The creation of Chopard’s Happy Sport in 1993 was more of a statement about how life should be lived than the mere launch of a new watch collection.
The iconic design statement of diamonds that dance around the dial between two layers of sapphire dates back to 1976. It was created by Karin Scheufele, head of the jewellery and watch maison at the time, who introduced it as the Happy Diamonds concept.
It seemed an unlikely idea to apply to more sporty watches, but 17 years later the dancing diamonds made their way into the Happy Sports watches that launched in 1993.
It was Caroline Scheufele, daughter of Karin Scheufele and co-president and artistic director of Chopard, who made the decision to combined Happy Diamonds with sport watches, an idea that seemed ridiculous at the time to industry observers.
But Ms Scheufele wanted to expand the market for diamonds outside the universe of the ultra-rich and make them accessible to more customers in their everyday lives.
“They were no longer reserved for formal occasions, instead becoming firmly entrenched in fast-paced modern life. Whether paired with jeans, trainers, stilettos or in the office, the Happy Sport accompanies women in pursuing their dreams, throughout the many facets of their lives,” Chopard describes.
Guided by Caroline Scheufele’s creative vision, the Happy Sport has been constantly reinvented, reflecting successive styles and evolutions in society.
Over the past 25 years, Happy Sport watches have appeared in more than a thousand versions with designs in round, square and oval cases; embellished with precious stones or presented in simple steel.
The family has been infinitely extendable, with sub-collections including Happy Fish, Happy Ocean and Happy Snowflakes.
To celebrate its 25th anniversary, the 2018 collection will be extended with a mother of pearl dialled model housing a self-winding movement: the 09.01 C in 30mm cases.
There is also going to be a Happy Sport Oval Automatic.