Sparkles For The Season: Natalia Vodianova Details Her Favourite Chopard Jewels
The long-time collaborator and friend of Chopard speaks to BAZAAR about relationships, collaborations and what she looks for in jewelry
By Charmaine Ho - published
When Chopard declared itself as a Maison with a 100% ethical gold status in July 2018, it led the eco-charge on an industry scale and threw the spotlight on beauty with heart. These designs, as Natalia Vodianova elaborates on below, promise sophistication and sustainability in equal measure for the ultimate luxury.
From top: Ethical rose gold, mother-of-pearl and diamond Happy Hearts earring; sautoir, Chopard. Photo: Chopard
From top: Ethical rose gold, mother-of-pearl and diamond Happy Hearts earring; sautoir, Chopard
You’ve been a long friend of the Maison; since 2018 in fact, when you first partnered with Chopard for your Happy Hearts Foundation.
Yeah, but it feels much longer than that because we—Chopard, Caroline [Scheufele] and I—have become such great friends. And, actually, our partnership extends beyond the Happy Hearts collection. Chopard has supported many of my events [by donating] auction items, and even hosting events that have resulted in significant fundraising efforts for the Naked Heart Foundation. Chopard has been the most generous and loyal friend and I’m extremely grateful.
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What do you appreciate most about Chopard?
Caroline is always surrounded by very different friends from all over the world because her business is her life, and she chooses to run her business by building strong relationships [based on] trust, generosity and mutual support. Honestly, when someone is so genuine in the way they run their business, it’s really, really inspiring. It also makes you want to do so much more for Chopard and I think that’s the spirit of it, really. Everybody loves Caroline; everybody loves Chopard; and she has been really creative, but there’s also so much more behind it—which is even more important nowadays because we live in a time with countless hardships for the world, you know? It’s always very personal with her.
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What do you look for when picking jewellery for yourself?
Well, I do love stones but the workmanship and craftsmanship also matters a lot to me. Sometimes, it’s sad to see how beautiful stones can be set in not the most flattering of ways. I remember Caroline showing me the work that they do in the Chopard Ateliers when I visited and I saw jewellery that looks like it’s really heavy but it weighs almost nothing. It’s something that I really appreciate and admire because I can only imagine how many hours of work go into making it.
How does jewellery play into your personal style?
It depends. Sometimes I have a piece of jewellery that I love and I’ll wear it for a week straight because I’m a mother and I work really hard; and I don’t have much time. So sometimes I dress around the jewellery, rather than the other way around. But I also like layering small jewellery and have some kind of big piece [included]—either earrings or a necklace. Overloading yourself with jewellery, I think, is not a good idea.
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Founded in December 2004 by Natalia Vodianova, Naked Heart Foundation is a charity focused on helping children with intellectual, physical and sensory disabilities. Chopard has been a long-time supporter of Naked Heart Foundation and other non-profit organisations. A portion of its proceeds from the Happy Hearts jewellery collection goes towards charitable causes that are important to the Maison.
The My Happy Hearts collection has won fans over for its charming blend of empowerment, positivity and style. The symbol for love lies in the centre of its creations, making it the perfect jewel to celebrate life moments with—be it a promotion, an anniversary or even a simple indulgence on a whim of the moment. Studded with diamonds, these versatile white gold pieces (stud earrings, pendant necklace, bracelet and ring included) will add that touch of sparkle to any outfit.
Famed for its free-twirling diamonds that dance gleefully across its face at the slightest movement, the Happy Sport watch reportedly holds the distinction of being the world’s first timepiece to pair diamonds with steel. This 36mm bi-colour edition lives true to its legacy: Seven mobile diamonds move across a textured, gradient-hued mother-of-pearl dial that’s adorned with gilded hour- markers and hands—for alluring looks all round.
Crafted from ethical rose gold with a sprinkling of diamonds, Chopard’s Alpine Eagle watch is now available
in a new 33mm size that’s graced with a sunburst-etched dial inspired by Alpine nature. The chronometer- certified Chopard 09-01.C movement (developed and manufactured in-house) drives its time-telling function, while a stop-seconds function allows for accurate time-setting— resulting in an automatic watch that’s truly worthy of your wrist.
One of the Maison’s most emblematic collections has just been expanded to include new cuffs that pair its beloved dancing diamonds with perfect spheres of natural stones. The Happy Diamonds Planet cuffs see green agate, blue lapis lazuli, black onyx and pink rhodochrosite lending vibrant colour to ethical rose gold and white gold designs that are perfect for layering.