Chopard

In the 19th century, the Swiss Jura Mountains were a promising breeding ground for talented and ambitious master watchmakers. The meager mountain farmers earned a meager income during the long winters by handcrafting watch components, though never complete movements. Each family devoted themselves to different watch components, which were purchased from watchmakers, mostly from Geneva, and assembled into complete movements. Paul-André Chopard also founded a watchmaking factory, and his grandson Louis-Ulysse engraved his highly visible initials, LUC, on the workshop facade, which remain a symbol of the authenticity of Chopard movements to this day. The self-confident young man knew he didn't want to remain a mere handyman. His own movements, precision pocket watches, and chronometers were his passion. Early on, he had their accuracy tested at the Neuachtel Observatory. As the business grew, Chopard expanded its market to Tsarist Russia and other Eastern European countries until the Russian October Revolution and the Great Depression of 1929 halted Chopard's bold strides. Yet the company bravely stayed alive while other watch brands faded into (temporary) obscurity. After 1943, Chopard-Grandfils opened up a new market in Scandinavia, before a gradual decline reduced the business to just 10 employees in 1960. As life and fate would have it, the right negotiating partners met at the right time. The long-established watchmaking company Scheufele, a producer of fine gold watches from Pforzheim in the northern Black Forest, with its no less traditional watchmaking tradition, encountered the ailing Swiss company in its desire for expansion. Scheufele's great-grandfather had already used movements from Swiss quality companies such as Blancpain, Vacheron Constantin, and Jaeger-LeCoultre in his watchmaking – the groundwork was laid. Trust and mutual respect were established, and a deal was reached in 1963.

Karl Scheufele III took on no easy task. This makes the exemplary development the company has undergone to this day all the more worthy of recognition. With the awakening brand awareness of the time, Chopard's ambitious desire to produce its own movements grew as well. Movements worthy of inclusion in the Haute Horlogerie category and meeting the highly demanding approval criteria of the Hallmark of Geneva. Despite doubts within the industry, the ambitious project nevertheless succeeded. In 1996, with the establishment of Chopard's own production facility in Fleurier, a new era as a watch manufacturer began. All processes – from design to production – are carried out in-house with great mastery, excellent craftsmanship, and intricate attention to detail. The young manufactory secured the support of the brilliant watchmaker Michel Parmigiani, who maintains a special relationship with watches: "A watch is like a living being with an inner world."

Chopard collections combine sporty qualities with exquisite elegance. Their technical perfection, impeccable performance, and indestructibility make them eligible for the COSC chronometer certificate and the FQF quality seal. The timeless Classic collection could not be more understated in appearance and style were it not dominated by expressive dials. The Classic Racing series, comprising the three series Grand Prix de Monaco Historique, Superfast, and Mille Miglia, evokes the fervor of motor racing with a multitude of complications. In terms of the number and quality of its additional functions, it is even surpassed by the LUC collection – a tribute to the company's founder. The chronology of Chopard movements reads like a eulogy to the still young manufacture and demonstrates groundbreaking qualities: In 1997, the LUC 1860 astonished, the first to feature the Chopard caliber LUC 1.96. In 2000, the LUC Quattro followed, featuring the LUC 1.98 caliber and an astonishing nine-day power reserve. A year later, the LUC 3.97 Tonneau caliber, with its automatic movement and eccentric micro-rotor, appeared. 2006: LUC Chrono. Finally, in 2007, Chopard presented the LUC 10 CF, the first automatic chronograph movement, which resulted in three patents, as well as the LUC 63.01 L and others.

Chopard also insists on style in its own presentation: in 2010, just in time for the company's 150th anniversary, it opened its 100th boutique in a premier location on New York's Madison Avenue, with a sales area of ​​almost 300 square meters. In the company's own LUCEUM watch museum in Fleurier, fascinating exhibits from the art of watchmaking from all major European eras and regions demonstrate Chopard's unbroken self-confidence since the dawn of Louis-Ulysse. While captivated by Chopard luxury watches, it should not be forgotten that the company also excels as a manufacturer of exquisite jewelry and is also a leader in the field of precious perfumes. Chopard's largely hand-crafted jewelry blends refined elegance with technical finesse. Gold , diamonds and precious stones enhance not only the Ladies Collection. All jewelry collections reveal a refined sense of art and an irrepressible and eternally youthful desire to adorn oneself with the finest raw materials. As Chopard Co-President, Caroline Gruosi-Scheufele is responsible for the success of the jewelry department. It all began with a simple pendant. Then the Happy Diamonds series, with its lavish use of rose gold , delicate stones, and diamonds, whetted the appetite for more. Elegant, capricious women who love to attract attention wear Chopard jewelry with equal confidence, such as the iconic Chopard Imperiale Tourbillon in 18-karat rose gold with amethysts, diamonds, and a bold purple leather strap. For those "exquisite moments of electrifying happiness," as the company motto puts it.

As a partner of glamorous film events, Chopard has long excelled as one of the main sponsors of the Cannes Film Festival. The partnership with the Mille Miglia vintage car race inspired the development of a chronograph for stylish women who are passionate not only about exceptional jewelry but also about horsepower. The tire pattern of the rubber strap, the feminine mother-of-pearl dial with azure-blue silver-plated hands, and the optional diamond-set bezel should not obscure the fact that the Mille Miglia's masculine-looking, 44 mm stainless steel case contains a heart of steel-strength technology, powered by an automatic movement beating at 28,800 vibrations per hour. In 2015, Chopard dedicated a special collection to a milestone in motor racing: the historic Monaco Grand Prix. A precious piece that is wildly popular (and not only) with collectors.