The Chopard Company

Chopard is a Swiss luxury watchmaking, jewelry and accessories company which started in 1860 by Louis-Ulysse Chopard who was age 24 years old. The company was initially started by making accurately timed pocket watches. They made their movements in house rather than using movements from other manufacturers. In 1920, Chopard Company moved to Geneva and started making and designing watches. In 1963, the company was taken over by Karl Scheufele who was a goldsmith and watchmaker. He developed the watch making business and added a jewelry line to Chopard. During that year, he modernized the company. In 1975, Chopard’s factory moved to Meyrin-Geneva. During this time they began making women’s jewelry and watches. It was in 1976 that the famous Happy Diamond’s Collection was introduced. Diamonds were floating in the dial. In 1980, the scope of Happy Diamond watches expanded into Happy Diamond jewelry. Leather bands on sport watches became part of their line. New stores were opened in Hong Kong, Geneva and Vienna. In 1998, the Chopard L.U.C. Quattro watch was introduced. It was an innovative watch that had a nine day power reserve. In 2002, the jewelry line included the new golden Diamonds design. Over the next few years, the Chopard Company introduced the L.U.C. Regulateur watch, the L.U.C. Lunar watch, the Copacabana and the Golden Diamond Collection. The 30 year anniversary of the Happy Diamond Collection occurred in 2006.