Inside the New Chopard Boutique New York With Watch And Jewelry Exclusives

Last week, Chopard celebrated the opening of its new flagship store on Fifth Avenue. The week kicked off with a star-studded event at the store. Standing alongside Chopard Co-Presidents Karl Friedrich Scheufele and sister Caroline Scheufele as they cut the ribbon were Uma Thurman, Katie Holmes, Pete Davidson, Maye Musk, Olivia Palermo, Lieve Schreiber and others. It was a veritable Who’s Who – with everyonel bedecked in hundreds of carats of Chopard jewelry and Chopard watches.

While the spotlight was on these celebrities and their accessories for the evening, the true light is the new boutique and the incredible collection of New York spirited jewelry and watches that the independent family owned Chopard designed expressly for the new flagship store.

Housed within the famed Crown Building, the Chopard boutique is designed to reflect the spirit of New York and of the brand. Like an elegant New York townhouse with art deco styling, the boutique was years in the design, development and building stages. The multi-level store boasts an airy attitude with lots of natural light filtering in and shining on the white and gray veined Italian marble floors. Murano glass magnolia leaves by Venini – in beautiful muted shades – float in the air and form a cascade down the walls.  The magnolias signify not only the nearby Central Park magnolia trees, but also are a slight nod to the brand’s concern for the environment. Chopard is a leader in ethically sourced gold and gemstones.

The brand planned for its new home – after spending 15 years on Madison Ave – to be immersive, inviting and significant, as it marks the next era for Chopard in America.The walls also feature stunning contemporary art that will be changed regularly to offer visitors a museum-like visit full of surprises each time they enter the store.  The lower level of the store boasts a Gentlemen’s Lounge – where visitors can experience the brand’s Alpine Eagle watches and its high complication L.U.C watches. There is also a high-jewelry salon for  guests to indulge in the brand’s  shimmering high jewelry creations by Caroline Scheufele.

To celebrate the boutique and New York, Chopard has created several watch and jewelry collections that pay tribute to The City That Never Sleeps.  Among them: two limited-edition Happy Sport watches with a red apple moving around the dial, a superb L.U.C  Quattro Spirit 25^th Avenue Edition jump hour watch with the likeness of the Statue of Liberty in gold against a rich blue dial. There is also a new Alpine Eagle watch made of ethical yellow gold with a “Golden Peak” dial.

On the jewelry side, there is an alluring limited-edition Chopard Big Apple necklace crafted in ethical rose gold and featuring a red carnelian stone apple. It wouldn’t be Chopard, though, without high-jewelry pieces. While most should be discovered in person, a standout to look for: a Haute Joaillerie necklace set with a fancy vivid diamond weighing more than 100 carats.

Looking for something else to do in New York this holiday season besides seeing the tree and the awesome store windows? Chopard just provided the answer.

(This article by Roberta Naas first appeared on Forbes.com.)