Chopard

Chopard timepieces are the perfect combination of classic watchmaking craftsmanship and high-end jewelry. This storied Swiss manufacturer's watches stand out with their refined in-house calibers, some of which feature complications like a perpetual calendar, minute repeater, or tourbillon. At the same time, Chopard watches blur the line between watch and jewelry. Many of their cases are made of gold or platinum and are ornamented with diamonds.

The women's Happy Sport and Happy Diamonds collections have some especially unique features. The diamonds can't help but attract attention as they dance around the dial. On the other hand, the watches in the Imperiale and La Strada collections are more classically feminine. These timepieces pair as beautifully with evening wear as they do with business attire.

Chopard's men's models are just as elegant, but a bit simpler. The L.U.C collection is especially interesting. It contains everything a watch enthusiast could desire, from simple two-hand watches to a chronometer-certified timepiece with 14 complications.

Then there are the sporty and modern Mille Miglia, Grand Prix de Monaco Historique, and Superfast collections. Most of these watches are classic racing chronographs with designs inspired by the dashboards of both historical and current race cars.

Chopard shows off every aspect of their watchmaking prowess in the L.U.C collection. These timepieces pay tribute to company founder Louis-Ulysse Chopard and stand out thanks to their classic elegance. Each watch features a manual or automatic in-house caliber, the majority of which are also COSC-certified chronometers. A series of stacked barrels increases their power reserve to 60 hours. Some models go well above and beyond that mark, boasting a staggering 216-hour power reserve.

Chopard divides the L.U.C collection into four subcategories: Élégance, Complications, Grand Complications, and Heritage. The Élégance series contains classic two or three-hand dress watches with conservative yet intricately detailed dials. These dials are available with a sunburst pattern, fine guilloché engraving, diamonds, or a skeletonized finish. The stainless steel, gold, or platinum cases are very flat, making these timepieces particularly comfortable to wear. You can purchase a stainless steel L.U.C Élégance for as little as 6,300 USD. Prices for gold or platinum models range from 12,000 to 22,500 USD. With diamonds, that price climbs to over 39,000 USD.

Watches with sophisticated complications make up Chopard's L.U.C Complications and L.U.C Grand Complications series. Here you'll find timepieces with a world time function, moon phase, chronograph, tourbillon, perpetual calendar, or minute repeater. These in-house movements come with chronometer certification and bear the Geneva seal – a mark of quality reserved only for the best watches made in the Swiss canton of Geneva.

The diverse selection of watches is as varied as their prices. Stainless steel models with simple complications like a second time zone sell for around 7,400 USD and upward. Meanwhile, those with a perpetual calendar or moon phase display demand well over 44,500 USD. At the uppermost end of the price range, you'll find the manufacturer's pièce de résistance. This timepiece boasts 14 complications, including displays for the sunrise and sunset, an orbital moon phase display, a tourbillon, a 24-hour scale, and an equation of time. Such mastery has its price, namely 403,000 USD.

Chopard looked to their early pocket watches for inspiration when designing the L.U.C Heritage series. A railroad minute scale and Roman numerals define these watches. In addition to classic round cases, there are also timepieces with a barrel-shaped case and diamond-studded bezel available. As seen in their sister models, a chronometer-certified in-house caliber ticks away inside every L.U.C Heritage watch. Expect to pay anywhere from 20,000 to 45,000 USD for one of these classic timepieces.

Chopard created a true classic in the early 1990s with their Happy Diamonds collection. Today, it's this Swiss luxury watch manufacturers largest and most popular line. These women's watches come in all shapes and sizes. They are available with automatic or quartz movements and in stainless steel, gold, or as two-tone models. As diverse as this collection may be, its watches all have one thing in common: diamonds . The diamonds that dance around the edge of the dial with each movement of the arm are especially eye-catching.

Each Happy Diamonds watch also functions like a piece of jewelry and is meant to be a fashionable accessory. Two concentric rose or white gold rings form the case. Chopard's goldsmiths even adorn some models with small bows or loops on the outer ring at 6 and 12 o'clock. A cluster of diamonds freely moves between the two case rings. The dial occupies the center of these quartz-powered watches. Depending on the number of diamonds, prices for a Happy Diamonds timepiece sit between 7,100 and 26,000 USD.

