From Impossible To Internationally Renowned Style Icon, This Is The Story Of The Chopard Happy Sport
Diamonds may be a girl’s best friend, but as for the diamonds themselves, Karin Scheufele co-owner of Chopard since 1963 exclaims “Diamonds are happiest when they’re free!” This was the philosophy behind the creation of Chopard’s Happy Diamonds, a collection of jewellery and watches that feature these precious stones dancing freely, unencumbered across a plane of transparent material.
Although Happy Diamonds first made their debut in 1976, it wasn’t until 1993 that Caroline Scheufele, Karin’s daughter, and the current Co-President and Artistic Director of Chopard, introduced an extension of this collection. This new introduction would transform these Happy Diamonds from delicate and dainty jewellery into an elegant watch that would serve as an everyday accompaniment to women of action. We are no doubt talking about the birth of a modern-day icon, the Chopard Happy Sport.
First introduced by Caroline Scheufele in 1993, the Chopard Happy Sport has always embodied the free-spirited attitude and raw independence of women.
By Women, For Women
If you still have doubts that the Chopard Happy Sport collection is a veritable symbol of female empowerment, the tale of its conception is bound to change your mind. Unlike the early Happy Diamond timepieces which had the diamonds dancing around the watch case, Caroline wanted these “rocks that roll” to be sandwiched between two sapphire crystals and set above the dial. Legend has it, one of her workshop foremen told her it was impossible, even daring to make this promise “Caroline! If you manage to sell these watches, I’ll give you one rose for each of them.” Where some would be deflated, Caroline instead used this to fuel her determination.
In 1993, for the first time in watchmaking history, a watch with seven sparkling diamonds dancing animatedly across a white dial was launched. And since that day, in the almost 30 years that followed, the Chopard Happy Sport has gone on to become an international icon in the horology world. And the foremen, the one who made that promise with the roses, ended up gifting his co-president a rosebush.
For the first time in watchmaking history, here was a watch designed based on the unprecedented mingling of steel and diamonds.
The success of the Chopard Happy Sport as a new fashion icon can be attributed to its then unorthodox idea of combining the precious nature of diamonds with the robustness of steel. The watch also came at a time when women were breaking through glass ceilings, assuming more positions of responsibility, and exuding more influence within the family, in business, and politics. Thus, for these free-spirited heroines, fashion needed to adapt accordingly. The Happy Sport was the perfect accompaniment for women throughout the day as they went about their activities. As Caroline Scheufele explained in 1993: “I wanted a watch that I could wear all day long: at the gym, in the office or for a dinner in town.”
The spirit of the Chopard Happy Sport as a watch of purpose and the idea of freedom that the dancing diamonds bring resonates clearly with the empowered women of today. Just look at the line of ambassadors that have donned the Happy Sport on their wrists: Gong Li, Eva Herzigova, Blanca Suarez, Erin Heatherton, Poppy Delevingne, Liu Tao, Léa Seydoux, Marion Cotillard and Rihanna. They are models, actresses and music artists, but above all, they are women that sit at the top of their respective industries.
The latest to join the Happy Sport family is someone that needs no introduction—Julia Roberts. Her Joie de Vivre and free-spirited charm mirror the exact sentiments of the Happy Sport collection. And with Chopard being a strong proponent of the world of film, what better way to celebrate this new partnership, than with a short film directed by the talented Xavier Dolan. In it, Julia Roberts, a contemporary icon, exhibits a jubilant, free-spinning display of choreography. And this, combined with the equally dynamic music, photography and styling capture the purest essence of the Happy Sport Collection.
The Happy Sport Reborn
To celebrate the resounding success of the Happy Sport, this year Chopard is recreating the original watch from 1993, this time with a comfortable 33 mm case. Continuing the Joie de Vivre and the free-spirited attitude that today’s women aspire to, the fashion icon returns as Happy Sport the First, a limited edition watch in 1,993 pieces.
Happy Sport the First pays faithful homage to the inaugural model with its legendary dancing diamonds and “pebble-link bracelet”.
Adding to this collection, there will also be seven new references joining the Happy Sport family. Four of which, will feature a two-tone design in Lucent Steel A223 (an anti-allergenic alloy that is brighter and sturdier than ordinary steel and 70% made from recycled materials) and 18 K rose gold while three will be made fully in rose gold. Each of these watches will be paired with a leather strap of the comfortable metal bracelet. All of these watches will be powered by the Chopard manufacture 09.01-C movement with automatic winding, and of course, each dial will feature the legendary dancing diamonds.
Inspired by the ‘golden ratio’ principles of aesthetic harmony, the new Chopard Happy Sport presents the finest form of comfort in a 33mm-diameter case, fitted between a leather strap or rose gold bracelet.
