Vintage Chopard Necklace

In 1860, a 24-year-old son of a farmer, Louis-Ulysse Chopard (1836–1915), established the L.U.C. company — now known simply as Chopard, rather than by the founder’s initials — in Sonvilier, Switzerland. His initial work evolved from making mechanical movements to building the watches themselves, concentrating on making the pocket watch slimmer to carry for everyday use while also ensuring it was precise and reliable.

Early successes for Chopard included providing watches for the punctuality needs of the Swiss Railway Company. Recognizing the international market for Swiss watchmaking, Chopard traveled across Europe and Russia, with Czar Nicholas II becoming a client in 1912.

Chopard’s son, Paul-Louis, took over after Louis-Ulysse’s death in 1915 and expanded the business to La Chaux-de-Fonds. In 1937, the company relocated to the watchmaking center of Geneva, where they could mark their work with the prestigious Geneva Seal. (Paul-Louis’s son, Paul-André, took the reins in 1943.) Business thinned in the postwar years, and Paul-André’s sons declined the opportunity to take over for their father.

In 1963, Chopard was acquired by German goldsmith and watchmaker Karl Scheufele III and his wife, Karin. Under their ownership, Chopard added jewelry to its offerings. The popular Happy Diamonds wristwatch debuted in 1976 — it launched a collection, which now features bracelets, rings and other items. The distinctive watch sees dozens of glittering diamonds, loosed from their settings, moving freely around the dial.

The story goes that the in-house designer Ronald Kurowski was inspired by the kinetic glimmers of sunlight on a waterfall in the Black Forest. He would then develop the innovative system for the Happy Diamonds timepiece that he hoped would essentially mimic his experience in the woods.

A young Caroline Scheufele — Karl and Karin’s daughter, who would later become copresident and artistic director — led the introduction of a Happy Diamonds jewelry line in 1985, with her design for a playful clown pendant with a belly full of jittering precious stones. Subsequent lines and accessories such as the Happy Dreams bracelet, Happy Hearts collection and the Happy Sport watches further enhanced Chopard’s range of dynamic adornment.

The Scheufele family-run company continues to be synonymous with excellence in timepieces, such as its role as the official timekeeper for the Grand Prix de Monaco Historique, creating all of its movements in-house. And Chopard is constantly developing its wares, from sunglasses and fragrances to recent introductions of high-end handbags.

Find a wide range of vintage Chopard wristwatches, necklaces, rings and other jewelry on 1stDibs.

We are fortunate to know much of the world’s long and dazzling history of necklaces, as this type of jewelry was so treasured that it was frequently buried with its owners.

Lapis lazuli beads adorned necklaces unearthed from the royal graves at the ancient Iraqi civilization of Sumer, while the excavation of King Tut’s burial chamber revealed a sense of style that led to a frenzy of Art Deco designs, with artisans of the 1920s seeking to emulate the elegant work crafted by Ancient Egypt’s goldsmiths and jewelry makers. 

In ancient times, pendant necklaces worn by royalty and nobles conferred wealth and prestige. Today, wearing jewelry is about personal expression: Luxury diamond necklaces exude confidence and can symbolize the celebratory nature of a deep romantic relationship, while paper-clip chain-link necklaces designed by the likes of goldsmith Faye Kim are firmly planted in the past as well as the present. Kim works exclusively with eco-friendly gold, and these fashionable, fun accessories owe to the design of 19th-century watch fobs. 

For some, necklaces are thought of as being a solely feminine piece, but this widely loved accessory has been gender-neutral for eons. In fact, just as women rarely took to wearing a single necklace during the Renaissance, men of the era layered chains and valuable pendants atop their bejeweled clothing. In modern times, the free-spirited hippie and counterculture movements of the 1960s saw costume-jewelry designers celebrating self-expression through colorful multistrand necklaces and no shortage of beads, which were worn by anyone and everyone. 

Even after all of these years, the necklace remains an irrefutable staple of any complete outfit. Although new trends in jewelry are constantly emerging, the glamour and beauty of the past continue to inform modern styles and designs. In a way, the cyclical history of the necklace differs little from its familiar looped form: The celebrated French jewelry house Van Cleef & Arpels found much inspiration in King Tut, and, now, their Alhambra collection is a go-to for modern royals. Vintage necklaces designed by David Webb — whose work landed him on the cover of Vogue in 1950, two years after opening his Manhattan shop — were likely inspired by the ornamental styles of ancient Greece, Mesopotamia and Egypt. 

On 1stDibs, browse top designers like Cartier, Tiffany & Co. and Bulgari, or shop by your favorite style, from eye-catching choker necklaces to understated links to pearl necklaces and more.