Every training meeting, regardless of time and expertise in the industry, teaches something new about the brand being covered. Usually, there is information that those closest to the brand can divulge that don't appear in search results or the brands' website. Today, we were offered great insight into the rich history of Chopard. HISTORY Chopard was launched in the mountains of Switzerland in 1860. At 24, Louis-Ulysses Chopped began creating watches that combined beauty and accuracy. He would spend the winter months making his watches so he could journey down the mountain to sell his wares in the summer. When transportation became commonplace, he set up shop in Geneva so his patrons from Russia, the Middle East and Eastern Europe could come to him. At that time, watch cases weren't sealed like they are today, making it possible for dust to invade the case and affect the accuracy of the movement. Chopard, however, had engravings in his movement that caught the dust, allowing his timepieces to keep better time than other watches of the era. Paul-Andre Chopard, the third generation of Chopard, was the last member of the Chopard family to own the company. The company was sold to a German-based watch and jewelry company owned by Karl Scheufele III in 1963. To this day, the Scheufele family owns Chopard. Chopard is one of the last family-run watchmaking and jewelry companies. Karl and his wife, Karin, are known to visit the manufacturing facilities daily, busying themselves with checking the finances and meeting new employees. Karl and Karin's children, Caroline and Karl-Friedrich are now co-presidents of the company. ABOUT CHOPARD All Chopard watches are handmade by artisans in their manufacturing facilities in Switzerland and Germany. Everything from manufacturing to stamping and stone setting to bracelet assembly is performed by hand. There is also a gold foundry in house to assure the color consistency of their products. Whether you purchased a yellow gold timepiece 20 years ago or today, the color of gold will be exact. To be considered a "Swiss-Made" brand, 60% or more of the components have to be swiss. Chopard watches are made of 95% swiss components. Chopard has five collections: Classic Racing, LUC, Happy Diamonds, Imperiale, and High Jewelry. Moyer Fine Jewelers currently carries three of the five collections. CLASSIC RACING The Classic Racing collection earns its name from cars. The collection is a tribute to races that take place in Europe such as the Mille Miglia and Grand Prix de Monaco Historique. There are three watch categories which make up the Classic Racing collection: Mille Miglia, Grand Prix de Monaco Historique, and Superfast. Most of the timepieces have a 60 hour power reserve that is COSC certified. This means that the reserve is actually longer than 60 hours to assure the watch doesn't slow in the 59th hour. One of the staff's favorite features of the Mille Miglia timepiece is that when the wearer winds the watch, the gas gauge on the left side of the dial fills up.

Mille Miglia GTS Power Control

HAPPY DIAMONDS The Happy Diamond collection is one of the most fascinating and iconic jewelry innovations. The idea was inspired when one of the Chopard designers became captivated by the sparkling colors in a waterfall. Inside the dial, diamonds are free to "dance" between two sapphire crystals. Each of the diamonds is set in a "cup" like bezel. This enables them to float freely without scratching each other or the case. Over time, these watches should be serviced as the friction of the "dancing" causes a gold dust that prohibits the dancing movement.

Happy Sport 36mm Automatic

IMPERIALE The Imperiale collection is a tribute to today's empresses, who do not need a crown to assert their majesty. The details within each Imperiale watch make it one of the most luxurious of all Chopard watches. The hands on the dial are shaped like swords to signify strength. The Mother-of-Pearl set in the dial is also engraved- a hard feat considering the softness of the stone. The crown is shaped like a lotus flower. An amethyst is used in every Imperiale crown as purple is known as the color of royalty. In the Byzantine era, purple was worn by the most wealthy, elite members of society. In that day, the color had to be extracted from a shell so only the wealthy could afford it.

Imperiale 36mm

To learn more about the brand or to inquire about a Chopard timepiece, call 317-844-9003. For questions, email lauren@moyerfj.com.