Chopard, the chameleon jeweller

“Isn’t it wonderful?” Co-Chairwoman of Chopard, Caroline Gruosi-Scheufele’s eyes light up at the mere mention of her chameleon diamond. Well this is one impressive “rock”… Discovered by the firm in 2007, its 31.31 carats make it the largest in the world. And a rare find it is too. Part of an elusive category of green diamonds, the chameleon has the extraordinary property of changing colour. When heated for a few seconds or plunged into darkness, its beautiful olive green is almost instantly transformed into a rich, almost bright bronze-yellow. Hence its name.

“Green diamonds are rare to begin with. But to uncover a chameleon diamond of this quality is quite simply exceptional,” explains Caroline Scheufele, who is also head of creation and design at Chopard. How did she come across such a gem? “Sometimes the stones find us,” she sweetly replies.

An unexplained phenomenon

So beauty is not the only quality of chameleon diamonds; they are surrounded by mystery too. “We still don’t know why they change colour,” continues Caroline Scheufele. Scientists have been trying to solve this enigma since 1953, the year the first article on the chameleon diamond was published. Experts recently succeeded in identifying part of the process that causes this subtle change in colour, when they discovered that the chameleon contains a much higher concentration of hydrogen, nitrogen and nickel than other diamonds. A chemical formula which, when activated, is though to result in the chameleon’s curious property.

This is also a uniquely natural property that has so far never been reproduced in laboratory conditions. Clearly then, it was a lucky day for Chopard when it stumbled upon the biggest chameleon diamond in the world. “Until 2000, the largest recorded diamond in this category weighed 22.28 carats. However, size is not the only asset of this stone,” adds Caroline Gruosi-Scheufele, who goes on to explain that it contains virtually no inclusions. A rarity indeed for a stone this size, which has come under scrutiny from the world’s leading gemmologists.

The simplicity of elegance

And now here it is at the centre of a ring, surrounded by a cluster of yellow diamonds. Presented at Baselworld 2008, this exceptional fine jewellery creation is a masterpiece of simplicity… the best way to bring out the full sparkle of the stone. Designed by Caroline Gruosi-Scheufele, the chameleon ring highlights the oval cut of the stone with a delicate pavé setting of tiny yellow diamonds. The effect is one of subtle, delicate elegance. And to complete the picture, Marion Cotillard, winner of this year’s Oscar for Best Actress and ambassadress for Chopard, wore the ring for photographers.

Its price? Caroline Gruosi-Scheufele delicately sidesteps the question: “Whatever the buyer wishes to pay,” she says. While it is hard to put a value on such a piece, it’s unlikely that the world’s biggest chameleon diamond will stay in the company’s vaults for long. Last year, Caroline Gruosi-Scheufele also acquired an exceptionally rare red diamond which she transformed into an equally stunning creation. A buyer immediately fell for its charm. “And the diamond hasn’t even reached Geneva yet,” adds the chairwoman with a smile.