Swiss watch brand
Chopard: history, models and value
Chopard started in 1860 as a small maker of precise pocket watches in the Jura and is today a family-owned watch and jewellery house in Geneva. If you have a Happy Diamonds, a St. Moritz or an L.U.C, this guide explains what you own.
- Founded
- 1860
- Founder(s)
- Louis-Ulysse Chopard
- Headquarters
- Geneva (Meyrin)
- Owner / group
- Independent (Scheufele family)
Chopard: origins and founding
Louis-Ulysse Chopard founded his workshop in 1860 in Sonvilier, a village in the Bernese Jura. He made thin, accurate pocket watches and found it more profitable to sell complete watches than movements alone. According to the brand, Chopard's pocket watches were supplied to the Swiss railways and to Tsar Nicholas II, among others.
Founders and family
After Louis-Ulysse died in 1915, his son Paul-Louis and grandson Paul-André Chopard ran the business. In 1963 Paul-André sold it to Karl Scheufele III, from a family of jewellers and watchmakers in Pforzheim, Germany. He built up the brand with his wife Karin. Their children, Caroline and Karl-Friedrich Scheufele, have shaped Chopard ever since: Caroline on the jewellery and women's side, Karl-Friedrich on the men's watches and the movement manufacture. The Scheufele family still owns the company.
Chopard history and milestones
- 1860: founding in Sonvilier.
- 1921: move to La Chaux-de-Fonds.
- 1937: move to Geneva.
- 1963: the Scheufele family buys Chopard.
- 1974: the factory moves to Meyrin near Geneva.
- 1976: Happy Diamonds, with diamonds moving freely between two sapphire crystals.
- 1980: the St. Moritz, a steel sports watch designed by Karl-Friedrich Scheufele.
- 1988: start of the Mille Miglia partnership and watch line.
- 1993: Happy Sport, designed by Caroline Scheufele.
- 1996: Chopard Manufacture opens in Fleurier and presents its first own movement, the L.U.C 1.96.
- 1998: partner of the Cannes Film Festival, including the Palme d'Or trophy.
- 2018: commitment to use 100% ethical gold.
- 2019: the Alpine Eagle, a new take on the St. Moritz.
Famous Chopard models
- Happy Diamonds and Happy Sport: the brand's best-known watches, with loose diamonds moving under the crystal.
- St. Moritz: the 1980s steel sports watch with a screwed bezel.
- Alpine Eagle: the modern sports watch with integrated bracelet.
- Mille Miglia: chronographs linked to the Italian classic car race.
- L.U.C: the high-end line with in-house movements, including the L.U.C Quattro (2000) with four barrels.
- Imperiale and La Strada: dress and jewellery watches.
Movements and technique
For decades Chopard used bought-in movements, and many Happy Diamonds and Mille Miglia models still do. Since 1996 Chopard Manufacture in Fleurier has made the L.U.C movements, named after the founder's initials. Some L.U.C models carry the Geneva Seal. Chopard also makes its own cases and bracelets and has a gold foundry in-house. The Scheufele family also revived the historic Ferdinand Berthoud name as a separate brand.
Chopard today
Chopard is a family-owned company with its headquarters and main workshops in Meyrin, Geneva, and the movement manufacture in Fleurier. It is both a jewellery house and a watch brand, covering luxury jewellery watches, sports watches and haute horlogerie in the L.U.C line.
Chopard prices on the pre-owned market
Chopard holds its value unevenly. Gold Happy Diamonds and diamond-set pieces are valued largely for their gold and stones, and steel quartz Happy Sport models usually resell well below retail. The Alpine Eagle has been in demand on the pre-owned market since its launch, and vintage St. Moritz models have gained interest with it. L.U.C watches are respected by collectors but often trade below retail, with complications and limited editions doing best. Original papers, the correct bracelet and untouched diamond settings make a big difference.
How to recognise a genuine Chopard
Happy Diamonds and Happy Sport are the most copied Chopard models. On a genuine piece the loose diamonds are real, well cut stones that move smoothly, the dial printing is crisp, and the caseback carries a reference and an individual serial number that should match the papers. Gold cases have Swiss hallmarks. Aftermarket diamonds added to a watch reduce its value. More tips: how to spot a fake watch.
What is your Chopard worth?
For a first figure, upload photos of the dial, caseback and papers to our free watch value estimate. For estates, insurance or a divorce, you can also order a written watch appraisal.
Frequently asked questions
Who owns Chopard?
Chopard has been owned by the Scheufele family since 1963, when Karl Scheufele III bought it from Paul-André Chopard. It is not part of a large luxury group.
How can I tell if my Chopard Happy Diamonds is real?
Check that the loose diamonds move smoothly and look like real cut stones, that the dial printing is sharp, and that the serial number on the caseback matches the papers. A specialist can test the diamonds and gold.
Does Chopard make its own movements?
Chopard Manufacture in Fleurier has made the L.U.C movements since 1996. Many other Chopard models, especially jewellery and quartz watches, use bought-in movements.
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