At Baselworld 2014, Chopard announced a new step in its use of gold for watchmaking, introducing the L.U.C. Tourbillon QF Fairmined, which it calls the first watch made with Fairmined gold. The new watch’s case, caseback and bezel, as well as its pin buckle, are made of gold sourced from South America that has been certified as “Fairmined,” meaning it was mined in a sustainable, responsible manner and that the miners have received fair payment. Chopard has announced that it has set the target of buying a significant percentage of “Fairmined” gold from South American cooperatives in the future.
7. Chopard makes three in-house movements that are not only COSC-certified but pass the even stricter standards of the Fleurier Quality Certification. The Fleurier Quality Foundation (FQF), which has its offices in Fleurier’s historic town hall building, was launched in September 2004. It is supported by numerous Swiss public authorities, including the Swiss Federal Government and the Canton of Neuchatel, as well as all of the Fleurier-based watch companies and movement makers, which include Chopard as well as Bovet, Parmigiani, and Vaucher Manufacture. To obtain FQF certification, a watch must meet five conditions, including being 100 percent manufactured in Switzerland and to have already met the criteria for COSC chronometer certification when it arrives at FQF headquarters for testing. In addition, the watch’s movement must have a specifically defined level of quality finishing (decorations must be visible on certain parts, other parts must be polished or beveled, et cetera) and it must pass the FQF “chronofiable” test for shock-resistance, magnetic-field protection, water resistance and other criteria. Finally, the finished watch must pass a 24-hour operating test on the so-called Fleuritest simulator, which recreates the physical movements to which the watch would be subjected, and requires the precision to fall within the range of zero to +5 seconds per day.
This article was originally published in 2013 and has been updated with new information and photos.
I have a superfast 03.05m purchased 3 years ago very fine watch great time keeper. But there is one problem i have come across.the rubber on the screw down crown is so soft it has come away from the crown i have to believe this is a design flaw.I am now having the watch cleaned and new crown that i am told has a stronger or as they put it better quality rubber at a cost off 230.00 . total cost of this 1500.i have 9 watches other than cleaning and leather bracelet no problems.V
Dear Mark,
Thank you for this article that helped me to learn more about Chopard. I am the proud owner of a Mille Miglia GTS Automatic, my first automatic movement watch. Glad to know it includes its own manufacture movements and not an ETA. Cheers!
Bought a Quattro LUCbin HK last week end and discovered after 3 days the watch is running faster by 1 min every day (30 times COSC standards). How can this happen for a watch coming from the shop directly? Chopard very slow to answer, unprofessional staff and poor service. First and last Chopard watch for sure.
Unfortunately, Chopard is an extremely under-rated watch brand, yet some of the watches created by Chopard is truly outstanding.
I do not know why the journalists ignore Chopard most of the time and go gaga over some of the lesser watch brands with over-hyped marketing programmes.
Great story and Chopard deserves congratulations!
I’m not so sure about Chopard. I have owned quality Swiss watches, with high level complicated movements (valjoux 7751 and more) for many years. IWC, Dubey & Shallenbrand, Omega, and Breathing are some examples. As a general rule, these watches last for more than a lifetime, and rarely need “tune ups” and keep excellent time. My only Chopard watch, a Mille Miglia, purchased in 2008 (from Beyer in Zurich) has been my most troublesome timepiece. While under warranty, a chronograph pusher just fell off. Post warranty, the clasp has broken, and it has not kept good time for the last two years. Chopped now wants to charge me $700 for a full tune up, fix the timekeeping problem, and replace the hands, which look fine. I’m not sure if it will be worth the fix. I know I will never spend the money on a Chopard watch in the future. The Chopard company talks the talk, but their products are inferior to other Swiss watchmakers.
Dear Joseph,
I am extremely sorry to hear about your predicament with Chopard, as my experience with Chopard watches are totally different.
I am a proud owner of two Chopard watches and I am highly satisfied with performance of those 2 Chopard watches in every respect, till date.
hey thanks
the way i see it
people find the time to go on line and complain about negative brand experiences
why not when something positive actually happens?
I’m in advertising–the creative strategic end , if I ever wanted to give it up to do damage control for clients taking unwarranted hits on line
I’d be making way more money–and be way less happy
as doing that would be like someone saying they got into the serious timepiece business but ONLY with quartz movements–
BTW great name. any relation to a certain brand who offered
a very cool stone faced watch?
(among others)
Hi Mark,
This is a great and detailed article about an amazing watch company Chopard. Thank you. I have enjoyed it immensely. This company has truly become a Manufacture and the quality of its watches are amazing. Yes I am a collector and I also like Sam own a Mille Miglia but fortunately for me I have had no problems with mine at all. It is so relieving to know that I would get outstanding service should the need arise. As a matter of fact the watch runs ridiculously accurate and way above chronometer standards whether worn or off the wrist and manually wound several times. I do not have a watch winder and should probably get one. Sam’s 8th Reason story is a great one and other watch companies should take note.
