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Elements of surprise

by Elizabeth Doerr

For once I’m going to be a typical woman and talk about something uniquely female here: the preparation and planning that go into planning an outfit for a large event. In this case, the large event being the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève, watchmaking’s biggest night.

If you’re female, you’ll know just what I’m talking about, so I’ll simply gloss over the fact that I had found my dress months beforehand, while the matching shoes and bag came later. That was a huge relief.

However, I was still left with the most important part: I had to decide what to do about my jewelry and which watch to wear. If I was a big movie star presenting at the Oscars, I probably couldn’t save myself from offers of borrowed jewels. Seeing, however, as I am a lowly journalist, I had to be proactive if I wanted to exude some extra glitter on the big night.

So I turned to my friends at Chopard.

Trying on the Chopard Classic watch covered in 410 diamonds at the boutique in Geneva

Choosing a necklace to wear to the 2015 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève at the Chopard boutique

Rue du Rhône 27, Geneva

On the day of the big event, I wore clothes with a similar neckline to the midnight blue dress I chose for the GPHG and went over to the Chopard flagship boutique on Geneva’s swanky Rue du Rhône.

The Chopard boutique in Geneva

In case you are unfamiliar with this street, you should know it constitutes the Swiss city’s largest and poshest shopping area. It also is home to boutiques of most of the major (and many minor) watch brands.

This Chopard boutique in Geneva was established in 1986 and was the first to open in Europe.

Upstairs at the Chopard boutique on Rue du Rhône it looks much like a comfortable living room

The boutique reopened in 2013 after being refurbished with the new flagship design concept by French architect Thierry W. Despont. This design chiefly includes providing the shop with a familiar, homey look so that when you are ushered upstairs you feel as if you are entering someone’s beautifully appointed living room.

The jewelry

This is where the carefully considered neckline of my pedestrian day clothes came into play: I chose an outfit with the same shape as my dress so I could see if the shape of the necklace I was to borrow would suit my dress without having to get all glammed up in the middle of the day – which I don’t have to tell you would have looked pretty silly.

The diamond-and-pearl necklace I wore to the 2015 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève with my day clothes at the Chopard boutique

The necklace that the boutique manager suggested comprised a longer 18-karat white gold drop chain. When I saw it, I was unsure it would suit the round neckline, but as soon as I had put it on, I knew it was perfect.

Choosing a necklace to wear to the 2015 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève at the Chopard boutique

The delicate chain was strung with some of the most beguiling jewels I think I have ever seen. These include unusual rose-cut diamonds, which is a style that is not usually seen today. Most brands now prefer stones with the modern brilliant cut, which reflects much more light.

All three borrowed pieces of Chopard jewelry, ready to go to the 2015 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève

Three rose-cut diamonds separate large Tahitian pearls of varying hues ranging between bronze, pink, and anthracite at the perfect intervals, with a white one placed front and center where the three strands meet. The lobster claw securely holding the chain together at the back was also pavé-set with diamonds.

The largest pearl is the one at the bottom of the chain: a nine-karat Tahitian in just the perfect stormy anthracite hue.

The beautiful Chopard necklace now with the correct glamorous evening clothes

The earrings I borrowed to go with the stunning necklace were 18-karat white gold creoles set inside-out with 86 large diamonds. These stunners come from Chopard’s Haute Joaillerie collection.

The watch

I had originally intended to wear one of my own watches to the ceremony as I had done in the past (this was my fourth stint on the jury), but when the boutique manager pulled out an exquisite little timepiece covered in diamonds and powered by a mechanical movement, I was (perhaps a little too easily) persuaded to wear it for the evening so that my wrist would reflect just as much sparkle as my neck and ears.

The fully diamond-set Chopard Classic that I wore to the 2015 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève

This petite beauty comes from Chopard’s Classic line. Its delicate-looking 18-karat white gold case and exquisite dial are covered in 410 brilliant-cut diamonds for a total of more than five carats.

On stage with the Chopard Classic at the 2015 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève

One thing is for sure: my inner female was very satisfied that evening.

For more information on Chopard’s watch and jewelry lines, please visit www.chopard.com.