High watchmaking and jewellery maison Chopard is back with delightful creations that would make for meaningful offerings of love for the big day. We give you a sneak peek at the various timepieces and jewellery that make up Chopard’s Valentine’s Day collection – thoughtful gifts for him and her
WATCHES
Mille Miglia Classic Chronograph in Lucent Steel
Chopard’s Mille Miglia collection welcomes a new design with the Mille Miglia Classic Chronograph model. One especially significant change from previous editions can be seen in the construction of the case: smaller – at 40.5 mm diameter – and thus more aligned with the aesthetic of the historical cars competing in the 1000 Miglia.
The bezels, crowns, and pushers of the three Lucent Steel models are in this same material, while those of the bi-material model are made from ethical 18-carat yellow gold. The pushers are knurled to create a motif recalling brake pedals, while the crown features more notches to enhance the grip. On either end of the case, the lugs are welded. Finally, the pin buckle has been redesigned compared with previous models, picking up the play on polished/satin-brushed finishes featured on the case.
The Lucent Steel models feature dials named Verde Chiaro (light green) and Rosso Amarena (cherry red), each with a circular satin-brushed finish, or in Nero Corsa (racing black) with an engine-turned finish. Meanwhile, the bi-material version in Lucent Steel and ethical gold has a dial in circular satin-brushed Grigio-Blu (grey blue). These colours evoke the paintwork and interiors of classic cars, while the satin-brushing and engine-turning refer to the distinctive backgrounds of dashboard instruments and the texture of upholstery.
All the dials feature prominent white minutes tracks and tachymeter scales – both essential for making speed and distance calculations – while dial markings and hour and minute hands are coated with white Grade XI Super-Luminova to ensure the high degree of legibility required when navigating after dark. The central sweep-seconds hand is red-tipped both for practical and aesthetic purposes – as well as to complement the famous red ‘1000 Miglia’ logo applied to each dial. The dial is protected by a deep, glass-box sapphire crystal secured by a slim bezel.
The back of each watch is fitted with a sapphire crystal affording a view of the self-winding chronograph movement certified by the Official Swiss Chronometer Testing Institute and endowed with a 54-hour power reserve. Racers will appreciate the 4 Hz frequency of the movement, the stop-second function, a tachymeter scale as well as the layout of the three 12-hour, 30-minute and small seconds subdials.
L.U.C XPS Forest Green in Lucent Steel
The new L.U.C XPS Forest Green is a contemporary fusion of considered materials in Lucent Steel and technical watchmaking with in-house L.U.C Calibre 96.12-L. The new Forest Green sector-type dial boasts a fusion of vintage charm and modern watchmaking excellence. The 40-mm Lucent Steel case is both responsibly produced and well-proportioned for a wide variety of wrist sizes. The dial is enchanting, with traditional touches of Chopard design, from the case and lugs to the signature rhodium-plated Dauphine hands. The “Chronometer” inscription is visual recognition that the L.U.C 96.12-L calibre housed in the L.U.C XPS Forest Green meets the most stringent accuracy tests as performed by COSC (Official Swiss Chronometer Testing Institute).
The L.U.C 96.12-L is an ultra-thin calibre measuring just 3.30 mm thick, featuring a bidirectional 22-carat gold micro-rotor and twin stacked barrels (Chopard Twin Technology) providing a generous 65-hour power reserve. Visible through the caseback, the bridges are beautifully finished with a Côtes de Genève motif and bevelling. The ‘S’ in the XPS acronym refers to the small seconds at 6 o’clock. This is required by the Official Swiss Chronometer Testing Institute, which uses this display to evaluate the precision of the movements it certifies, ensuring the average daily rate of the watch is between −4 and +6 seconds.
Happy Hearts Watch
Back in 1993, Chopard Co-President and Artistic Director devised more than a watch – a talisman for free-spirited women. Featuring diamonds that glide and twirl over the dial, the Happy Sport today meets the Maison’s emblematic heart motif: this Happy Hearts watch is a playful and innovative way to offer a fresh perspective on the passing of time and add a sense of carefree joy to every precious moment. Part of Chopard’s iconic Happy Sport collection, the Happy Hearts watch features a delicate mother of pearl dial adorned with three signature dancing diamonds and two floating hearts – one of mother-of-pearl and the other diamond-set. The dynamic interplay of the 36-mm Lucent Steel case; ethical rose gold bezel, crown, and cabochons, as well as the dancing diamonds captures the light, creating an effect as joyful as love itself. The heart symbolises life and embodies the essence of joie de vivre – the inspiration that drives every Chopard creation. Including the heart in a Happy Sport timepiece is a gentle reminder to make time for our loved ones and, just as importantly, to love ourselves too.
JEWELLERY
L’Heure du Diamant
Through these new parure of a pendant and matching earrings from L’Heure du Diamant collection, Chopard sublimates this motif with a dazzling craftsmanship and a sparkling of diamonds like no others. The pendant features a heart-shaped centrepiece adorned with brilliant-cut diamonds, meticulously crafted using Chopard’s crown-setting technique. Invented by Karl Scheufele – chairman of Chopard – this signature method, which features V-shaped prongs, enhances light reflection, thus giving the diamonds a more radiant appearance. Only the purest, most luminous diamonds are chosen by the workshops to adorn their creations. Karin Scheufele – Karl Scheufele’s wife – oversees the choice of stones that will adorn these jewellery.
L’Heure du Diamant collection also welcomes a beautifully designed pair of matching earrings – a new, smaller-sized variation of a celebrated design previously presented in Chopard’s Haute Joaillerie collection. The reduced size was introduced as a more comfortable, versatile design and adds to the offer a complete parure of earrings and pendant. Conceived for the most sophisticated occasions, L’Heure du Diamant combines timeless elegance with versatility. Its timeless yet contemporary design perfectly complements an evening gown and adds a touch of glamour to daytime attire.
Happy Hearts
The collection welcomes four new designs crafted in ethical gold. Each pendant showcases a central heart motif available in pure mother-of-pearl, bold black onyx, or diamond pavé-set white or rose gold, topped with a smaller heart twinkling with a dancing diamond. With these iterations, there is an elegant, subtle new addition on the mother-of-pearl and onyx versions, which feature a delicate diamond border for an extra touch of brilliance. More effervescent sparkle is offered by the fully pavé-set versions which Chopard’s artisans masterfully craft using snow setting, a technique that maximises the diamond’s light and creates a dynamic effect, as the diamonds of varying diameters are irregularly set side by side to entirely conceal the gold surface beneath. Playing on a variation of gemstone sizes, each arrangement is different and therefore unique, just like the woman wearing one of these pieces of jewellery. The pendant also features a clever double-sided design, with the reverse side presenting a polished gold motif tracing the large ‘C’ for Chopard and offering multiple styling options.
ACCESSORIES
Chopard’s watchmaking and jewellery creativity has also been expressed for many years through an accessory collection in which the Maison’s concern for detail and quest for perfection are matched by the expertise of its Artisans and the nobility of the selected materials. The Maison’s entire world is thus reflected in elegant bags, writing instruments, silk scarves and cashmere stoles, as well as leather goods, decorative objects, games, and fragrances.
