Caroline Gruosi-Scheufele
Creative director and vice-president of Chopard
INTERVIEW CLAUDIA TRIMDE
Spartan in words and with a spirit that distinguishes such a prestigious company, Caroline Gruosi-Scheufele, creative director and vice-president of Chopard, invites us on a tour through 150 years of history, tradition and constant innovation in which beauty, audacity and quality have helped forge exceptionally charming pieces.
Chopard is a company with a world class format. Everyone knows that and associates the prestigious company with high quality, design, international stars and high-class events… 150 years of history imply hefty responsibilities…
To run a brand with this history implies a great deal of responsibility, of course. But working in accordance with our 5 essential qualities, know-how, tradition, creativity backed by innovation and our commitment to philanthropic and responsible patronage activities, guarantees our success in the present as well as in the future.
Karl-Friedrich, your brother, a goldsmith and clockmaker, is in charge of distributing Men’s Chopard Manufacturing in Fleurier with related developments and is responsible for the technological and commercial side of the company…You, passionate about gemstones and a gemologist by trade, manage the creativity, high jewellery, organisation and management, along with the boutiques, perfume and accessories department... Were the activities divided among the family by nature or was it voluntary?
It was natural for both my brother and I to join the company. It’s true we started working in different fields to pursue our interests and strengths, but as we share an office we both know everything that goes on in the company.
To transmit your savoir-faire and spur innovation, you opened an internal training centre in 1944. Here, 25 apprentices take a 4-year training programme supervised by a teacher who encourages their continuous learning. The Best Training Company Award 2009, given by the State of Geneva in the Applied Arts Field, recognised Chopard’s commitment to education. This is invaluable in the company’s history...
Yes, it is very important to us to invest in educating apprentices, as they are the future of the watch-making industry and guarantee the preservation of its know-how and traditions.
As head of the organisation and management of Chopard boutiques, can you tell us how the company was affected by the so-called “economic crisis” (if it was affected)?
Like any other company, we were hit by the economic crisis. In the harder times, we concentrated on our aforementioned core values and continued to develop the brand by focusing on emerging markets like Asia and India.
In 2007, Chopard launched a new boutique concept created by architect Thierry Despont, opening a flagship boutique at 709 Madison Avenue in New York, followed by the opening of a boutique in Singapore with this same new decorative concept. Explain the main differences between the previous design and the one which started in 2007...
All Chopard boutiques worldwide present the same corporate identity: a very warm, traditional and cosy feeling with wood fittings and an inviting fireplace. The new concept is true to the brand’s DNA and history but
remains innovative and up-to-date with the times. It represents an evolution in the brand image, combining tradition with innovation.
Wall panels and store fixtures were made from White Oak, fine leather was used for wall panels and furniture fronts and velvet was used for the curtains and chair upholstery. The Madrid boutique will reopen in November with more space and this new concept.
The Chopard look feeds on the roots of the house, i.e. Art Nouveau and Art Deco ... Today, what defines the Chopard Look?
A Chopard creation stands for beauty, audacity and quality. We create unexpected pieces that express creative freedom as well as attention to the choice of gemstones and the talent of our finest craftsmen.
In 2010, Chopard consolidated its presence in 124 countries, with 1,700 employees, 120 boutiques and 1,600 stores, and had an annual production of 75,000 watches and 75,000 pieces of jewellery... Impressive figures...
What expectations do you have for the next few years?
We want to continue consolidating what we’ve built with the same passion for our work.
We now have over 130 boutiques worldwide.
Passionate about diamonds, like your father, you use these precious stones to decorate Chopard’s most delicate models. Albeit renovating Happy Diamonds designs, launching new collections or developing others, such as Red Carpet High Jewellery... In your opinion, what is the most important collection?
Maybe the high jewellery collection we created to celebrate the brand’s 150th Anniversary, the Animal World Collection. This collection was the perfect example of Chopard’s craftsmanship: beauty, quality and audacity consistent with the high jewellery tradition. 150 pieces which are also a tribute to my love for animals. The largest and most diverse high jewellery collection devoted to a single theme until now JAN · FEB 2013
In Meyrin, Chopard even makes its own gold ingots. Pforzheim essentially focuses on jewellery, while the Haute Horlogerie L.U. Chopard watches are produced in Fleurier. What’s more, Chopard has an internal decoration department that creates booths for trade shows and displays for boutiques.
After-sales service is also integrated, as well as communication and marketing... This is
an unusual structure in a global business landscape where the tendency is to outsource services...
Being independent is one of our strengths and we have been, and still are, working hard to vertically integrate our production. For example, in 2009 we opened Fleurier Ebauches, a company that forms part of the Chopard Group and supplies us with movement ébauche. For us, managing a piece from production to sale is a guarantee of its quality.