Whose Turn Is It To Shine?

With exuberant sparkle, artisanal flair and a dash of horological livery, Chopard's gem-encrusted watches demonstrate both horological and jewellery savoir-faire.

- Alvin Wong

FIRST TO CHOPARD, then to the red carpet. An essential port of call for celebrities such as Gong Li, Bella Hadid and Julia Roberts seeking to arm themselves with vital sparkle before facing the world, the Swiss luxury house has a knack for crafting jewellery pieces that evoke awards night glamour. Though high-octane jewellery is synonymous with Chopard today, the company was actually established as a watchmaking house in 1860.

Chopard’s founder, Louis-Ulysse Chopard, like many young men growing up in the mountainous Swiss Jura region back then, came from a family of farmers. And like them, Louis-Ulysse turned to watchmaking to supplement the family’s income during the long and arduous winter months when the land was unfit for farming.

In the decades after its founding, Chopard became known for exquisite pocket and ladies’ watches. While the company made jewellery watches during that time, it wasn’t until 1963, after the business was acquired by German watchmaker and goldsmith Karl Scheufele III, that Chopard became more intentional with creating jewellery pieces.

Today, the Swiss luxury house remains a family-owned enterprise run by the Scheufeles. Unlike before, however, its jewellery creations have become just as famous and desired as its timepieces. While the brand’s watches and jewellery pieces are established and distinctive in their own right, when both converge, as they often do in the world of Chopard, the union is nothing short of spectacular.