Caroline sketching the palme d?or design
A Red Carpet Collection bracelet
LUX: China has gone from zero to biggest market in the world in the past 15 years. How have you established yourselves as the brand with the power that you have over there" Because they didn?t know Chopard previously.

Caroline Scheufele: We started with some agents and now we run China ourselves, we have our own office in Shanghai and another in Beijing and a big one in Hong Kong. First it was more about watches but now the Chinese have discovered branded jewellery. We have our Chinese ambassadresses and when they wear something, the next day it can be sold out. They are very celebrity-driven so it?s a lot about social media. China is also so big. When you go to a city like Beijing, it?s 22 million people, almost three times Switzerland. The dimensions are so different. Last time I met a very nice successful lady, who runs a family business, but they have 320,000 employees ? that?s the whole city of Geneva! LUX: You have to visit China in person, right"

Caroline Scheufele: Yes, they appreciate meeting the family. They like the personal interaction. We had an exhibition at a luxury fair in Hainan, and we printed a book in Chinese. I gave it to a lady and the next morning she knew everything in the book, she had read the whole thing, which probably wouldn?t happen in America.
LUX: Is the perception of luxury changing in China"

Caroline Scheufele: Certain brands were very popular in the...