Chopard Happy Ocean: Playing Tough, While Being Beautiful

It was 1993 when Chopard made a very interesting move: they expanded their highly successful Happy Diamonds collection, which up until then was made up out of elegant gold, dress watches, with the Happy Sport Collection. These where chic, sporty watches, encased in steel and made for an active lifestyle, yet still with the signature moving diamonds between two sapphire crystals above the dial. It is hardly surprising that they also became a big success.

With the Happy Ocean collection, Chopard continues its legacy yet with a more nautical theme. While these watches are indeed available with a stainless steel case, and a diving bezel, we preferred the jewellery versions. These swap the 40mm stainless steel case for one made of 18 karat white gold and feature a bezel set with diamond hour-markers, blue sapphires, and either rubies or blue topazes to mark the first 15 minutes, depending on the version. The color of the minute hand corresponds with the color of these gemstones, providing an extra dash of color on the dial.

Even at night does the Ocean Sport have a nautical theme, because the white Super Luminova of the hour markers lights up in an azure hue. Its nautical theme resonates also from the deep blue mother-of-pearl dial, which provides a beautiful backdrop for the five brilliant cut diamonds that move above it.

While they look nice and beautiful, the qualities of these jewellery watches are more than skin deep. Despite their precious metal case and gem-stone set bezels, they are not afraid to get wet and have a water-resistance of 300 feet. In fact, Chopard is counting on it that you actually take your Ocean Sport swimming, because it not only comes with a blue alligator strap, but a spare Nato-strap is included as well. But that is not all, because inside ticks a Chopard’s manufacture movement, caliber 01.01-C. This self-winding movement runs at 4Hz and has a power reserve of 60 hours, and ensures that the Chopard Happy Ocean can indeed play tough while being beautiful!