When Chopard embarked on its ‘Journey to Sustainable Luxury’ back in 2013, it led the charge in the art and business of luxury with a conscience. Now, fellow fervent environmental activist and good friend of the maison, Marion Cotillard has joined forces with the luxury Swiss brand to design her own high jewellery collection that uses only Fairtrade-certied gold and responsibly sourced diamonds – the Ice Cube Capsule by Marion Cotillard.
A Greenpeace ambassador who has travelled the world on expeditions highlighting the alarming effect of climate change on our planet, the values of ethical luxury is something that the Oscar-winning French actress is passionate about championing. “I think that if you have the choice between luxury that comes with awareness regarding how things are made, and luxury that implies not caring at all what is going on in the world, most people will choose the fair way,” Cotillard tells MOJEH. “This implies that those who create luxury should keep that in mind and do something to offer a transformation of how we behave as consumers, especially when it comes to luxury. It is something that also expresses the culture, the beauty of a country, a city – and I think that’s important.”
This ethos is crystal-clear in the collection itself, which was designed by the Oscar-winning French actress and created by Chopard using responsibly mined materials and the technical expertise of its artisans. Comprising seven bold and contemporary pieces, the capsule is crafted for a curated ear, with a mix-and-match assortment of individual and linked ear cuffs and princess-cut diamond stud for one side, with a cascade of tumbling diamonds for the other – all different yet complementary styles that don’t require piercings. An asymmetrical ring featuring a diamond set off-centre across two bands of gold completes the collection, all of which demonstrate concern for the men and women who mine raw materials.
Since July 2018 Chopard has been flying the flag for ethical watches and jewellery with its commitment to using 100 per cent ethical gold, which is sourced from small-scale mines in the Swiss Better Gold Association (SBGA), Fairmined and Fairtrade schemes, as well as Responsible Jewellery Council-certied refineries. The same rigorous process also applies to the gemstones – the maison sources diamonds veried by the Kimberley Process Certication Scheme, that ensures only conflict-free diamonds enter the market.
“True luxury depends on knowing the origin of our products,” explains co-president and artistic director Caroline Scheufele. “Rome was not built in a day, but we have to start somewhere to improve the whole industry.” Let’s hope others soon follow suit.
