Phebe Wahl Phebe Wahl | April 20, 2021 | Style & Beauty,
Capturing Chopard’s quintessential joie de vivre, the Happy Sport is reimagined in dazzling diamonds as the showstopper sure to lift spirits for a lifetime.
The Chopard Happy Diamonds campaign features Julia Roberts
“When I presented the Happy Sport concept... the head of the workshop [told] me that we would never sell a single watch, but that if we did he would give me a rose for each. … I actually planted a magnificent rosebush in my garden as a playful reminder of the skepticism I encountered in the beginning,” shares Chopard’s co-president and artistic director, Caroline Scheufele, who first created the Happy Sport watch in 1993. “Almost 30 years later, history has proved me right, confirming that you must always believe in your ideas.” Like so many pioneers before her, Scheufele was steadfast in her vision. “At that time, this watch was so disruptive and innovative in its approach to women’s timepieces that it was hard to imagine how successful it would be,” she explains. “You had to have a real vision for the future! It was the first time that the sophistication of diamonds and the sportiness of steel were combined in a watch. It was also the first time that a watch was created and designed by a woman for women right from the start. I was driven by the conviction that ladies’ watchmaking needed a breath of fresh air. As a woman, I wanted a timepiece that went beyond the purely functional or decorative aspect. It had to combine both. That’s the spirit of the Happy Sport, an essential object that can accompany me 24 hours a day and adapt to every occasion: chic with diamonds, yet not too precious thanks to the edgy chicness of steel.”
A Happy Sport watch in rose gold featuring the brand’s signature dancing diamonds and sapphire crown
Fast-forward to today and Chopard is launching Happy Sport the First (a tribute to the very first Happy Sport watch), with features such as the white dial with blue Roman numerals and first pebble link bracelet—and Happy Diamonds. “Of course, all the new Happy Sport watches we are unveiling are adorned with Chopard’s signature dancing diamonds that joyfully twirl across the face of the dial,” says Scheufele. For the Happy Diamonds campaign, the brand tapped superstar Julia Roberts to express the joyful spirit of the launch. “Her charisma, her spontaneity, her boldness, her bursts of laughter, and her actions on behalf of women’s and children’s rights make her a universally adored actress,” says Scheufele. “For me, she is not only a talented and glamorous actress, but a genuine global movie legend with a big heart; you could say she embodies a feminine ideal. Across generations and natural borders, the name Julia Roberts evokes a uniquely positive universal feeling.”
The Happy Sport 33 mm is designed according to the legendary golden ratio.
“The appeal resides in the collection’s reinterpretation of an iconic timepiece, and the introduction of new dimensions,” Scheufele continues. “We go a step further by not only replicating the original model with Happy Sport the First, but by also innovating with new proportions. Indeed, for the very first time, Chopard debuts a Happy Sport in a 33 mm case, which really is the perfect size for a ladies watch. Why? Because it is designed according to the legendary golden ratio, a mathematical principle also used in art and architecture that reproduces the harmony of nature. Aesthetics linked to comfort of wear are of paramount importance to the maison. Designed to accompany women in all their day-to-day activities, the Happy Sport is a watch that must, above all, feel as pleasant to wear as it is beautiful, designed to be worn like a second skin, in every situation. This quest for the ideal case size has now been achieved by using the golden ratio.”
Chopard’s co-president and artistic director, Caroline Scheufele
“Everyone loves an icon, and this collection truly plays on this,” says Scheufele. “The Happy Sport is iconic for the best reasons. It is timeless. It appeals to every generation because it is so easy to wear and effortlessly chic.”
Photography by: JULIA ROBERTS PORTRAIT ©SHAYNE LAVERDIÈRE, ART DIRECTOR: XAVIER DOLAN, STYLIST: ELIZABETH STEWART; WATCH PHOTO ©FEDERAL STUDIO; PHOTOS COURTESY OF BRANDS