Founded in 1860 in Sonvilier, Switzerland, Chopard is one of the rare houses to master both high-precision watchmaking and haute joaillerie with equal excellence. Still owned by the Scheufele family, the independent manufacture embodies the perfect alliance between Swiss artisanal craftsmanship, artistic creativity and ethical commitment : notably through its 100% Fairmined-certified gold since 2018. From the jewellery watches of the Happy Diamonds to the exceptional complications of the L.U.C. line, and the sporty elegance of the Alpine Eagle, Chopard offers a universe as creative as it is technical. At The Swiss Collector, our selection of pre-owned Chopard watches and jewels evolves constantly, with every piece being unique.

Origins in Sonvilier (1860–1943)

In 1860, Louis-Ulysse Chopard, aged 24, opened his first watchmaking workshop in Sonvilier, in the Swiss Jura. His high-precision watches, sold under his initials L.U.C., quickly earned him an international reputation. The manufacture counted among its prestigious early clients Tsar Nicholas II of Russia and the Swiss Federal Railways. In 1943, Paul-André Chopard, the founder's grandson, inherited the manufacture.

The Scheufele Family and a New Chapter (1963)

In 1963, with no family successor, Paul-André sold the manufacture to Karl Scheufele III, a watchmaker-jeweller from Pforzheim, Germany. Under Karl and his wife Karin, then their children Luc and Caroline Scheufele, the house developed an entirely new jewellery dimension while preserving its watchmaking soul. Chopard remains to this day a 100% independent, family-owned company.

Happy Diamonds: The Jewellery Revolution (1976)

In 1976, in-house designer Ronald Kurowski imagined a revolutionary concept: letting genuine loose diamonds dance freely between two sapphire crystals, as if suspended in time. The Happy Diamonds collection was born. This innovation, unprecedented in jewellery, immediately became iconic and established Chopard's dual identity : jeweller as much as watchmaker. In 1993, Caroline Scheufele extended this concept with the Happy Sport : sporty, feminine watches with dancing diamonds.

The L.U.C. Line and Haute Horlogerie (1996)

In 1996, for the house's 136th anniversary and in homage to its founder, Chopard officially launched the L.U.C. collection : its high-complication watches, entirely developed in-house in Fleurier. Tourbillons, perpetual calendars, minute repeaters, COSC-certified chronometers: the L.U.C. places Chopard among the pantheon of world haute horlogerie.

The Ethical Commitment (2018)

In 2018, Chopard made history by becoming the first major watch and jewellery house to use exclusively Fairmined-certified gold across all its collections. This gold, mined under conditions respectful of human rights and the environment, positions Chopard as the pioneer of ethical luxury.