Chopard watches have long been associated with show business, so much so that in 1998 their brand became a Cannes Film Festival partner. They have also been selected as the main jeweler for a number of films, which sets them apart from other luxury watchmakers. This 31mm 18k White Gold Chopard Watch signifies brand’s charm and creative spirit.

Origins

Louis-Ulysse Chopard established Chopard around 1860 and initially focused exclusively on watchmaking. By 1937, the company’s growing success prompted them to relocate their headquarters from Swiss Jura over to Geneva. However, the family’s 3^rd generation made improvident business decisions that landed the firm into trouble for a time, which forced them to find a buyer. This culminated in the business being acquired by Karl Scheufele III.

Karl Scheufele III had the same love and creative drive for watchmaking, and joined the jewelry business in earnest, supporting both jewelers and artists while dedicating his resources to a German institution called Associations of Arts and Craftsmanship. Under his direction and that of his forebears Chopard would go on to become wildly popular, especially in the entertainment industry. The brand stood out thanks to their diamond usage, where free moving diamonds would be positioned among crystal glass. In addition to watches, Chopard has also expanded into jewelry such as earrings and necklaces.

Features

The Chopard La Strada 31mm watch was first envisioned during 1994 to honor Federico Fellini, an Italian filmmaker who was most famous for his film La Strada. Fellini is best known for Italian neorealism, an aesthetic postwar style which emphasized the roles of poor members of society, as well as women’s empowerment. The La Strada watch collection became so popular that it would be revamped by the year 2000, featuring new designs and colors.

When creating the watch, Artistic Director and Chopard Co-President Caroline Scheufele took inspiration both from Fellini’s films as well as the San Pietrini in Rome, which are the historic paved roads which were constructed from black basalt stones which are cube shaped. This is evident in the watch’s linear structure, especially the case and matching bracelet.

Its case has an elongated shape which plays host to numerous versions, including yellow, white or rose gold that may be paired with various straps including alligator leather and bracelets of all kinds. To throw in extra panache, Chopard also provides models which are diamond studded. Some of these timepieces might have diamonds that are encrusted onto their case, where the diamonds have been set in 8 hour markers. The most high end versions use nearly 600 shimmering diamonds.

This Chopard La Strada watch featured on Coin Exchange NY is pre-owned yet in excellent condition. It is designed using a tank based watch case as well as a mother of pearl type dial that features hour markers in Roman numerals at the twelve, three, six and nine o’clock positions. The strap which attaches to the wearer’s wrist is made from black leather with a buckle made from white gold. The watch displays minimal indications of wear along its golden surface yet the dial and crystal are pristine with no serious cosmetic issues.