Created in 1993 in an innovative alliance between steel and diamonds, Happy Sport has survived almost three decades while preserving every ounce of its charm and modernity.
Chopard now presents Happy Sport the First – 1993 and 788 – two limited-edition watches inspired by the first watch presented when the collection was launched.
The two watches pay faithful homage to this icon, thanks to its legendary diamonds and its ‘pebble-link’ bracelet, while adding major innovations – a new case in Lucent Steel A223 redesigned in a 33mm diameter inspired by the principles of the golden ratio, as well as the manufacture Chopard 09.01-C movement with automatic winding.
“I wanted a watch that I could wear all day long: At the gym, in the office or for a dinner in town,” Chopard co-president and artistic director Caroline Scheufele explained in 1993.
This constant quest for harmony has now been achieved by using the golden ratio which defined the proportions of the new models in the collection.
By using the golden ratio in direct relation to the diameter of the movement designed for Chopard ladies’ watch collections, the case of the Happy Sport has been redesigned in a 33mm diameter that is particularly well suited to the female wrist.
The result is perfect proportions, paired with a beautifully supple bracelet.
Aesthetically, the new Happy Sport the First is in every way similar to the original model introduced in 1993.
The round case is adorned with an understated silver-toned dial punctuated by Roman hour-markers in a shimmering shade of blue echoing the five cabochon-cut sapphires set on the lugs and crown of the watch.
However, the aesthetic appeal of this watch also lies in its bracelet with links composed of four rows of pebbles, entirely produced in Chopard’s watchmaking workshops.
Every bit as supple as a mesh design, it embraces and accentuates the slender curve of its wearer’s wrist, reinventing the notions of style, allure and elegance through a creation that is both sophisticated and sporty.
With its seven freedom-loving dancing diamonds set between the two sapphire crystals topping the dial, this vintage-look watch epitomises the noble legacy of casual chic style.
A technical feat that only a few choreography artisans can achieve, the special feature ensures that each diamond is arranged in such a way that its dance is never hindered.
A second variation produced is the 788 – a lucky number for Ms Scheufele – which is also graced with a diamond-set bezel and textured mother-of-pearl dial.
Happy Sport the First is living proof of the maturity of the Maison Chopard, whose vertically integrated approach enables the Happy Sport collection to be driven by a 148-part Chopard 09.01-C movement – with automatic winding and a 42-hour power reserve – that is entirely designed, developed, produced and developed in-house.
Ms Scheufele captured the spirit of the era in 1993 when she devised a sports watch based on the unprecedented mingling of steel and diamonds.
Born of this bold vision, Happy Sport has since perpetually celebrated Joie de Vivre and a free-spirited approach daily reinvented by women to conquer the world in which they wish to live and become the women they aspire to be.