Last weekend, Chanel won the first edition of Monaco’s Grand Prix de la Haute Joaillerie (GPHJ). It was the Parisian fashion house’s urban-inspired Sweater Prestige necklace that enabled it to stand out at this prestigious event celebrating creativity, excellence, and exceptional jewelry-making expertise.
On October 25, the first edition of the Monaco Grand Prix de Haute Joaillerie (GPHJ) opened, spearheaded by the Société des Bains de Mer (SBM) and the event agency Profirst.
An independent jury, led by Fabienne Reybaud, an expert in contemporary fine jewelry, and composed of international experts, awarded Chanel the supreme trophy at this first Grand Prix de Haute Joaillerie de Monaco, against ten other exceptional Houses.
A legacy of sporty style since 1920
Winner of the Monaco Grand Prix de Haute Joaillerie, the House of Chanel chose to present an exceptional piece of jewelry paying tribute to Gabrielle Chanel’s sporting heritage, which has been in place since 1920.
One need only recall the designer’s use of jersey and tweed, materials considered at the time to be less than noble, as they were mainly used for sports or as clothing linings, to understand why the House on Rue Cambon had every reason to present such a sportswear-inspired necklace.
The Sweater Prestige necklace is directly inspired by sweatshirts and drawstrings on sportswear. Its modular and flexible construction incorporates visible connection systems, quick-release fasteners, and the “sports cord” specially developed by Chanel. This transformable piece, consisting of a necklace and a pair of earrings, can be worn with or without emeralds.
This finely crafted piece of jewelry is made of white gold, platinum, diamonds, onyx, and eleven emeralds, totaling 37.18 carats.
“This masterpiece is an expression of the ultimate expertise of our high jewelry workshop located at 18 Place Vendôme, the exceptional skills of our teams responsible for sourcing the rarest gemstones and, above all, the infinite talent of our design studio,” emphasizes Frederic Grangie, President of Chanel Watches and Fine Jewelry.
He made a point of dedicating this prestigious award to Patrice Leguéreau, director of the jewelry design studio for fifteen years, who passed away at the age of 54 on December 13, 2024. “He was inspired by Gabrielle Chanel’s sporty style: the elegance of the line and the freedom of movement.”
In addition to Chanel, other Houses were also honored: Tiffany & Co won the Jury Prize for its Blue Book 2025 and the Heritage Prize for its 1956 Butterflies Choker necklace designed by Jean Schlumberger for Tiffany & Co.
Chopard was also honored with the Visionary of the Year Award, which was presented to its co-president and artistic director, Caroline Scheufele.
Finally, jeweler Messika received the Design Award for its Zebra Luhlaza necklace, Dior received the Craftsmanship Award for its Diorexquis Forêt Nacrée necklace, Louis Vuitton received the Gemstone Award for its Apogée necklace, Sahag Arslanian received the Best Newcomer Award for his Lunar Eclipse necklace, and Dolce & Gabbana received the People’s Choice Award for a necklace from the Sardaigne Collection.
Read also > Monaco: Société des Bains de Mer launches the Grand Prix de la Haute Joaillerie (GPHJ)
Featured photo: © Chanel
