An Introduction to Chopard Watches

One of the most recent and proudest additions to join our expansive range of prestigious luxury watch brands here at Jura Watches is Chopard. If you follow our store closely, you’ll already have seen some of the Swiss manufacturer’s designs making their way into our boutiques and onto our e-commerce platforms. The C W Sellors and Chopard partnership is a milestone we have long been anticipating and to welcome the brand on board, we’ll be releasing several write-ups that look at the company and its most iconic collections. We’ll also be delving into the fascinating history of the company and the inspiration behind designs like the sporty-chic Happy Sport watch collection and the racing-inspired Mille Miglia series. Before we do that, however, let’s shake hands with Chopard the manufacturer.

Who is Chopard?

Chopard is a Swiss luxury watch and jewellery brand that was founded in 1860. A 24-year-old watchmaker named Louis-Ulysse Chopard began developing and selling watches of superior quality under the L.U.C name. The company was located in the Swiss village of Sonvilier in the Swiss Jura location. Part of its customer base was occupied by Swiss Federal Railways and Tsar Nicholas II. In 1915, Louis-Ulysse passed away and the company was handed to his son. The company was once again handed down the family line to the founder’s grandson in 1943. In between then, the brand had moved to La Chaux-de-Fonds in the canton of Neuchâtel before relocating once more to Geneva so that its watches could meet the criteria of the Geneva Seal.

Twenty years later, Chopard was sold to the Scheufele family who have taken the brand to the next level. It has since become one of the world’s most successful manufacturers of high-end timepieces and jewellery designs. Chopard has enjoyed huge success in designing its High Jewellery designs for the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival and became its official partner in 1988. Each year, the Trophee Chopard is gifted to an upcoming actor or actress at the event.

Chopard also has a long-standing partnership with Hollywood actress Julia Roberts who recently became the official global ambassador for the brand. The A-List star, with her radiating smile and her elegant charm, has become the face of Chopard’s Happy Sport watch collection, not to mention the brand’s High Jewellery and Luxury Jewellery designs.

Why buy a Chopard watch?

Chopard’s repertoire of diamond-studded, golden-clad and grand complication watches is staggering. The brand equips its exquisite timepieces with in-house movements and employs a vertical integration approach to watchmaking. Every case, dial and movement component is designed and developed by Chopard experts in one of its three manufacturing facilities across Switzerland.

Some Chopard watches comprise a total of 14 complications. Others are resolutely contemporary and geared for adventure and outdoor exploration. Some of the brand’s most popular collections are its Alpine Eagle series inspired by the majestic beauty of the eagle and the soaring heights of the Swiss Alps. Also, the Mille Miglia watch collection. The series is inspired by the vintage rally racing cars that are renowned for attending the 1000-mile event. The Happy Sport watch collection is a sporty and chic series for females who adopt a free-spirited approach to life. Lastly, the L.U.C watch collection is where the brand’s most complicated timepieces can be explored. Let’s look at two of the brand’s most popular collections…

The Chopard Happy Sport

The design of the Happy Sport watch by Chopard takes inspiration from a moving diamonds concept that was first conceptualised back in 1976. Karl Scheufele, with the help of the brand’s in-house designer Ronald Kurrowski, designed a watch with loose round brilliant-cut diamonds that were free to roam across the surface of the watch’s dial. The design was considered highly futuristic for its time and went on to inspire the brand’s Happy Diamonds jewellery collection in 1985. The advantage of the loose diamond concept was that, although free to move around, their bevelled bases crafted from 18ct gold would not scratch the surface they appeared to float upon.

In 1993, the first Happy Sport watch arrived. It soon became a best seller and was made available in several different variations, not to mention different case sizes of 30mm, 36mm and 42mm. These wristwatches boasted a cluster of freely moving round brilliant-cut diamonds that created the impression of floating atop the dial. Differing from the original design of 1976, these diamonds can now roam the entire surface of the dial as opposed to being limited to the edge. The shimmering stones are cleverly suspended between two pieces of sapphire crystal glass, enabling light to reflect upon their many faceted edges.

Chopard Happy Sport watches range in price and design. Some dials are executed with a stunning guilloche centre and are powered by in-house movements, whereas others feature a modified ebauche movement to reflect a more affordable price point.

The Chopard Mille Miglia

Another popular watch collection by Chopard is the Mille Miglia series inspired by the 1000 Miglia race which became famous between the years of 1927 and 1957. Running from Brescia to Rome, the vintage cars that took part in the race have become an inspiration for the designs of the brand’s Mille Miglia watch series, which launched in 1988. Rebirthed in 1982, the iconic Miglia race captured the hearts of millions worldwide, all sharing the same passion for classic automobiles and the adrenaline of the racetrack. Earlier models from the Mille Miglia collection by Chopard feature leather straps that echoed the interior of these racing cars, as well as bodywork and dial designs inspired by speedometer and fuel gauges.

Today, the Mille Miglia Classic Chronograph watch is a popular option for those who love the history of the famed Italian race and its relationship with Chopard, who became its official timekeeper and sponsor in 1988. These newer breeds are all powered by COSC-certified movements and feature a classic three-counter layout sporting the small seconds at 3 o’clock, a 12-hour totaliser at 6 o’clock and a 30-minute function at 9 o’clock. Bearing the 1000 Miglia insignia at 12 o’clock and a perforated calfskin leather strap, it is clear to see that each timepiece from this special collection is aimed at lovers of both the brand and the historic Miglia racing event.

For more information on any of the watches we’ve featured in this introduction to Chopard watches, call and speak to a member of our Jura Watches sales team today on 01335 453453.