Chopard’s Pursuit of Happiness

by Natasha Wolff | April 20, 2021 9:00 am

Today, Chopard[1] unveils the new Happy Diamonds timepiece[2] campaign starring the incomparable Julia Roberts. Created in 1993 by Chopard’s co-president and artistic director, Caroline Scheufele, the iconic Happy Sport watch has been putting smiles on people’s faces for decades. And who better to embody that emotion than the always-smiling actress. “For me, she is not only a talented and glamorous actress, but a genuine global film legend with a big heart, you could say she represents a feminine ideal,” says Scheufele. “Across generations and natural borders, the name Julia Roberts evokes a uniquely positive universal feeling. And of course, who can forget that famous smile! Julia was the one and only natural choice for us!” For the campaign, Scheufele engaged director Xavier Dolan to create a companion film (below) that shows off the joie de vivre of Roberts and the timepieces themselves.

The house’s signature “dancing diamonds” on the Happy Sport and Happy Diamonds Collections honor that free-spirited charm that the brand so espouses. Though the dancing diamonds, of course, have remained, Scheufele wanted to explore the timepieces’ codes and revisit the original design in new ways. “In recent years, the Millennial generation has been inspired by vintage pieces, increasingly featuring them for an edgy, personal style, and I saw this as a perfect opportunity to reach a new generation of women with one of my favorite designs from the past,” Scheufele explains. “Updating the design wasn’t necessarily a challenge, but the two things that I wanted to do were incorporate an automatic movement versus quartz and change the case diameter to create the perfect size that would appeal to a wider audience. For this aspect, we did hours of research of how to determine the perfect size and came across the famous golden ratio which is how beauty is determined in science, art and nature, which led us to the brand new 33mm case size.”

Chopard’s co-president Caroline Scheufele

Modern women want watches to take them from day to night, from a spin class to a cocktail party and Scheufele took that into consideration during this reimagining. “Happy Sport, with its distinctive combination of resilient steel and precious diamonds can be styled for a casual look, but the dancing diamonds can also add an evening sparkle,” she says. “I wear mine almost every day, and it looks great for all occasions. For daywear, I love to wear it over my cuff sleeve and stack it with several of our Happy Hearts bangles that come in an array of colors. For the evening, I tend to pair my Happy Sport with a classic L’Heure Du Diamant diamond tennis bracelet or a few of our Precious Lace rings.” Any way you style it and wear it, the dancing diamond will bring a smile to your face. So what makes Scheufele happy? “This past year, nothing has brought me more peace and joy than simply sitting in my rose garden with my darling dogs, sipping a cup of tea. This has really given me time to focus on creativity. I’ve had the time to sketch and dream up new designs which is one of my favorite things to do.”

We talked with Roberts to find out what makes her happy and why this campaign was such a perfect fit.

Julia Roberts for Chopard (photographed by Shayne Laverdière)

What do you love about the Happy Sport watch?

There is something about having a watch and every time you look at it seeing all these sparkling diamonds whirling around; it’s pretty awesome and truly good stuff.

What does being a free-spirited woman mean today?

Being comfortable in your convictions and sharing your convictions with those around you. Not all women have those liberties and I am very grateful that I have them.

How important to you is responsible luxury?

I would say that the idea of responsible luxury is something that not enough brands pay attention to. The thing with a Maison like Chopard is that it has really pioneered the idea of having a conscience, leading the charge and setting an example for other brands to follow.

What is so special about Chopard?

Chopard just represents this timeless idea of elegance and sparkle and being ladylike. You kind of think: “When I grow up I want to be having a great time and wearing watches and earrings by Chopard”… and now look at me, I’m all grown up!

Chopard Happy Sport timepieces

What makes you happy?

The sunrise

What’s a movie that makes you happy?

The Philadelphia Story is a movie that makes me happy, to think about or to watch.

 What are your tips to achieving happiness?

1) Be kind to others; 2) surround yourself with loving, kind, compassionate people; 3) kissing, followed by dancing as a close second.

What are your favorite qualities in a woman?

Depth, soulfulness and just a real personal strength.

What’s your greatest extravagance?

Travel

What makes you laugh?

Cleverness; not so much things that are funny, but things that are clever: a thoughtful thread to humor.

What’s your favorite motto?

The motto that I repeat the most is “no way out but through.”

What’s your current state of mind?

I am really happy right now; it’s been such a beautiful day and I have felt such a really great sense of kinship that I had not expected today, so I’m super happy.

Main image photographed by Shayne Laverdière

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