3 Aspects That Made Chopard A Popular Luxury Brand

Every watch brand strives to be unique from the others, and there are some things that make them unique from one another. For example, the Rolex is known as “The Crown” because of its distinctive logo that could be found on its watches. It is also called such because of its reputation as being one of the most popular manufacturers of luxury watches in the world.

But who says only the top brands deserve to be unique? Regardless of how big a luxury watch brand is, it deserves to have something that would make it stand out from the rest of the competition. This is certainly the case with Chopard, which does not get the same recognition from Rolex or Patek Philippe but is one of the few brands that produce not just luxury watches but also jewelry.

1.  Cannes Film Festival (And Other Sponsorships)

While many luxury watch brands are known for the watches they produce, such as the Rolex Submariner or the Tudor Black Bay, Chopard is more famous for its sponsorships. Just like any other company, many watch brands pursue sponsorships from events, celebrities, and even sports teams as a way to expose themselves to the bigger market.

They sometimes even create versions of popular watches specific to their sponsorship to attract more sales from the fans. With Chopard, it has pursued three major sponsorships to make itself more known to the public. First, it is the official timekeeper of the Historic Grand Prix of Monaco since 2002, which is held before the Formula One Grand Prix of Monaco. It is also a corporate partner of the Mille Miglia, a car rally held in Italy since 1988. The brand even made a watch dedicated to this event, which is priced from 4,100 USD to 15,000 USD depending on the version.

But the sponsorship that made Chopard so famous all over the world is the Cannes Film Festival, an international film festival held annually in Cannes, France. Chopard has sponsored the film festival since 1998 and it is also responsible for creating the Palme d’Or trophy, one of the highest prizes in the film industry and the biggest prize in the Cannes Film Festival.

Chopard also created a special Palme d’Or featuring “Fairmined” diamonds to celebrate the festival’s 70th anniversary and also to commemorate the 20th anniversary of their partnership. These sponsorships paid off for Chopard, as they made the brand famous in the eyes of both watch and jewelry collectors.

2.  Louis-Ulysse Chopard

Chopard was named after Louis-Ulysse Chopard, an artist watchmaker born and raised in Sonvilier, a small farming village in the Swiss Jura. Chopard had an interesting history, and he created exquisite timepieces at the age of 24. The son of a farmer, Louis-Ulysse created his workshop in 1860 and it continued to expand from then on, thanks to his gift of innovation and creativity. He created timepieces that struck the interest of his customers, thanks to their designs. But the mechanisms and usefulness of his chronographs further established his reputation as a watchmaker.

Louis-Ulysse Chopard also traveled in various places around Europe such as Poland, Hungary, and the Baltic states of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia until he reached Russia and the court of Tsar Nicholas II, who became Chopard’s most famous client. It is not unusual for luxury watches from other brands to be noticed by royalty. Prince Harry was once seen for wearing a Rolex Explorer II and a Breitling Aerospace. But by having the last Tsar of Imperial Russia as one of its clients, Chopard commands a certain historical significance that other brands cannot. Aside from Eastern Europe, Chopard also traveled to Scandinavia, where he did business with some retailers in the region.

This was the first time Chopard got exposed to the international market and its exposure continued to expand ever since. Even in the beginning, Chopard has already gained a lot of recognition by becoming the official watch provider for the “Tir Federal” and the Swiss Railway Company. This proved that while Chopard had a humble beginning as a watchmaker, he and his band became one of the most recognized manufacturers of Swiss watches and jewelry in the world.

3.  Fine And Exquisite Jewelry and Watches

Last but not least, Chopard is widely recognized for producing high-quality Swiss timepieces and jewelry. Chopard launches a Red Carpet jewelry collection every year showcasing its one-of-a-kind creations to the world. Chopard is not only known for being innovative and creative as a brand, but it is also a brand that wants to be bold and set trends on the market.

One example of this is when the brand launched a Green Carpet collection in collaboration with Livia Firth of Eco-Age in order to promote sustainability in the industry of jewelry and watchmaking. All of the jewelry and watches in this collection were made using Fairmined gold, which is old that was mined using small-scale mining organizations committed to practicing and promoting responsible mining standards.

But Chopard is not just all about elegance and exquisiteness, as the luxury brand also unveiled its jolly side by releasing its Animal World collection, a collection of jewelry and watches made with animal designs such as fish necklaces, butterfly bracelets, watches with birds designs, and even a silver ring with the design of a Polar Bear.

But Chopard does not only make luxurious and playful jewelry for the rich and famous. Chopard is also known for creating watches that match the elegance of the brand’s bracelets, earrings, and necklaces. One of the most famous watches made by Chopard is the 1976 Happy Diamonds, a prestigious chronograph.

This watch was made with a black dial, a cushion-shaped watch case, a large strap, and a frame adorned with diamonds. Produced using 18-carat white gold, this watch model was inspired by water droplets that a Chopard designer noticed while walking in the Black Forest. Since then, Chopard has created other timepieces and jewelry collections, but all of their works show the brand’s proclivity towards the innovative, creative, and exquisite.

Is Chopard A Luxury Watch Brand?

Chopard may have changed hands when the Scheufele family bought and took control of the company from Paul-Andre Chopard in 1963, but its vision for jewelry and timepieces never changed. It may not be as popular as watch brands like Rolex or Patek Philippe, but Chopard is one of the most popular manufacturers of luxurious jewelry in the world, competing with the likes of Cartier and Harry Winston.

Chopard timepieces have also been worn by famous celebrities and rich people. The fine materials that they use for their products, along with their high prices, is one of the major reasons Chopard is a luxury brand for both watches and jewelry.