Chopard occupies a unique position in the luxury world: a family-owned manufacture that excels at both high jewelry and haute horlogerie. From the playful "Happy Diamonds" to serious chronometer movements, from Cannes Film Festival glamour to pioneering ethical luxury, Chopard bridges worlds that other brands cannot.
Swiss Precision Begins (1860)
Louis-Ulysse Chopard established his workshop in Sonvilier, Switzerland, in 1860, specializing in precision pocket watches and chronometers. His timepieces earned acclaim at international exhibitions and attracted distinguished clientele, including Tsar Nicholas II of Russia, whose imperial railroad ordered Chopard chronometers.
For over a century, the Chopard family maintained the business, building a reputation for technical excellence and quality craftsmanship.
The Scheufele Era (1963)
In 1963, Karl Scheufele—a German watchmaker and goldsmith from Pforzheim—acquired Chopard from the founder's grandson. Under Scheufele family ownership, Chopard transformed from a respected small manufacture into a global luxury brand.
Crucially, the Scheufeles expanded Chopard into jewelry, leveraging their goldsmithing heritage. This dual expertise in watches and high jewelry would become Chopard's defining characteristic.
Happy Diamonds (1976)
In 1976, Chopard introduced its most iconic creation: Happy Diamonds. Designed by Ronald Kurowski, the concept was revolutionary—free-floating diamonds dancing between two sapphire crystals. "Diamonds are happiest when they are free," Kurowski explained.
The Happy Diamonds concept expanded into an entire collection: Happy Sport (a playful steel-and-diamond combination), Happy Hearts, Happy Fish, and countless limited editions. The dancing diamonds became Chopard's signature, instantly recognizable worldwide.
Cultural Icon: Happy Sport was one of the first luxury watches to combine steel with diamonds—an audacious mix of sporty and precious that seemed impossible at the time. It became one of the best-selling luxury women's watches in history.
L.U.C - Serious Watchmaking (1996)
To prove Chopard's horological credentials beyond diamond-set jewelry watches, Karl-Friedrich Scheufele (son of Karl) launched L.U.C in 1996—a true manufacture producing high-complication movements entirely in-house.
Named after founder Louis-Ulysse Chopard, L.U.C movements are finished to the highest standards and often COSC-certified chronometers. The collection includes perpetual calendars, tourbillons, and the remarkable Quattro (four barrels delivering 9 days of power reserve).
L.U.C watches are produced in limited quantities in Fleurier, deliberately separate from the main Chopard production, maintaining the exclusivity expected of true haute horlogerie.
Cannes Film Festival Partnership
Since 1998, Chopard has been the official partner of the Cannes Film Festival. The house creates the Palme d'Or—the festival's highest honor—and its jewels grace the world's most glamorous red carpet. This association cemented Chopard's position at the intersection of luxury, artistry, and celebrity.
Each year, Chopard creates exclusive collections inspired by cinema, worn by actresses competing for and presenting the Palme d'Or. The visibility is priceless.
The Journey to Sustainable Luxury (2013)
In 2013, Caroline Scheufele (Karl's daughter) launched Chopard's "Journey to Sustainable Luxury"—a commitment to ethical gold sourcing. By 2018, Chopard became the first major luxury watchmaker to use 100% ethical gold across all its watches and jewelry.
This gold is either certified Fairmined (from responsible artisanal mines) or recycled from existing sources. The initiative addresses the environmental and social costs of gold mining—a bold stance for a luxury brand dependent on precious metals.
Louis-Ulysse Chopard establishes workshop in Sonvilier
Karl Scheufele acquires Chopard
Happy Diamonds concept introduced
Happy Sport launched
L.U.C manufacture established in Fleurier
Partnership with Cannes Film Festival begins
Achieves 100% ethical gold in all production
The Mille Miglia Partnership
Since 1988, Chopard has sponsored the Mille Miglia—the legendary Italian vintage car race from Brescia to Rome and back. The partnership spawned a collection of racing-inspired chronographs with features like tire-tread rubber straps and vintage styling. It demonstrates Chopard's ability to create sporty, masculine pieces alongside its jewelry-focused women's watches.
Today's Chopard
Remaining family-owned (now led by Karl-Friedrich and Caroline Scheufele), Chopard operates as both a high jewelry maison and a serious watchmaker. The Geneva atelier creates high jewelry and bejeweled timepieces. The Fleurier manufacture produces L.U.C calibres. And sustainable practices increasingly define the brand's identity.
This combination—playful Happy Diamonds and serious L.U.C complications, Cannes glamour and ethical commitment, jewelry artistry and horological excellence—makes Chopard genuinely unique in the luxury landscape.