In 2010, the Maison Chopard celebrates the 150th anniversary of the birth of the brand. For the occasion, the House embarks on a journey back in time, dwelling on its history rich in values and creativity.
A family history
In 1860, in Sonviliers, a small village in the Val-de-Travers, the young Louis-Ulysse Chopard founded a watch manufactory, inaugurating the production of quality pocket watches.
In 1920, the founder's grandson decided to move the company's headquarters to Geneva, in order to get closer to his clientele and to take advantage of the city's reputation in the watchmaking sector, which it derived from a long tradition.
And it was in Geneva, in 1963, that Karl Scheufele, the son of a German dynasty of goldsmiths and jewellers, met Paul-André Chopard who wished to sell his company, at that time a five-person operation. There was an immediate understanding between the two men and the sale was concluded the same day.
Karl Scheufele and his wife Karin give new impetus to the Maison. Chopard diversifies its activities and grows exponentially. Soon, their children Karl-Friedrich and Caroline, the current co-presidents, joined the company. Today, the Maison has 1,700 employees, 12 subsidiaries, 3 production sites and 120 boutiques worldwide.
Milestones
The Happy Diamonds concept, launched in 1976, marks the first stage in Chopard's modern production, with the first watch featuring the famous mobile diamonds on the dial. Chopard forever linked its name to the extraordinary success of this collection, which has been declined in a thousand ways ever since.
Subsequently, Caroline Gruosi-Scheufele created the jewellery division and, more recently, the Haute Joaillerie division. Today, Chopard is famous throughout the world for the quality of its creations, which sparkle on the red carpets, making the Maison the favourite jeweller of the stars of the seventh art.
For his part, Karl-Friedrich Scheufele presented the 1000 Miglia sports watches, named after the famous vintage car race in which the Maison has been a partner since 1988, which immediately became a flagship product of the company. The next step came in 1996: a genuine return to the roots with the creation of Chopard Manufacture a Fleurier, at the behest of Karl-Friedrich Scheufele. The Manufacture, based in a small village in the heart of the Val-de-Travers, the cradle of the Maison, succeeded in just 10 years in breaking through the doors of the small circle of authentic watch manufacturers, thanks to its L.U.C movements (acronym of founder Louis-Ulysse Chopard).
The Manufacture
Today, on the strength of its 45 crafts and its integrated and verticalised production, the Geneva-based Maison is preparing to celebrate its 150th birthday. It is an opportunity for the company to revisit the values that have contributed to its success. As a family business, Chopard places great importance on respect for tradition and passes on knowledge and savoir-faire through apprenticeships, training jewellers and watchmakers in-house. In addition, the Scheufele family has for years embraced the concept of social responsibility and expresses it by supporting charitable and environmental protection actions.
2010: a year of celebrations
Such a special anniversary must be matched by an equally exceptional year with a succession of major events. Here are a few highlights.
First and foremost, 2010 will be the year of the birth of a special Haute Joaillerie collection, which will highlight avant-garde materials combined with the most varied precious stones, in a range of iridescent colours. As far as Chopard Manufacture watches are concerned, several novelties will be proposed, including a special watch, a combination of watchmaking history and the most advanced modern techniques.
These pieces will be previewed during an event at Baselworld 2010, marking the start of the 150th anniversary celebrations.
Then, against the backdrop of the 63rd Cannes Film Festival - an event in which Chopard has been a partner since 1998 - the celebrations culminated with a grandiose evening, but shh... it's still a secret!
