When a world famous actress collaborates with a talented jeweler to help children in crisis, near miracles can happen. A school in war-torn Afghanistan is just one of the projects now taking shape through Style of Jolie, a dazzling collection of jewels designed by Angelina Jolie and Beverly Hills jeweler Robert Procop.
Procop, the former CEO of Asprey & Girard, has worked with Jolie for a decade, first styling her for the Academy Awards in 2000. “Robert and I have enjoyed a long-standing partnership, creating jewels that I’ve worn both on and off screen,” writes Jolie. “The goal has been to create something artistic and meaningful.”
Two years ago they began discussing a partnership that would combine artistry with philanthropy. “We started to have creative conversations around developing pieces of art that would showcase the rare beauty of these remarkable jewels and, at the same time, help children in need around the world,” recalls Procop. “From there, the Style of Jolie was born.”
The collection’s main mission is supporting international projects through Jolie’s charitable foundation, The Education Partnership for Children of Conflict. “We are already seeing projects starting to take shape that simply wouldn’t have been feasible without the money raised from the proceeds from the collection,” Procop says, “and I can assure you, this is just the start!”
The collection, which debuted in Beverly Hills and was then displayed in Monaco for a time, includes a limited edition of 25 pieces with prices beginning at $4,000. There are both precious and semi-precious gems from diamonds and emeralds to citrine and white quartz. Jolie lent more than her famous face and name to the collection — she also was very involved in the design process. “In collaborating with Robert,” she writes, “we identified favorite characteristics, like vivid colors and dramatic faceting, in each gemstone. From there, everything fell into place. By making the gemstone the main focus of the design, we feel the simplicity of each piece becomes timeless.”
Timeless and rare. One of Jolie’s favorite pieces is the “Exceptional Emerald” necklace, which contains 44 vivid green gems totaling 103.48 carats, which Procop regards as one of the finest examples of cushion cut emeralds. “They are, quite simply, one of a kind and it is our never-ending treasure hunt which has seen these unique jewels unearthed and transformed into artistic masterpieces.”
The “Tablet Collection,” which includes bracelets, drop earrings, and rings, was influenced by ancient stone tablets with historic engravings and hidden meanings. It was inspired by a Christmas present Jolie asked Procop to create for her husband Brad Pitt: a diamond pendant engraved with a miniscule secret message using a microscopic laser. Pitt, in turn, was so impressed with Jolie’s design for a five-row white quartz bracelet that he gave her a similar piece last Christmas.
Procop, who traded gems to pay for college, has built an important collection of jewels over the years. He now has a creative studio in Beverly Hills, an office in Hong Kong, and a gem lab in Geneva. Style of Jolie is committed to documenting each stone “from the miner to the cutter, from designer to craftsman,” encouraging the highest standard in mining operations, and supporting children’s charities in those regions. It’s a philosophy wholly embraced by both Procop and Jolie, a U.N ambassador and humanitarian. “Beyond enjoying the artistic satisfaction of designing these jewels,” she writes, “we have been fortified by knowing that our work is also serving our mutual goal of providing for children in need.”
View the Style of Jolie online or by private appointment. (www.robertprocop.com, creativestudio@robertprocop.com) ANDREA NAVERSEN