The second "Happy" collection is the Happy Sport. As the name implies, these watches have much sportier designs. In addition to rose gold, you'll also find timepieces made of stainless steel or with a two-tone case and bracelet. Regardless of the material, each watch still features the sparkle of multiple diamonds. You can also choose between an automatic or quartz movement. Prices largely depend on the materials, number of diamonds, and movement type. You can purchase a simple stainless steel watch starting at 4,800 USD, while rose gold pieces with a diamond-studded bezel can cost over 20,000 USD.

The Imperiale collection is full of women's dress watches. The timepieces are at home in the office as well as on the red carpet. Chopard offers these watches in three sizes – small (28 mm), medium (36 mm), and large (40 mm) – and in a wide array of designs. There's something for everyone: from simple, quartz-powered stainless steel watches to rose gold models with an automatic movement, diamond-encrusted dial, and gemstones on their cases. This collection also contains an abundance of color. For example, timepieces with rubies, emeralds, or amethysts are paired with matching leather straps.

Every watch is priced according to the intricacy of its design. Simple stainless steel models sell for as little as 4,500 USD, and two-tone pieces with diamonds on the bezel demand about 12,500 USD. The white or rose white gold editions with diamonds cost significantly more, with prices ranging from 22,000 to 56,000 USD. You'll have to dig even deeper into your pockets for a completely diamond-covered timepiece. Be sure to have around 140,000 USD on hand for one of these glittering treasures.

The La Strada collection also features classic women's watches. They bear a striking resemblance to the Cartier Tank thanks to their rectangular dials , Roman numerals, and elongated cases. However, Chopard's case is curvier and, therefore, more feminine. This timepiece is available in yellow, white, or rose gold, with or without diamonds. Precise quartz movements provide the La Strada with its exceptional accuracy. You can purchase a less ornate model beginning around 2,800 USD. The addition of diamonds can raise that price to over 15,500 USD.

If you're looking for a watch with the charm of a classic race car, Chopard has plenty to offer. The watch manufacturer's Classic Racing collection is broken down into three sub-collections. First, there's the Mille Miglia, which features a design inspired by the dashboards found in classic race cars that participated in the eponymous road race in northern Italy in the 1930s and 40s. Another series dedicated to a classic car race is the Grand Prix de Monaco Historique. The most modern watches belong to the Superfast line, which takes its cues from the Porsche 919.

All three sub-collections contain three-hand watches and chronographs, each powered by a COSC-certified automatic movement inside a stainless steel, rose gold, or titanium case. To top it all off, you can choose from a stainless steel bracelet, leather band, or rubber strap that resembles the treads of a tire.

Regardless of the series, entry-level models have three hands and are made of stainless steel. They sell for between 3,900 and 5,100 USD. Prices for stainless steel chronographs generally start around 5,600 USD. Unsurprisingly, the rose gold versions require a much larger investment of anywhere from 13,000 to 28,000 USD.

Chopard's company history began in 1860, when 24-year-old watchmaker Louis-Ulysse Chopard started producing and selling watches under the "L.U.C" name in the small Swiss village of Sonvilier. The brand quickly rose to prominence, adding Tsar Nicholas II and the Swiss Federal Railways to its customer base.

Chopard's son, Paul-Louis Chopard, took over the company after Louis-Ulysse's passing in 1915 and relocated it to Chaux-de-Fonds. The next move followed only a few years later. This time, Chopard set up shop in Geneva so they could meet the criteria for the Geneva seal.

Louis-Ulysse's grandson, Paul-André, inherited the company in 1943. Twenty years later, he was forced to sell the company because none of his sons desired to take on the family business. He ended up accepting a bid from watchmaker and jeweler Karl Scheufele III of Pforzheim, Germany. Prior to the purchase, Scheufele had been selling watches under the "Eszeha" brand and was looking to free himself from his reliance on ébauche movement suppliers.

Since then, Chopard has become one of the world's most successful watch and jewelry companies. The company remains independent and in the hands of the Scheufele family to this day.