The Chopard Happy Sport 150th Anniversary Edition Watch

The aptly named Chopard Happy Diamond portfolio of watches is I feel impossible to dislike, ok maybe some of the "mother-of-the-bride" pastel shaded chronograph editions are a bit too sugar coated but the collection has a broad appeal and without doubt has gained Chopard a younger client  base worldwide. The original concept was apparently inspired by one of Chopard's designers, who while walking in the woods noticed how the droplets of water from a waterfall sparkled in the sunlight and had the idea of recreating the mesmerising effect of movement on a watch dial.  Using diamonds with the underside rounded off and the top sides polished, the stones could move freely without causing scratching.  The first Happy Diamonds watch made its debut at Baselworld in 1977 featuring a square-ish watchcase with hours and minutes in a centre disc around which 30 Top Wesselton diamonds playfully moved.  The piece had a plain dial without numerals allowing for full effect of the free-moving stones, a plainness recreated for the 150th Anniversary Chopard Happy Sport Edition.

The Chopard Happy Sport 150th Anniversary edition features five star-shaped diamonds superbly contrasted with a midnight blue "aventurine-effect" lacquered dial, complimented by a midnight blue leather or satin strap.  Absence of numerals, an unfusssy dial and a colourway perfectly suited to showing off the full effect of the diamonds make this celebratory piece a brilliant little beauty.

The Chopard Happy Sport 150th Anniversary watch is limited to 1000 pieces, also available are  a blue sapphire set bezel version (here comes the fussyness) limited to 500 pieces and a diamond set bezel version (ditto) available, also limited to 500 pieces worldwide.