Chopard Editorial Hands-on Reviews New Releases New Watches W.R.A.T.H

Pamper Your Wrists This Sydney Quarantine With The Majestic Chopard Ladies Watches Collection at J Farren-Price

Chopard ladies watches collection has a distinct aesthetic to them. The glitter of floating diamonds, a burst of colour, the changing moods of mother-of-pearl dials, all enchant the observers, bewitched by the spell of the elegance that adorns the wrist of the ladies wearing these timepieces.

Editor’s note: This hands-on review of some of the existing Chopard Ladies Watches Collection at J Farren-Price is part of our ‘W.R.A.T.H’ series, or ‘What’s Really Available Today Here’ watch photo reviews. It is a series where we go hands-on with watches that can at least at the time of photographing be bought! Today’s watches have been photographed at J Farren-Price Sydney and can be purchased online on their website here

Chopard Ladies Watches Collection

Fit for a Queen 

Colours have a way of sprucing up life. The vivid display of a varied range arouses a melodramatically poetic rage of emotions in the observer. 

Add to this the opulent world of gold and diamonds, and a bygone era where arabesque motifs and sapphires ruled the day emerges. The subtle hint of its aroma still looms large, appeasing the appetite for glamour and grandeur. 

For those seeking to be soaked in all the glory of this sub-universe of affluence, meet the majestic Chopard ladies watches collection. 

Chopard Ladies Watches Collection

The Watches: Chopard Happy Sport ‘Happy Love’ LE of 150-pieces only ref. 278559-3021 retailing for 27’600 AUD, Chopard Imperiale Joaillerie Rainbow ref. 384239-5011 retailing for 170’000 AUD, and Chopard Imperiale Moonphase ref. 384246-1001 retailing for 76’900 AUD

Available At: J Farren-Price Sydney, 80 Castlereagh St, Sydney (02 9231 3299)

Chopard Ladies Watches Collection

Suited For: The Chopard Happy Sport ‘Happy Love’ LE is for the lady who loves colour, the Chopard Imperiale Joaillerie Rainbow for the woman who would love to wear the proverbial (yet elusive) ’pot of gold at the end of a rainbow’ on her wrist, and the timeless Chopard Imperiale Moonphase is for the connoisseur who likes to keep things elegant and understated 

Chopard Ladies Watches Collection

Chopard Happy Sport ‘Happy Love’ LE

When it was first released, it was a Chopard Boutique exclusive, and came in two variations: limited edition of 250 with a polished bezel and 150 with a diamond-set bezel. 

While going hands-on with the latter, the most impressive aspect was the nonchalant aesthetic of a blinged out timepiece; here was a piece that on one hand was finished to the brand’s unrelenting exacting standards, and on the other hand, with its colourful and quirky dial, lent to the timepiece a rather youthful vibe. 

Chopard Ladies Watches Collection

There is a certain casual hippie-esque vibe to the piece, one that makes it a conversation starter. In a moment of irony, these conversations that it sparks would be amidst the who’s who of those empowering the society’s high echelons.

Chopard Ladies Watches Collection

The 36mm diameter watch features a muted stainless steel case that simply takes the back-seat allowing the blue mother-of-pearl dial with raised transferred letters spelling out LOVE to glimmer. On this rather unique backdrop rhodium-plated hands dance revealing the time alongside Chopard’s iconic 7-floating diamonds. 

Chopard Ladies Watches Collection

A date window at 4.30 punctuates this motion, while a diamond-set bezel frames this multi-colour dial quite nicely.

Chopard Ladies Watches Collection

But that’s not all; the facetted stainless steel crown is set with a sapphire, allowing the wearer to admire this beauty from all angles. 

Inside the watch ticks an automatic movement with a 42-hour power reserve, and the entire package is enhanced with the presence of a blue alligator leather strap. And for those who would to throw caution to the wind at a soiree, the watch is also water resistant to 30m. 

Chopard Ladies Watches Collection

Chopard Imperiale Joaillerie Rainbow

“Colours are the smiles of nature”, said James Henry Leigh Hunt. 

The second watch part of the Chopard ladies watches collection we are looking at today, the Chopard Imperiale Joaillerie Rainbow is a major tour de force within the collection we are reviewing. With a beautiful white/beige mother-of-pearl dial face surrounded by a gala of colours thanks to the rainbow display of sapphires, the timepiece is sure to bring a smile to its wearer face. 

