An ultra-rare 342-carat diamond provides the stones for the most precious jewellery set by Chopard
The story of this absolute stone is a journey. A journey through what makes Chopard so very singular and special, its artistic vivacity and technical virtuosity. It conveys the importance the Geneva-based Maison attaches to mastering all stages governing the creation of a piece.
The discovery of The Queen of Kalahari, this exceptional 342-carat stone of perfect colour and absolute purity, is the story of a stunningly beautiful, pure and radiant stone whose beating heart proclaims the wonderment of natural treasures that has given rise to a set of 23 diamonds – The Garden of Kalahari. It was at the heart of the 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.
This 342-carat diamond has found its most eloquent expression – and its finest vocation – in an extraordinary ensemble of 23 diamonds: The Garden of Kalahari. Each of these gems, like the diamond from which they originate, is of absolute colour and purity. Among these 23 diamonds, five weigh more than 20 carats and each of the main stone cuts – cushion, brilliant, heart, emerald and pear – is represented. These five diamonds are the masterworks among the 23 diamonds composing The Garden of Kalahari – the set of diamonds cut from The Queen of Kalahari. It is around these stones that an extraordinary collection of six jewellery models has been dreamed up, testifying to the creative wealth and peerless expertise of the artistic crafts cultivated in the Chopard workshops.
This model is playfully interpreted in four variations, the first of which is a gorgeous and supremely modern choker to be worn alone. An entirely invisible mechanism means it can be detached in the centre and adorned with an exquisite flower to form a more sophisticated version. And for festive evenings, this flower itself serves to attach three majestically beautiful pendants, since they are adorned with the three biggest diamonds in The Garden of Kalahari: the 50-carat brilliant-cut, 26-carat heart-shaped and 25-carat pear-shaped gems. Each of these precious ‘attachments’ can be worn alone or together, culminating in the perfect necklace with all three at once.
Two of these pendants – the heart-shaped and pear-shaped diamonds – can be worn attached to the earrings, thus creating a spectacular set matching the necklace, adorned (or not) with the flower and the brilliant-cut diamond. The earrings can also be worn without the heart- and pear-shaped diamonds, for a more discreet version. This truly singular and totally modern idea of beauty leaves the owner complete freedom to associate carats and shapes, thereby giving full scope to the fascinating diversity of moods, occasions and desires.
This 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 of course an astonishing secret watch that is as delicate by nature as it was to create. The Garden of Kalahari collection is entirely built around the idea of a jewellery lacework like diamond guipure lace with a luminous cut-out motif.
The collection alone represents almost a full year’s work: thousands of hours lavished on this endeavour by the eyes, heart and hands of the jewellery artisans and gemsetters.