As long as Chopard stays in the hands of the Scheufele family it will go from strength to strength. It’s ties to the historic Italian Mille Miglia race hosted yearly only adds prestige and class to its highly prized horological status and I can only see my watch sample becoming a prized collectors item in the distant future.
Thanks again
Mr Tissot
THE EIGHT REASON
While these 7 are impressive, I only need one–the one I experienced firsthand earlier this week, as that confirmed (to me anyway) that from “C-Level” management down, Chopard is seriously committed to being a “high watch”brand. Though in my “case, the conformation” came from their handing of a “complication” of a different kind…
Recently I had a bit of a problem with my Mille Miglia, This problem (which was non-mechanical) recurred even after getting it factory serviced. Because one doesn’t expect this with Chopard, my next step was calling “corporate’s” attention to this via email. Once they saw the issue I was having, they offered to resolve it in a manner that far exceeded my expectations. Considering the fact, we’re hardly Chopard “regulars” (the only Chopard products we own is my MM and my wife’s Happy Diamond necklace) this responsiveness was to say the least, gratifying.
But it didn’t stop there, as a few days later I get an email from the personal assistant of Marc Hruschka, President/CEO of Chopard US. The email informed me that Mr Hruschka would like to speak with me personally at my convenience. Even the NY cynic in me was impressed by this new level of follow through.
The call, which took place earlier this week, wasn’t a glorified hand-holding or “passing he buck” call, it was a call from someone who is genuinely concerned about his brand’s image and understands that every customer matters all the time.
Customer service has become a casualty (fatality actually) in today’s “price is everything” retail world. And that’s even true in the world of “”high watchmaking”. Though if you ask me (or even if you don’t) consumers who pay the “premium” for a high end timepiece, do so because of the craftsmanship of the watch, AND because they expect a certain level of “craftsmanship” to the ownership experience as well.
Mr. Hruschka’s call to me says more about the brand, than any complication, design innovation or “7 signs” as a lot of that stuff can be “acquired”. What can’t be acquired is the takeaway a call like this has on a brand’s employees . Think about it, if the man (or woman) in charge is this concerned about customer satisfaction, you’d better make sure you’re on top of your game as well.
Make no mistake, the events that preceded this call, were frustrating & for a brand like Chopard surprising. But as the saying goes “stuff happens”, so you try & resolve it and move on. While I’ve experienced similar situations with products from Apple, Volvo, Panerai, Canon and a few others, I’ve never experienced the level of authentic concern and responsiveness that I did on that call (and definitely not from someone that senior) . .
These days, most of us are thrilled when a brand simply lives up to our expectations. Today Mr. Hruschka proved that Chopard’s a brand that’s committed about doing way more than that .
To me, that makes for an equally compelling proof of “high watchmaking” on par with Mark’s very informative 7 reasons. The way I look at it, to readers of blogs like this, the art of high watchmaking creates way less of a high when it’s backed by low-end concern. Brands don’t grow one complication at a time, they grow one (obsessively passionate, appreciative) customer at a time . At Chopard the boss gets it…and when the boss gets it, so does the staff.
Sam, thanks so much for your comments. We’re glad your experience with the company was a positive one, and glad you enjoyed the story. We’ll be sure to pass your compliments on to Mr. Hruschka and his team.
Mark
Thanks so much for the kind words, I’ve been writing for a living since 8mhz computers were considered “blazing” and 38mm watches were considered “big” –while its mainly ads & related “marketing” type stuff, every year around CES –i “ghost out” some stuff on “real” audio, SLR photography and whats cool off the main convention center floor…
My point? I know and appreciate a well crafted article and writer especially when it’s about my “addiction” (Yes, I mean watches…what’d you think?…forget it, not sure if I want to know)… do I still have non -chopard watches on my bucket list? Yep…but between my experience and your article, my perception of the brand (much like the brand) has totally evolved. Thanks again for reaching out and keep coming out with stuff that I find fascinating and my wife finds worrisome.
Remember the ONLY things that should come in quartz are milk and orange juice (sounds better when you say it than when you read it, i know–thats the problem when you think in headlines like i do)
Hi Sam,
Your comment ” Brands don\’t grow one complication at a time, they grow one (obsessively passionate, appreciative) customer at a time . At Chopard the boss gets it…and when the boss gets it, so does the staff. ” is so true. This is an amazing example of where action has spoken louder than words. Much more in fact. Your story and comments are very inspiring and will probably convince you to maybe look at another Chopard timepiece in the future. Who knows, your story may also cause others to come along for the ride with you.
Cheers
MrTissot
Thanks
I hope it does get people to revisit their perceptions about the brand(not that I never heard anything negative per se’, just the “watch side of the house” isn’t as “key” as the jewelry side…even without Mark Bernardos really well crafted article–personal experience tells me that’s far from the case. The impression I get is that at Chopard (nothing product or customer wise) is an afterthought