The glamour of the pink carpet on the Cannes movie competition is synonymous with gold and diamonds. And because of Chopard – one of many pioneers in relation to moral gold – the competition’s Palme d’Or trophy and the model’s Pink Carpet assortment are serving to to make change on the earth through the use of ethically sourced gold and gems.

Ruben Östlund with the Competition de Cannes Palme d’Or trophy 2022 by Chopard

The Competition de Cannes Palme d’Or trophy 2022 by Chopard
On Could 28, 2022 the Palme d’Or for finest movie was handed for the second time to director Ruben Östlund for the movie Triangle of Unhappiness on the closing ceremony of the Competition de Cannes. When you look intently on the decrease 18-karat gold leaves of the trophy, you’ll be aware that one leaf protruding from the underside of the golden stem is ready with 75 diamonds to suggest this 12 months’s anniversary of the movie competition.
One other leaf sparkles with 25 diamonds – symbolizing Chopard having partnered a very powerful movie competition in Europe for 25 years. The trophy, identical to the 2022 Chopard Loves Cinema Pink Carpet assortment, which consists of 75 items of film-inspired excessive jewellery, highlights the corporate’s journey towards moral gold and gems, a journey that commenced a decade in the past.

A Chopard gem setter fastidiously including 100 diamonds to the Cannes Palme d’Or 2022 trophy
In the course of the 12 days of the competition, the gathering was seen on pink carpets and showcased within the Chopard lounge on the rooftop of the legendary Martinez resort overlooking the Croisette and the turquoise Bay of Cannes, an oasis of glamour that all through the period welcomed collectors, associates, and celebrities together with Chopard ambassador Julia Roberts and combined martial artist Conor McGregor.

Julia Roberts visiting the Cannes movie competition as a Chopard ambassador
“After we began [our ethical journey], many CEOs within the trade have been saying, ‘Sounds good, however inconceivable.’ They didn’t care. Truly they thought it was a joke – it isn’t a joke,” stated Caroline Scheufele, co-president and inventive director of Chopard. “My love of nature and respect for what I do made me push on, and now we have now confirmed that moral gold is feasible. Since 2018, 100% of the gold utilized by Chopard is licensed as moral. Clearly, we are able to’t be 100% sustainable, we’re not there but. But when all people makes one little step day-after-day it would change the world.”

Chopard co-president Caroline Scheufele carrying the Alpine Eagle (picture courtesy Anders Modig)
What does the time period moral gold imply?
Creating moral gold is all about controlling the provision chain and guaranteeing that the metallic is mined in a accountable manner or recycled. Because of organizations like Swiss Higher Gold Affiliation, Accountable Jewelry Council, and Fairmined that is doable as we speak.

A bar of Fairmined gold on the Chopard foundry in Geneva (picture courtesy Anders Modig)
In Chopard’s case, it signifies that 40 p.c of the gold bought is from licensed RJC Code of Conduct sources; in 2022, 60 p.c comes from accountable, artisanal, small-scale mining in Colombia and Peru. Accountable gold initiatives managed by the above-mentioned organizations have standards corresponding to honest wages, no human rights violations, and sustainable programs or elimination of heavy metals corresponding to cyanide and mercury, which is commonly used for separating the gold from the rock.
The businesses shopping for licensed gold are additionally paying a premium worth to its mining companions – for the time being, round $1,000 extra per kilo of gold (for Swiss Higher Gold Affiliation). Thus, accountable gold packages have a optimistic impact on each mining employees and entire communities. And never solely is environmental devastation by means of heavy metals averted, the elevated revenue can be used for life-improving investments, together with faculties and operating water.

A Chopard Loves Cinema Pink Carpet Assortment watch (Ref. 105367-1003) in licensed Fairmined 18-karat white gold set with diamonds (32.82 ct) and multicolored sapphires (17.48 ct) (picture courtesy Anders Modig)
“At Chopard we stock this additional value, it doesn’t have an effect on the worth to our last clients,” stated Scheufele.
Taking such selections are easier for a family-owned firm with its personal foundry creating distinctive alloys. Chopard is constantly rising the share from accountable, licensed artisanal and small-scale mining. “Sure, recycled gold is already on the market and the carbon footprint is decrease, however in the event you solely go for recycled gold you flip away from the issues that exist in artisanal, non-certified small-scale mining. So, in the event you actually need to make a change as a model you must have interaction straight with the miners,” stated Pauline Evequoz, head of company sustainability at Chopard.

Chopard Fairmined gold in Geneva (picture courtesy Anders Modig)
With corporations changing into increasingly more dedicated, how does this have an effect on the purchasers? “We see evolution amongst clients, however they don’t actually ask the questions but. However once we have interaction with them on the query, they get very ,” stated Evequoz. “A part of the problem is to debate these points within the boutiques. We’ll improve the coaching with salespeople, as they’re in touch with last clients. We need to talk about it in a great way, this can be a win-win scenario, the place we need to place ourselves as a accountable jeweler.”
On this theme, the Accountable Jewelry Council, with member corporations together with Cartier and the Kering Group, communicated the Watch and Jewelry Initiative 2030 in October 2021, which incorporates near-future implementation of finest practices throughout operations and companies, web zero greenhouse fuel emissions, investing in high-quality local weather initiatives, and serving to susceptible populations within the watch and jewellery trade worth chain.
Chopard’s moral gems
For Chopard, being accountable doesn’t cease at gold. The corporate additionally makes use of ethically licensed diamonds, emeralds, sapphires, opals, and Paraiba tourmalines. Extra varieties of gems are constantly being licensed, one of many newest being ruby, which adorned one of many timepieces of the Chopard Loves Cinema Pink Carpet Assortment offered on the 75th Competition de Cannes.

A Chopard Loves Cinema Pink Carpet Assortment watch (Ref. 104654-1001) in licensed Fairmined 18-karat white gold and set with diamonds (27.21 ct) and rubies (8.4 ct)
“I hope extra manufacturers will observe,” stated Caroline Scheufele. “The patron must know A to Z about how the gold and the gems are mined, minimize, and polished. That’s what luxurious ought to stand for. Now all people within the trade must observe the development, the shoppers are asking for this – particularly the youthful technology.”

Making the Cannes Palme d’Or trophy 2022 by Chopard
Dare we hope that Ruben Östlund lifting the newest Palme d’Or into the air – 118 grams of Fairmined 18-karat gold with 100 diamonds set in opposition to a block of rose quartz – will probably be seen as each a celebration of cinema and a brand new, much-needed moral customary within the watch and jewellery trade?
For extra info, please go to www.chopard.com/intl/responsible-sourcing.
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