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MTF
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A Surprise from Chopard, A Celebration, and A Rare Interview with Caroline

Chopard 2018 Happy Sport 25th Anniversary watches

2018 Happy Sport 30mm Automatic (c) M.Teillol-Foo

Last week, Chopard previewed the 2018 Happy Sport Collection with a happy surprise. Their flagship watch collection revealed a new, small, dedicated, mechanical movement designed for ladies' watches to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the Happy Sport watch. Read the discussion forum on PuristSPro website CLICK HERE .

A Brief History of CHOPARD Time and Jewels part 9: Caroline Scheufele - Early Years [CLICK]  tells the story of the Happy Sport and other 'Happy' Chopard products on PuristSPro website.

Sketch of first Happy Sport (1993)

Happy Sport: It was about Materials, Shapes and Functions

1993 First Happy Sport 278236-3005

In 1993, this first Happy Sport was radical because it was the first Chopard watch with diamonds set into steel case. It remains one of the watch industry’s most popular success stories. Chic and affordable, it took a lot of convincing by Caroline Scheufele for Papa Scheufele to agree to his precious diamonds being set in a steel ladies' watch. Caroline won that argument and the whole family won at the bank; clearly a contemporary classic for the self-confident woman.

2007 Happy Sport Square Medium 275322-5001

Happy Sport is all about 'Freedom'.

Freely combining various materials, shapes, and functions the watches changed with the cycle of fashion and aesthetic codes but the driver is always: 'Freedom'.

Now, they even make them in gold!

2010 Happy Sport from the Animal World Collection 137707-5003

2011 Happy Mickey 278475-3033

2012 Happy Sport Tourbillon Joaillerie 274462-1001

2012 Happy Beach Chrono 283581-5011

2018 Happy Sport 30mm Automatic Collection

Happy Sport bi-colour steel/rose gold CHF 7,860 / $7,790.

2018 Happy Sport Collection steel and bicolour

Happy Sport steel diamond-set CHF 13,700 / $ 13,600.

2018 Happy Sport Collection

Happy Sport rose gold CHF 13,100 / $13,000.

Happy Sport rose gold diamond-set CHF 20,100 / $19,900.

We interviewed Caroline Scheufele, Chopard co-president

 

Caroline Scheufele, co-President of Chopard

After many stops and starts, the Chopard small mechanical movement for ladies watches is finally here. We asked how Caroline felt about finally getting a new in-house Chopard mechanical movement dedicated to ladies' watches and what she did to encourage progress.

She confirmed that women are showing a real interest in mechanical movements and it was natural to dedicate one from Chopard for them. It is also a great way to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of Happy Sport this year.

She said: "We truly have a passion for excellence at Chopard. We prefer to postpone a project rather than having something unfinished or not ready. Having a movement for women's' watches became a priority for my brother and myself, and we have done everything in our power to make it happen for this celebration year."

Chopard Cal 09.01-C

We noted that another Genevan family-owned brand produces 15% of their watches with quartz movements and they are all ladies' models, with expectation that the proportion is expected to get smaller as more ladies' watches with mechanical movements are offered. We asked her opinion about this trend.

Caroline confirmed this trend, citing that one of Chopard's best sellers is the Happy Sport 36mm Automatic. Chopard has used mechanical movements for high complication ladies' watches for many years and now their core collection has its own in-house automatic movement to satisfy the increasing demand.

2015 Old Happy Sport 36mm automatic 278573-6001

We asked Caroline's opinion about an often quoted sales pitch: "Ladies don't want the hassle of mechanical movements; Have an easy-to-use quartz watch."
She deigned to reply and laughed while asking: "Is that a sales pitch from 1970?"

We asked about the impact that this new movement would have on future watch designs and clearly, as Chief Artistic Director, Caroline is excited about the inspiration and freedom the new movement allows for designs that are even more creative.

On a personal level, as designer of the original Happy Sport, we asked what the 25th anniversary of the Happy Sport meant to Caroline and Chopard.

"It is incredible to think that we launched our first Happy Sport 25 years ago! Being able to have such an iconic watch in our collection, which is still today, one of our best sellers, is the greatest reward I could imagine. Having our very own in-house movement for this watch was a natural evolution for our brand, especially with the development of infrastructure at our Manufacture in Fleurier. I can’t wait to discover what the next birthday will bring us!" - Caroline Scheufele

Arizona Muse wearing Happy Sport and Happy Hearts Collections

PURISTSPRO Comment

The Happy Sport is one of those iconic timepieces that captured the imagination of two generations now, to become a flagship collection for Chopard. Over 25 years, it spawned a plethora of 'Happy Families' including the Happy Fish, Happy Beach, Happy Ocean, Happy Hearts, Happy Spirit, and Happy Dreams.

Until now, only the larger (36mm and above) Happy Sport watches could accommodate mechanical movements that were originally designed for mens' watches.

Now, even small Chopard ladies' watches can boast a Chopard-Manufacture mechanical movement.

Regards,
MTF

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