Chopard’s Love Letter to Cannes

This year’s Red Carpet collection was bolder than ever, taking inspiration from the theme of paradise and showcasing nature in all its glory.

From the gowns to the glittering jewels, the Cannes Film Festival is the pinnacle of chic. This year, while all eyes were on the famous attendees and their outfits, ours were on their jewels 一 74 specific jewels to be exact, all part of Chopard’s Red Carpet collection.

The Swiss jeweler has been the official partner of this global event since 1998 and it is tradition for the maison to create an annual Red Carpet series for Cannes. This fascinating collection celebrates creative director Caroline Scheufele’s lifelong passion for the cinema and pays tribute to the diverse actors who embody its radiant energy as they ascend that legendary staircase.

Chopard Red Carpet collection Earrings in ethical Fairmined-certified 18-karat white gold and titanium set with two heart-shaped yellow diamonds, and yellow and white diamonds of various cuts. — Earrings in ethical Fairmined-certified 18-karat white gold and titanium set with two heart-shaped yellow diamonds, and yellow and white diamonds of various cuts.

“Every year I get myself in trouble by increasing the number of pieces to match the number of years [of the festival],” says Scheufele. “This year’s theme is simply paradise, whatever that means to you.” And now that the festival is back after a year’s hiatus, paradise was exactly the feeling on this year’s red carpet, with jewels adorning the necklines, wrists and ears of Hollywood’s most acclaimed artists. A fabulous haven of fantasy with an unlatched door to the imagination, the Chopard Red Carpet collection was bigger, bolder and brighter than ever before.

Drawing inspiration from the Garden of Eden along with fantastical flora and fauna, each of these 74 pieces are inspired by some natural element. “There are various ways of envisaging one’s personal paradise and I have tried to give life to these multiple worlds within the Red Carpet collection through creations honoring fauna, flora and the finest gemstones, as well as by designing jewelry that is part of the fantasy of movies,” says Scheufele.

Chopard Red Carpet collection Dog necklace in ethical 18-karat white and rose gold set with white diamonds, colored diamonds, 27 round multicolored pearls, and colored gemstones. — Dog necklace in ethical 18-karat white and rose gold set with white diamonds, colored diamonds, 27 round multicolored pearls, and colored gemstones.

Animals prance throughout this collection, from a doe-eyed deer to a fire opal phoenix, and even a band of merry dogs with sweet pink sapphire tongues. Flowers also take center stage through the rose motif. Scheufele reimagines this classic flower into a more magical form and color. “One of my favorite pieces is a blue rose ring, which is a rose color you would normally not find in actual nature,” she notes. This fantasy natural world is brought to life through cabochon opals, rare circle-cut emeralds, natural pearls and colored diamonds with carat counts that surpass those seen in years past.

In the midst of this swirl of hypnotic hues and vivid shapes, Scheufele had one thing to say: “It feels good to be back!”

Chopard Red Carpet collection Floral ring in ethical Fairmined-certified 18-karat white gold and titanium featuring a 26.43-carat black opal cabochon and 1.45 carats of round-shaped yellow sapphires. — Floral ring in ethical Fairmined-certified 18-karat white gold and titanium featuring a 26.43-carat black opal cabochon and 1.45 carats of round-shaped yellow sapphires.

Chopard Red Carpet collection Bracelet in ethical Fairmined-certified 18-karat white gold and titanium set with a 24.09-carat cabochon spessartine garnet, 11.19-carat of sculpted mandarin garnets, 4.16 carats of triangular tsavorites, 1.7 carats of triangular tourmalines, 3.8 carats of round lazulites, cabochon sapphires and round amethysts. — Bracelet in ethical Fairmined-certified 18-karat white gold and titanium set with a 24.09-carat cabochon spessartine garnet, 11.19-carat of sculpted mandarin garnets, 4.16 carats of triangular tsavorites, 1.7 carats of triangular tourmalines, 3.8 carats of round lazulites, cabochon sapphires and round amethysts.

Chopard Red Carpet collection Fire ring in ethical Fairmined-certified 18-karat rose gold and titanium set with 23.43 carats of opals, 4.07 carats of round-shaped yellow-orange sapphires, 6.65 carats of yellow sapphires, 2.78 carats of round-shaped rubies, and round-shaped yellow diamonds. — Fire ring in ethical Fairmined-certified 18-karat rose gold and titanium set with 23.43 carats of opals, 4.07 carats of round-shaped yellow-orange sapphires, 6.65 carats of yellow sapphires, 2.78 carats of round-shaped rubies, and round-shaped yellow diamonds.

Main image: Cuff bracelet in ethical Fairmined-certified 18-karat white gold, titanium and silver set with 61.90 carats of tsavorites, 27.72 carats of pastel sapphires, 25.60 carats of tourmalines, 25.60 carats of tanzanites, 14.27 carats of diamonds, 13.60 carats of white opals, 12.94 carats of kunzite, 10.90 carats of amethysts, 5.59 carats of mandarin garnets, 3.89 carats of aquamarines, 3.18 carats of Paraiba tourmalines, 2.73 carats of beryls, 2.61 carats of pink quartz, 2.24 carats of topaz, 1.39 carats of citrines, and 0.26 carats of rubies.