At Core Club, Chopard’s “L’Heure du Diamant” Celebrated Six Decades of Glamour
Observer ·
Executives, creators and longtime devotees of the watchmaker gathered to examine heritage jewelry timepieces and to try on millions of dollars’ worth of red-carpet jewels at an exclusive soiree co-hosted with Observer.
Last week, luxury Swiss watchmaker and jeweler Chopard and Observer co-hosted the “L’Heure du Diamant” exhibition at Core Club , a private members’ club in Manhattan. On view were 16 watches from the 1960s and ’70s, part of a traveling exhibition that originated at the Chopard Museum, along with contemporary watches and a selection of jewelry.
Founded in 1860, Chopard quickly became one of the leading makers of pocket watches, counting Russia’s last czar, Nicholas II, among its collectors. In 1963, Karl Scheufele III , a watchmaker and goldsmith, and his wife, Karin Ruf , a gemologist, bought the brand and transformed it into what it is today. Their children, Caroline Scheufele and Karl-Friedrich Scheufele , now serve as co-presidents of the family-owned company.
The first Chopard jewelry watch was born out of love. As the story goes, Karl snuck into Karin’s atelier and “stole” some of her finest diamonds to create a spectacular watch for her as a gift. Its distinctive crown setting used V-shaped prongs to hold the diamonds securely while making them appear to float in the air, letting light pass through. What began as a one-of-a-kind gift inspired the house’s iconic diamond-set jewelry watches—the crown setting became one of Chopard’s signature techniques. With it, the company went on to win 15 Golden Rose of Baden-Baden awards, then known as the “Oscars of jewelry.”
“L’Heure du Diamant” was bustling from the start. The heritage jewelry watches sat behind glass in plush burgundy cases lined with soft lilac fabric and were paired with vintage photographs showing models with heavily lined eyes holding diamond baguette watches. Some shots were in black and white, others in bright hues of orange, yellow and baby blue. Among them was a photograph of Karl’s gift to Karin, accompanied by the French words Maîtres de la montre-bijou , or Masters of Jewelry Watches. Beside it was the watch itself: a 1964 showstopper set with 102 diamonds, some of them arranged like flower petals around the dial.
Another display case held the tools, raw stones and wax molds used at different stages of the creation of jewelry watches, including the diamond settings. Watch collector David Arnold , the former vice chairman of Robb Report, observed that “Chopard is one of the few watchmakers that spent a lot of their resources creating gorgeous timepieces for women, whereas most watch brands focus on men. The Happy Sport was the start of it, and it evolved from there.” It’s still a family-owned company, and Caroline Scheufele focuses more on jewelry, while her brother Karl-Friedrich concentrates on watches. “So you’ve got high-quality watches with extraordinary jewels that they have access to, which is unusual,” Arnold continued. “Very few companies can really bring it together.”
Amanda Bhalla and her husband, Ritam Bhalla , who is also a collector, were both taken with the exhibition. Ritam admired “the craftsmanship, the history and the legacy they’ve created,” and noted that vintage watches were having a moment. Did he own a Chopard? “Not yet, but maybe after tonight,” he said coyly. Amanda was drawn to a gold braided cuff watch with a tiger’s-eye dial, a gemstone that was popular in the 1970s and is now making a comeback. “I’ve never seen anything like that one,” she said. Asked what emotions Chopard evoked, she took a moment. “There’s so much femininity to it, but there’s also a bold character. It has a quiet strength.”
As short rib dumplings with pumpkin purée and other nibbles were passed amid the hum of enthusiastic chatter, we spotted Astrid Gierow . She couldn’t recall who designed her strapless white dress, but she certainly remembered who made her Happy Diamonds heart ring. Calling herself an “old soul,” she said that many brands today feel trendy and fast-paced, but Chopard slows you down. “I’ve always been such a huge fan of the brand,” she exclaimed. The heart ring, with its floating diamond, was a present from her first boyfriend “like eight years ago.” No, they’re no longer together, and yes, she’s now married. Her husband doesn’t mind her wearing it. She joked about asking him, “Do you want to replace it?”
Halfway through the party, Observer’s partnerships director, Justin Arnold, gave welcoming remarks and thanked Chopard and Core Club. He later said that it’s amazing for the publication to have the opportunity to work with a brand as iconic as Chopard and to bring together New Yorkers who love jewelry, artistry and craftsmanship in celebrating the collection’s first appearance in the city.
Whitney Mitchell , chief marketing officer at Arizent, was particularly drawn to a 1970 heritage watch with an oval nephrite jade dial joined by figure-8-shaped white-gold loops, a design she felt captured the era. Mitchell has been looking for a Chopard to add to her collection and wants something formal enough to wear with a ball gown—she’s been eyeing the Happy Diamonds collection, which she finds both elegant and playful. Asked what drew her to collecting, Mitchell explained that watches often commemorate life’s milestones . She pointed to the light pink watch on her wrist, which she bought for herself as a reward when she sold her first business. Watches also give her common ground with the men in their 50s she talks to every day as her target buyers. “It gives you something immediately to relate to someone with because it’s visible and they see it,” she explained. “It’s a common hobby, especially for executive men. And so when women do that, it helps let them into the club as well. It’s sort of a shared thing. You don’t have to learn to play golf.”
Across the room, five burgundy pedestals showcased stunning red-carpet jewelry, from sapphires and emeralds to diamonds worth millions, all of which guests could try on with help from Chopard’s jewelry specialists. Brooke Corinne Miller, founder of Pretty with Purpose , tried on a $4 million necklace of cascading pear-shaped white and yellow diamonds, while her friend, the content creator Lily Easton, modeled a $1.6 million diamond choker centered on a large emerald. What was it like wearing such a beautiful piece? “I’m honored and terrified wearing it,” Miller said. “I don’t think I’ve ever had this much money on me.” Then she quipped, “I could keep it for a small four million, right?”
Toward the end of the evening, we caught up with a passionate Chopard collector named James. His last name? He hedged, saying he’d once been told never to trust a journalist. This journalist replied, “Writers reflect back to you your own character, so you better behave.” “I’m always on good behavior,” he replied. So what was his full name? “Bond. James Bond.” Or at least, he said, that was his alter ego.
Wearing a Chopard watch on each wrist, James couldn’t say enough good things about the company. He loves the design and function of its watches and its social consciousness. He explained that the Alpine Eagle’s dial replicates an eagle’s iris and that Chopard contributes profits toward bringing back the nearly extinct white-tailed eagle in the Swiss Alps. The company also uses ethical gold. “They make fantastic mechanical watches in terms of their movements and styling,” he added, calling them exquisite. He also appreciates that the company is family-owned rather than corporate-run, which he said makes a big difference in how it treats clients and staff. On one wrist was a limited-edition Mille Miglia honoring the race car driver Sir Stirling Moss . On the other was an L.U.C, named for Chopard’s founder, Louis-Ulysse Chopard . James also had his eye on several other watches he’d seen at the boutique earlier that night.
Did he always wear two watches? “Usually to watch events,” he said. “But sometimes I’m like, what the heck?”