The thief was caught: Chopard's Caroline Scheufele on $1.4mn jewellery stolen at Cannes

Her business card may announce her as the co-president of an ultraluxe Swiss label. But the well-heeled and fashion-forward set know Caroline Scheufele as the visionary behind the jewellery wing at the Chopard atelier.
Scheufele recently made her first visit to Bengaluru for their opulent sustainable jewellery line. Exuding elegance and poise, Scheufele talked about the importance of India, managing a high-profile image and her illustrious family. Excerpts from her interview:

You are visiting India after eight years.

I have visited Mumbai earlier to attend Indian weddings and birthdays. I never found time to see India as a tourist. However, this time I am determined to visit the Taj Mahal.

The newest addition to the house of Chopard is sustainable jewellery, which uses ethically mined 18-carat gold. Is being sustainable the new definition of luxury?

The ultimate luxury is to know how your product was created. You buy a piece of dream. That dream should be clean. This collection uses minimal amount of gold because we have only 200 kilograms available. A few weeks ago, we certified mines in Bolivia and Columbia. We should soon seal the deal in Peru. Yes, this is taking luxury to the next level.

In 2013, Chopard jewellery worth $1.4 million was stolen from a hotel during the Cannes Film Festival. What are the security measures you take to protect your products?

The thief was caught. Insurance paid for the carelessness and stupidity of an employee who did not respect the jewellery and is no more with us. We have employed a strict security system now. Every actress wearing Chopard jewellery gets a bodyguard for the entire time. She has to return the pieces before she goes to sleep.

The CEO of Prada — Patrizio Bertelli — recently stated that counterfeit trade has created jobs and they do not want to be a brand that nobody wants to copy.

You have to be desirable to be copied. But imitation is plagiarism. It is annoying. We have 10 lawyers constantly trying to stop the menace. Hence, we create patterns that are too elaborate to copy. For example, our Happy Diamonds line is tough to imitate.

Have you had any experience with counterfeit products?

I was once gifted an Hermès bag. Soon I realised that it was a copy. The person who gave it to me is still a friend. But I gave her a big lesson. Counterfeit factories are riding on somebody's train. We spend so much time on making a piece and paying skilled craftsmen. It's heart-wrenching to see a customer deceived. Imitation is cheating.

What did you learn from your father Karl Scheufele?

My father was 21 when he took over the business. Postwar times were difficult. He gave us the freedom to explore, experiment and experience. My father was creative and emotional. My mother was a German who stood strong by his side.

What are the challenges of carrying a prominent family name?

We are responsible for everything we do. That is a constant challenge. We need to adapt and be flexible to every economic and political crisis.

What advice would you give to scions of business families? India's strength lies in its practice of big family businesses. It should retain this culture. What is the most luxurious gift you have received?

At 16, I would doodle jewellery designs. My dad saw a sketch. He took it and made it my Christmas present. It became the first piece of jewellery by Chopard – the Happy Diamonds Clown pendant.

What is your next big luxury buy?

Luxury is not about material and value. I bought a male Cavalier King Charles Spaniel a few weeks ago. I already have nine dogs in Geneva.

Who is the one person who symbolises luxury?

Audrey Hepburn. The actress had style and knew how to wear jewellery. I loved her in Breakfast at Tiffany's. Unfortunately, the scene was not shot at Chopard!.