Chopard Ladies Watches Collection

The dial features arabesque motifs that will make those with regal ambitions giddy with joy, and the open-worked sword hands, Roman numerals and crown inspired by a lotus flower and the lugs — that recall the architecture of ancient columns — provide with enough timeless seductiveness.

Chopard Ladies Watches Collection

The watch is 36 x 9.3mm with a 26.2 x 3.6mm automatic movement that features 25 jewels and 4Hz frequency. The movement is encased inside an 18-carat rose gold case that is covered with diamonds and coloured sapphires. A glare-proofed scratch-resistant sapphire crystal and 50m water-resistance top off the specs. 

Chopard Ladies Watches 22

I can see the above two pieces for a mother and daughter duo – they both have colours, both are elegant, and there is a certain playfulness about the former and a certain debonair aged-gracefully elegance about the latter.

Chopard Ladies Watches Collection

Chopard Imperiale Moonphase

This is my personal favourite of the three Chopard ladies watches collection on review here, thanks to the understated looks and a nicely decorated in-house movement visible through the display case-back.

The Imperiale range currently has 45 references, from quartz to automatic, and from simple steel watches to diamond-covered beauties, and even a freakin’ amazin’ tourbillon (ref. 384250-5005) for women. There are also two moonphase variations.

The watch we are looking at today was the first time this complication was introduced back in late 2017 with this ref. 384246-1001

Finding beautiful ‘proper’ — read mechanical — ladies timepieces is rare; every brand, even Patek, offers simply blinged out ladies watches that are still powered by quartz movements even in 2021. On a number of occasions, ladies watches haven’t really evolved beyond the Swiss quartz watch crisis of 70s/80s, and thats; quite frankly a shame. 

Chopard Ladies Watches Collection

I appreciate timepieces like the ones we are reviewing today more, precisely for the reason that they all feature mechanical movements and are not akin to releases apparently stemming from a male-dominated industry that reserves ‘proper’ movements for men’s watches and releases some ‘weaker’ horological excuses for the so-called ‘weaker’ sex. 

Chopard Ladies Watches Collection

In terms of the design language, the Chopard Imperiale Moonphase follows the elements laid out by the Imperiale Joaillerie Rainbow we looked at above, but is more muted and tamed.

Chopard Ladies Watches Collection

With no burst of colour or attention-grabbing sapphires, it simply is a beautiful wrist adornment, revealing the magic of time and regaling with a subtle orbital moon-phase display. 

Chopard Ladies Watches Collection

Inside this 36mm x 9.84mm 18-carat white gold case rules the Chopard 96.25-C movement. The 28.4mm x 4.7mm movement comprises 32 jewels and 220 components, beats at the frequency of 4Hz, offers an impressive 65-hour power reserve courtesy L.U.C Twin Technology, features a decent decorations including Geneva Stripes on the bridges and a circular-grained mainplate, and last but not the least, COSC-certification. 

Screen Shot 2021 08 12 At 10.22.13 Am
Screenshot from the Chopard website | © 2021 Chopard International SA – all rights reserved.

When it comes to making their own movements, Chopard has two branches: Fleurier Ebauches that makes movements for watches like Mille Miglia GTS Power Control, and Chopard Manufacture that makes movements for watches under the L.U.C banner. And as far as I am aware, 96.25-C is entirely developed and produced in-house.

Chopard Ladies Watches Collection

We recently saw the use of the same movement in the new Chopard Imperiale Moonphase from Watches & Wonders 2021. And at the risk of sounding repetitive, these Imperiale Moonphase watches have a rare quality –  they are beauty with brains. These are best suited for women who not only knows what they want, but also appreciate the delightful world of fine watchmaking.

That’s All Folks!

Chopard ladies watches collection has a distinct aesthetic to them. The glitter of floating diamonds, a burst of colour, the changing moods of mother-of-pearl dials, all enchant the observer. Bewitching with the spell of the elegance, they adorn the wrist of the ladies wearing these timepieces.

When you look at this Chopard ladies watches collection, they effortlessly blur the line between Haute Joaillerie and Haute Horlogerie. 

Exquisite and impressively finished, these timepieces do more than simply match an outfit or tell the time; they adorn wrists with such fervour that it’s impossible to ignore their brilliance.

Chopard Ladies Watches Collection

For more information on these and other timepieces part of the mesmerising Chopard Ladies Watches Collection, please head to the Chopard website here or visit their authorised retailer J Farren-Price at 80 Castlereagh St, Sydney (02 9231 3299). To explore the J Farren-Price website, please head here. All images unless otherwise stated are ©WatchYaGonnaDoAboutIt. 

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