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Chopard jewelry is luxurious and elegant. The brand has left its mark all over the world for exquisite design and fastidious craftsmanship. If you want to add some pre-owned Chopard jewelry to your collection, you have come to the right place. Here you will learn about the history, jewelry marks, materials used, most collectible pieces, and tips on how to buy.
Brief History of Chopard Jewelry
Many farmers in mountainous Swiss villages made watch components to have an income during the winter. In 1860, 24-year-old Louis-Ulysse Chopard went further and made pocket watches that were so artfully designed and reliable that his clients included Tsar Nicholas II of Russia. In addition to Russia, he traveled through Poland, Hungary and the Baltic States, and Chopard watches became an international brand.
His son, Paul-Louis Chopard, assumed leadership of the company in 1915 and moved the company to Geneva, the watchmaking capital of the world, in 1937.
Paul-Louis’s son, Paul-Andre, took over the company in 1943. The war had adversely affected the business, and Chopard was not doing well in recovering. In addition, Paul-Louis’s sons were not interested in the business. By the 1960s, he had started looking for a buyer who would take good care of his grandfather’s company. He found one who took Chopard to new heights!
In Germany, Karl Scheufele III, goldsmith and watchmaker, wanted to expand Eszeha, his jewelry and watch company, and went to Geneva to acquire a Swiss manufacturer. There he found Paul-Andre, and the two sealed the deal in a matter of minutes. With the Chopard company, Karl built an empire.
By 1976, Karl brought to market the signature Chopard watch with a free-floating diamond behind the sapphire glass. It was the fashion statement for the rich and famous. In 1985, his daughter, Caroline, designed the “Happy Clown” line—a whimsical clown with a stomach full of moving diamonds and precious stones. In 1993, his son, Karl-Friedrich, launched the “Happy Sport Collection,” watches with a seamless union of diamonds and stainless steel.
In 2010, Chopard celebrated its 150th anniversary with annual sales of €550 million and more than 100 stores worldwide. Currently, Caroline and Karl-Friedrich are co-presidents. Caroline is director of women’s watches and jewelry; Karl Friedrich of men’s watches and the complete watch movement manufacturing business.
Watch to see examples of Chopard Jewelry:
Chopard Jewelry Designers
- The Chopards: Louis-Ulysse, Paul-Louis and Paul-Andre.
- The Scheufeles: Karl III, Caroline and Karl-Friedrich.
- Rihanna - Yes, the popular singer from Barbados! She collaborated with Caroline in creating the “Rihanna Loves Chopard” Collection that includes the “Haute Joaillerie” and “Joaillerie” lines that wed urban chic with classic glamour.
- Guo Pei - Guo Pei is a Chinese fashion designer as comfortable with the opulent as she is with the theatrical and the arcane. She collaborated with Caroline on the magical Silk Road Collection, their interpretation of the Orient through exotic designs adorned with diamonds, emeralds, rubies and jade.
Jewelry Marks
Watches and jewelry items are marked with an italicized “Chopard,” the metal content (950 for platinum, 750 for gold), and a serial number that you can cross-reference in the Chopard’s files.
Materials Used
- Gold, Platinum
- Colored Titanium
- Diamonds
- Emeralds
- Rubies
- Sapphires (blue, yellow, pink, rainbow)
- Amethysts
- Pink Opals
- Australian Black Opals
- Turquoise
- Jade
- Blue Topaz
- Onyx
- Green Agate
- Mother of Pearl
- Pink Quartz
- Tanzanite
- Tourmaline
- Colored Ceramic
Most Collectible Pre-owned Chopard Jewelry
Ice Cube Diamond Eternity Band
The Ice Cube Collection is geometric, minimalist, ultra-modern, yet glamorous. This eternity band is crafted in 18K yellow gold.
Happy Diamonds Watch
This is an example of the affordable pre-owned Happy Diamonds watches that are on the market It has a leather band that buckles around your wrist. The Happy Diamonds line was first created in 1976 and revolutionized the watch and jewelry industries.
Happy Diamonds Square Ring
This 18K Happy Diamonds yellow gold ring features a squared centerpiece with a single encased floating diamond.
Happy Spirit Floating Diamond Pendant Necklace
The Happy Spirit line features a concentric circle motif and diamonds. This pendant in 18K white and rose gold has two rows of concentric diamonds with the center floating diamond and a diamond-lined bale.
Chopardissimo Ring in White Gold
The Chopardissimo line is signature Chopard. The brand’s logo is displayed in calligraphy—both contemporary yet timeless and certainly unique among jewelry houses.
How to Identify Chopard Jewelry
Like so many other lines of the finest jewelry, demand for pre-owned items has given rise to a highly lucrative counterfeit market. Do not get stuck with a fake. Here is what to look for as you shop.
Quality
Chopard jewelry is made of the highest quality materials by the most masterful of craftsmen. The piece should have weight to it. Flimsy = fake. There should never be any visible damage or missing stones. Chopard’s designs often look delicate, but they are solidly made and durable. Another red flag is evidence of adhesive residue.
Chopard has rigorous standards that are consistent for every item. Learn the dimensions of the item(s) you are looking for so that you can compare them to the one(s) for sale.
Hallmarks
Look for clear metal markings as well as the Chopard marking. Engravings on genuine pieces will be crisp and clean. A blurred script, mis-spaced alignment, or an unclear font are all clear signs of a replica.
If it’s a platinum piece, check for a “950” stamp. If it’s a gold piece, look for the “750″ stamp.
The serial number alone should not be used as proof of authenticity (counterfeiters can engrave genuine numbers on their replicas). However, it’s worth cross-referencing the serial number against the serial number listed in Chopard’s record. If it is a fake, then with any luck the counterfeiter has got careless and used the wrong number.
Seller Location
When online, find out where the seller is. Unfortunately for the fine merchants in China, it is the base for many counterfeit goods. Better safe than sorry, but you may be able to verify the seller some other way, e.g., customer reviews, willingness to answer questions, etc.
Look at the URL to see if Chopard is spelled correctly and not some attempt to trick you onto the forger’s website.
Reviews
Read all the available online reviews. Make sure they are real. Vague or incomplete reviews indicate that you need to question if this is a trustworthy source. If there are no reviews, it’s best to move on.
Old Truths
Always remember “If it seems too good to be true, it usually is.” That saying has been around forever because it’s true. If an item is too inexpensive, you need to stop and think why would it be.
Conclusion
Be sure to visit the Chopard pages on Etsy. There is a nice selection of pre-owned Chopard jewelry. Etsy has a large selection of pre-owned jewelry in general. The site is easy to navigate and facilitates communication between you and the vendors. We need to support small businesses in this “big box” world!
Also, have a look at eBay for more Chopard jewelry selection.
