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A Brief History of CHOPARD Time and Jewels part 4: New Beginnings
Buying Chopard & Cie in 1963
Although the Karl Scheufele Company was successful with their ESZEHA collection, Karl III realised that they had to change. They could not continue to use Swiss movements by Baume & Mercier or Vacheron Constantin, and manufacture jewellery watches for Rolex or Blancpain. The principle was to do everything by themselves: design, development, production and sales. From personal research and customer feedback, he knew what was needed. Not only did it have to be a Swiss brand, it had to be a Geneva brand because the best watch brands were established there. More than twenty companies responded to his advertisement in Genevan newspapers: "Seek to purchase Swiss watchmaker".
Karl travelled with his father-in-law, Fritz Ruf, to Switzerland to check out the candidates. Some had 500 employees and hidden workshops in out-of-the-way courtyards. They spoke with workers, watchmakers and managers but were not impressed. The last day of the fact-finding trip was a Sunday and they were disappointedly discussing their apparent failure in a café on the rue du Rhône, when Karl noticed the letterhead and elegant flowing script of a company name: Le Petit-Fils de L.-U. Chopard & Cie S.A. Genève . They had not been able to contact Mr Chopard. As it was a Sunday, they tried again by telephone and luck was with them. Mr Chopard answered and was prepared to meet in the small workshop at No. 5 rue de Miléant.
“As soon as I visited the Geneva workshops and saw the venerable Mr. Chopard seated at his workbench in front of the window, I knew that our two companies were bound to get on well. After half an hour of conversation, I knew it was the right choice.” - Karl Scheufele III.
The deal was struck that morning and the Scheufeles were new owners of a brand with the melodious name, without a bad reputation or large, expensive warehouse. The workshop was updated for making movements needed in Pforzheim. Only one corner was untouched: Paul-André Chopard’s watchmaker’s bench, where he continued to work on complicated movements while all around him, new movements were fabricated for fine cases and bracelets made in Pforzheim.
The Pforzheim workshop signed the watches L.U. Chopard & Cie henceforth and only the clasps bore the ESZEHA name.
Customers took a long time getting used to this.
At first, nobody could pronounce 'Chopard' and frequently confusing it with 'Chopin' or 'Clochard' [French for 'tramp'].
Chopard started advertising with modest means to make the name known.
Karl II used to say, "Every mark you put into advertising is money you've thrown away." but Karl III was of a different opinion.
Jet-Set International conquests by Karin and Karl Scheufele III 1963-1976
Karin and Karl shared a marriage and a passion for the business. Karin Scheufele (nee Ruf) was a chief buyer's assistant in Pforzheim for a movement-blank maker before her marriage. Using her experience, she organised the company office, warehouse stock and basement as her father had taught, "Order and cleanliness do not shirk, and you'll have accomplished half the work."
Karin contributed to every aspect of office work; managing contracts, production slips, purchasing & sorting diamonds, QC, invoices and tracking after-sales repairs. While she worked in Pforzheim and looked after the children, Karl was the primary salesman and made worldwide contacts.
Thanks to his salesmanship and passion for travel, Karl Scheufele III revived Chopard and transformed it into a truly international watch and jewellery brand. The new creations proved both playful and original, as well as of impeccable quality, bringing with them a genuinely innovative touch. The secret was to "offer attractive designs at good prices." - Martin Huber.
In a man's world dominated by Gents' watches, Chopard and Cartier became the only outstanding makers of ladies' and jewellery watches.
The Chopard Look
The Chopard Look was nurtured by the company roots in the Art Nouveau and Art Deco movements.
In 1972, Karl Scheufele III reinterpreted Art Nouveau in a series of plant life-themed watches, starting with Belle Epoque and following on with other nature-inspired collections such as Cascade, Happy Diamonds in 1976, Moonlight and Paradiso.
The Chopard style signature was as multi-facetted as the men and women it won over: deliberately round watches reflected the sensual curves and vivid colours of the 1970s; while broad cuff-watches in onyx, malachite, coral and turquoise combined daring shapes and beautiful gemstones.
In 1972-74, women readily adopted the Jeans watch and its famous denim strap.
A fresh breeze was beginning to blow through the world of jewellery watches.
“My father had the idea of setting diamonds on the bezel of a men’s watch. He travelled a lot in the Middle East and Chopard was a pioneer on this market." - Caroline Scheufele.
The Golden Rose of Baden-Baden
The Golden Rose of Baden-Baden, the jewellery industry equivalent of an “Oscar” was awarded annually by German professionals between 1970 and 1980. Chopard won 15 trophies during this decade, including one for the Happy Diamonds jewellery watch in 1976.
Inspired by the supersonic aircraft Concorde, Karl Scheufele III created the Concord watch in white gold set with onyx and diamonds for 1976.
The model was distinguished with a Diamonds International Award; of which, Karl Scheufele III was to win three in all.
Chopard was beginning to be recognised amongst the international luxury clientele....
TIMELINE
1963: Paul-André Chopard sells Chopard to Karl Scheufele III.
1968: Paul-André Chopard dies on October 14.
1972: Launch of the Belle Epoque collection.
Chopard wins the Golden Rose of Baden-Baden for the Améthyste watch.
1973: Chopard wins the Golden Rose of Baden-Baden for the Pasodoble watch.
1974: The company moves from the centre of Geneva to the new Meyrin-Geneva site.
1975: Creation of a first subsidiary company, 'Chopard France'.
1976: Creation of the first Happy Diamonds watch for Men.
Chopard wins the Golden Rose of Baden-Baden for the Happy Diamonds and Cascade watches.
Chopard wins the Diamond International Awards for the Concorde watch.
Creation of the American subsidiary company: 'Chopard Watch Corporation'.
Acknowledgements for Facts and Images:
Chopard Manufacture Archivist A.W.
L.U.CEUM (Chopard Musuem), Fleurier
Scheufele Family
Dr M. Teillol-Foo, 2015
A Brief History of CHOPARD Time and Jewels part 1: First Generation CLICK following URL to read:
www.watchprosite.com
A Brief History of CHOPARD Time and Jewels part 2 : Second Generation CLICK following URL to read:
www.watchprosite.com
A Brief History of CHOPARD Time and Jewels part 3: Third Generation CLICK following URL to read:
www.watchprosite.com
A Brief History of CHOPARD Time and Jewels part 5: Happy Diamonds CLICK following URL link to read:
www.watchprosite.com
A Brief History of CHOPARD Time and Jewels part 6: Production Sites CLICK following URL link to read:
www.watchprosite.com
A Brief History of CHOPARD Time and Jewels part 7: Chopard Manufacture - First 20 Years CLICK following URL link to read:
www.watchprosite.com
A Brief History of CHOPARD Time and Jewels part 8: Karl-Friedrich Scheufele - Early Years. CLICK following URL link to read:
www.watchprosite.com
A Brief History of CHOPARD Time and Jewels part 9: Caroline Scheufele - Early Years. CLICK following URL link to read:
www.watchprosite.com=
A Brief History of CHOPARD Time and Jewels part 10: Noblesse Oblige
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A Brief History of CHOPARD Time and Jewels part 4: New Beginnings
So, prior to Chopard there have not been diamonds on a gents watch?
Diamonds on watches
Another very cool installment in the series
