CHOPARD HAPPY SPORT OVAL
Elegance at Play
BACK IN 1993, Caroline Scheufele—currently Co-President and Artistic Director of Chopard— introduced a bold new concept: A sporty watch that elevated the quirky association between steel hardware and glittering diamonds in a way that was elegant yet playful.
Since then, the aptly named Happy Sport collection has become a standard-bearer of aesthetic and stylistic revolution that redefined the relationship between timekeeping and body language. Through the collection, Chopard invites us to enjoy the more poetic—rather than pragmatic—joys of wearing a timepiece. To that end, the Happy Sport watches continue the spirit of the Happy Diamonds line, where scintillating diamonds are left free to twirl around the watch face between two sapphire crystals. With every flick of the wrist, the scene changes and a new composition is presented for the wearer to enjoy. It is, quite literally, a sporty watch that brings happiness.
Another fundamental facet of the Happy Sport family is a spirit of perpetual self-reinvention, which Chopard treats as an expression of supreme elegance. So, it was only fitting that for its 25th anniversary, the Happy Sport has been reimagined once again in a more elegant, more feminine and more thoughtful form. Introducing the Happy Sport Oval.
The watch features, naturally, an oval shape with finely-adjusted proportions, with elegant lines traced by dainty downstrokes and upstrokes. In essence, the Happy Sport Oval uses lighter and more closely fitting proportions to celebrate the timeless values of femininity that has been the hallmark of Chopard both in fashion and watchmaking.
Another feminine touch on the Happy Sport Oval is the reintroduction of the iconic Galet, or pebble, bracelet, which adorned the very first Happy Sport model when it was launched back in 1993. The finely interwoven pebbled links—hence the name—give the metal bracelet the flexibility of knitted mesh. More importantly, it bestows a vintage charm to the watch, giving it the feel of a simple yet precious talisman jewel.
Today, the Galet is expressed in stainless steel or 18K rose gold. A two-tone variant is also made available for the discerning lady with an eye for plays on colour. As can be expected, the bracelet is crafted in-house by Manufacture Chopard.
Also notable is the Happy Sport Oval’s bezel, which comes in 18K rose gold or stainless steel, either polished or diamond-set. The calligraphy-like curves of this bezel surround beautifully frame the glare-proofed sapphire crystal and beneath it, glinting against the silver-toned dial, seven dancing diamonds float freely within the case, waiting for the slightest movement to send them waltzing in all directions.
Finally, beneath the majestic ballet of the Happy Diamonds and deep within the case is the beating heart of the Happy Sport Oval: the calibre 01.09-C self-winding in-house movement. This final element completes the trinity of technical sophistication, intriguing allure and supreme femininity, that has long been the hallmark of Chopard’s Happy Sport.