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Chopard Happy Sport 36 mm, Automatic, Lucent Steel™, Diamonds
Ref. 278559-3002
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Stepping up in the same colour and case shape
Happy Sport began in 1993 as a deliberate provocation: fine diamonds set not in gold but in steel, moving freely between two sapphire crystals rather than fixed in a bezel. The idea that the stones should dance — gliding across the dial as the wrist moves — was the founding gesture of the collection, and it remains the thing no other house has convincingly replicated. The seven diamonds sit above a guilloché silver dial with Roman numerals, their movement visible through the sapphire above them. Lucent Steel, Chopard's own alloy, is harder and brighter than standard watch steel and carries a high proportion of recycled material — it accounts for the slightly more luminous quality the bracelet has against the wrist compared with an ordinary link. The crown is set with a blue sapphire cabochon, a small detail that reads clearly in person and ties the whole piece together. The exhibition caseback means the automatic movement is visible from the reverse, and the date sits discreetly at 4:30 rather than interrupting the dial at noon.
- Reference
- 278559-3002
- Brand
- Chopard
- Case size
- 36mm
- Case material
- Stainless steel
- Case shape
- Round
- Dial
- Silver
- Crystal
- Sapphire
- Movement
- Automatic
- Functions
- Date
- Water resistance
- 30m
- Bracelet / strap
- Stainless steel bracelet
- Strap colour
- Silver
- Clasp
- Deployant clasp
- Retailer
- Goldsmiths
Learn more about Chopard
Louis-Ulysse Chopard founded a workshop in Sonvilier in the Jura in 1860, building pocket watches that sold well in Eastern Europe and Russia. The family ran it for three generations before the line ran out of successors, and in 1963 the company was sold to Karl Scheufele III, a Pforzheim jeweller.
The Scheufele family still owns it, and their dual background explains the house's character: Chopard is unusual in being both a serious watchmaker and a serious jeweller, with in-house capability in gem-setting and gold-working alongside movement production.
The Happy Diamonds concept of 1976 — loose stones rotating freely between two sapphire crystals — became the commercial engine of the jewellery side and remains instantly identifiable.
On the watch side, the L.U.C collection launched in 1996 with the calibre 1.96, a micro-rotor automatic that announced Chopard as a genuine manufacture rather than a fashion house buying movements. L.U.C watches have since collected Geneva Seal and COSC certifications and produced tourbillons, perpetual calendars, and minute repeaters made in Fleurier.
Chopard has timed the Mille Miglia since 1988, giving it a motorsport line with real provenance, and in 2018 moved its entire gold supply to ethically certified sources — the first major house to do so across all production.
- 1860
- Louis-Ulysse Chopard founds the workshop in Sonvilier.
- 1963
- Karl Scheufele III acquires the company.
- 1976
- Happy Diamonds introduces free-moving stones.
- 1988
- Chopard begins timing the Mille Miglia.
- 1996
- The L.U.C 1.96 establishes in-house movement production.
Also in 6 collections
This watch appears in Back in Stock (4,868), Stainless Steel Watches (3,133), Automatic Watches (1,750), Watches Under 37mm (1,713), Sports Watches (800) and Silver Dial Watches (715).
Best of 2 retailers
What the specifications mean
A mechanical watch for everyday wear.
Strengths
- 36mm suits most wrists
- Sapphire crystal, which resists scratching
Worth knowing
- 30m means keeping it away from water
Price history
This watch is currently at its highest recorded price. It was £9,400 on 16 August. Prices are checked every day, and we record any changes.
Also seen with this model (1)
Other versions of this model, not necessarily this exact watch.
- Julia Roberts · Chopard Happy Sport · Ambassador · Happy Sport campaigns since 2021 · Source
Chopard Happy Sport 36 mm, alternatives
Watches from other brands at a similar price, style and size, so you can see what else your budget can buy.
| Specification | 278559-3002 | 1-39-22-08-22-44 | IW458109 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £9,680 | £8,700 | £8,850 |
| Case size | 36mm | 36mm | 37mm |
| Water resistance | 30m | 50m | 30m |
| Movement | Automatic | Automatic | Automatic |
| Strap | Stainless steel bracelet | Fabric strap | Leather strap |
| Power reserve | — | 40 hours | 50 hours |
| This watch |
| Closely matched |
Your new watch
Frequently asked questions, and things you should know about this watch
Can I swim with it?
No. At 30m it will survive rain and handwashing, but not submersion of any kind.
Water resistance explainedWill the glass scratch?
Unlikely. Sapphire is second only to diamond in hardness and shrugs off everyday marking.
Sapphire, mineral and acrylic comparedDoes it need a battery?
No. It is automatic — the motion of your wrist winds it, and there is no cell to replace.
Quartz, automatic and solar comparedCheapest place to buy
Both Mappin & Webb and Goldsmiths list it at £9,680, so choose on delivery and warranty rather than price.
Has the price changed recently?
It's currently at its highest recorded price. It's ranged between £9,400 and £9,680, today it's £9,680.
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