The extraordinary 6,225 carat Insofu emerald discovered in 2010 now anchors a high jewellery collection by Chopard. To break down this remarkable gem, the Swiss maison sought the expertise of master Indian gem cutters who, over the course of nearly a year, studied the stone’s structure and executed precise cuts. The process resulted in 850 carats of polished emeralds to create a high jewellery collection around the rare gem. Shilpa Dhamija reports.
Unlike a rough diamond, whose yield in terms of types and carats can be determined by scientific tools, a rough emerald presents a bolder challenge. Its true potential only emerges during the complex and delicate cutting process, which demands both expertise and intuition from experienced craftsmen. Emeralds are fragile. Fractures can spread across the emerald, if a cut is made too close to their internal inclusions known as “jardin”.
To cut the massive Insofu stone, Chopard invited master cutters from India to do the delicate work at its Geneva atelier.
A glimpse of the Insofu collection was introduced by Chopard’s ambassador and Hollywood actress Julia Roberts last year.
A jewellery set consisting of a necklace and earrings was worn by the actress during an Oscars week party. They were made with the first cuts of the Insofu, clubbed with rubellites and sky-blue turquoise.
The 2025 collection consists of 15 jewellery pieces; a jewellery watch, four necklaces, three rings, a bracelet and five pairs of earrings. It celebrates the emerald’s natural hues with aesthetics from the Art Deco era.
The key piece in the collection is an elephant-shaped pendant, a tribute to the Insofu emerald’s name, which means elephant in the local Zambian language. It brings together a playful cluster of emeralds, capturing both the bright spirit of the stone and the joyful symbolism of the elephant, whose raised trunk represents prosperity and happiness.
“In every stone lies a story, and my role is to listen and honour the natural magic they carry as treasures from the Earth,” explains Caroline Scheufele, Co-president and Artistic Director, Chopard. “With the Insofu collection, it was about respecting this inherent beauty. I chose the finest quality stones from the heart of the emerald, pairing them with diamonds, pink sapphires, and pearls.” Scheufele has also launched a collection of couture gowns to complement the Insofu jewellery.
Indian collectors shine the light on rare, large emeralds
The Insofu emerald was found about 15 years ago in the Kagem mine in Zambia; the world’s single largest emerald mine owned by London-based Gemfields in partnership with the Zambian government.
The massive emerald was first bought by Delhi-based jeweller Diacolor at an auction held by the mining company.
A few years later, Diacolor also called the hammer price for another large emerald, the 5,655-carat Inkalamu (Lion) emerald, found in the same mine and auctioned in 2018. The Inkalamu is yet to find its way into a jewellery piece or collection.
The value of traceability for modern-day collectors
This is the second time Chopard has crafted an entire jewellery collection from a single, exceptional gem. The first was the Garden of Kalahari collection in 2017, drawn from a 342-carat rough diamond.
Chopard, which has long advocated the importance of traceability in jewellery making, believes that “creating a collection from a single large stone ensures transparency and integrity in the supply chain.”
To ensure the continued traceability of the Insofu emeralds, Chopard has used the Emerald Paternity Test, a traceability technology developed by the Gübelin Gem Lab. The process involves introducing microscopic, DNA-based nanoparticles into the natural fissures of the rough emerald, a step taken before the gem is cut or polished. These particles are engineered to remain within the stone throughout the cutting process, acting as a permanent marker.
Even decades later, a simple laboratory test can trace the polished gem back to its original source, preserving a verifiable link to its origin.