Tuesday, September 1, 2015

Chopard’s First Diffusion Jewelry In Fairmined Gold

Palme Verte earrings

Chopard has spent the past three years publicly heralding its “Journey to Sustainable Luxury,” program by introducing jewelry and watches made with gold acquired from sustainable sources. 

The first efforts were limited to very specific items using Fairmined Gold. Now the company has released its first diffusion jewelry collection. 

Palme Verte bracelet

Chopard’s Palme Verte collection makes ethically sourced gold jewels available on a wider scale at a more affordable price that is suitable for daily wear. The collection of four jewels is made entirely of 18k Fairmined gold. It’s modeled after the design of the Palme d’Or, the award given to the director of the best film at Cannes, serving as tribute to the award’s 60th anniversary. 

Chopard first released jewelry made with ethical gold in 2013 under its sustainable luxury program when a few high jewelry pieces known as the “Green Carpet Collection” debuted on the Red Carpet at the Cannes Film Festival worn by actress Marion Cotillard. The program is a long-term partnership with Eco-Age and its creative director Livia Firth promoting sustainable development within the luxury industry. The gold used for this program is extracted by artisanal and small-scale miners certified under the Fairmined standard created by the Alliance for Responsible Mining.

Palme Verte ring

For the 2014 Cannes Film Festival Chopard upped its stakes in ethical gold by making the Palme d’Or entirely of Fairmined gold. The design, in which a single piece of cut crystal forms a cushion for a hand-cast 24k gold palm, was created in 1998 by Caroline Scheufele, artistic director and co-president of Chopard. It is as much of a symbol of the luxury brand as it is of Cannes.

The four pieces of the Palme Verte collection (earrings, pendant, ring and bracelet) is directly inspired by the award’s single palm frond, applied in a simple curved and polished design. The pieces run from $2,360 to $10,840 and will be available in Chopard boutiques at the end of September.

Palme Verte pendant

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