming with possibilities: a fabulous treasure which – in the hands of the finest Chopard stone-cutters – will give rise to a collection of unique and singular gems. Unlike a diamond, emerald is the most fragile gem of all, a dark stone that will only reveal its full potential during the cutting process. In a noble gesture from a true gem-lover, Caroline Scheufele has chosen to accept the challenge of this fragile and splendid beauty. Starting with the rough gemstone that she has identified and sourced, she will first follow the cutting process as closely as possible, ensuring that she already has an intimate knowledge of the collection of different gems from which she will subsequently draw inspiration to design the ensuing High Jewellery collection.

Chopard and exceptional precious stones: a timeless love story

Chopard's luxury jewellery history has always been punctuated by exceptional stones. This fascination for the magnetism and sovereign beauty of stones has informed the choices and career path of Caroline Scheufele. As Co-President and Artistic Director of Chopard, she has taken the development of High Jewellery to an unprecedented level of excellence – a trajectory that she pursues in symbiosis with her deep-felt convictions regarding responsible and sustainable luxury. The Chopard workshops thus give birth to luxury jewellery creations exuding the incomparable radiance of a resolutely ethical approach. The Chopard Insofu Emerald is the ultimate example of this.
Says Caroline Scheufele: "It is profoundly moving to be confronted with the beauty and mystery of such a treasure, collected from the depths of the Earth, formed millions of years ago, and which has come to us at last to be enhanced by the hand of artisans who will reveal the full extent of its beauty while transcribing the emotions it arouses.” She continues: “Ever since I was a child, I have been fascinated by precious stones and lucky enough to work with some of the most beautiful in the world. For reasons that escape any form of rationale, some of them blow you away immediately, but the feeling that overcame me with the Insofu Emerald surpassed any emotion I have ever known. From the moment I saw it, I knew that it would be a hugely important stone for Chopard and I am immensely excited to begin this adventure today.”