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Chopard Happy Sport
Ref. 278608-3001
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Stepping up in the same colour and case shape
The Happy Sport arrived in 1993 with one genuinely unusual idea: five loose diamonds, unset, free to drift between the dial and the crystal with the movement of the wearer's wrist. At the time it was playful in a way that sat slightly outside the conventions of fine watchmaking, and that tension — between something formally precious and something that refuses to sit still — is what has kept the collection running for over three decades. The in-house calibre 09.01-C, visible through the exhibition caseback, is Chopard's own automatic movement, and at 33mm this is a wrist size that allows the guilloché centre of the silver dial to read clearly without overwhelming the hand. The crown is set with a sapphire cabochon, a small detail that ties it back to the stones on the dial. The glossy navy alligator strap reads as a considered choice alongside the silver case rather than a contrast — deep enough in tone to hold the watch visually without competing with what is happening on the dial itself.
- Reference
- 278608-3001
- Brand
- Chopard
- Case size
- 33mm
- Case thickness
- 10.84mm
- Case material
- Stainless steel
- Case shape
- Round
- Dial
- Silver
- Crystal
- Sapphire
- Movement
- Automatic
- Calibre
- 09.01-C
- Water resistance
- 30m
- Bracelet / strap
- Leather strap
- Strap colour
- Navy
- Clasp
- Buckle
- Retailer
- Goldsmiths
Additional specifications
- Power reserve
- 42 hours
- Gem set
- Yes
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 (4,154), Stainless Steel Watches (2,848), Watches Under 37mm (1,522), Automatic Watches (1,518), Leather Strap Watches (940) and Sports Watches (677).
Temporarily out of stock
Mappin & Webb is not currently taking orders for this reference. Last listed as available on 28 September 2026. Stock is checked nightly and this page updates when it returns.
What the specifications mean
A slim watch on leather, made for wearing with a shirt.
Strengths
- 33mm wears small and slips under any cuff
- Sapphire crystal, which resists scratching
- Sits in the lower half of Chopard's range as we list it
Worth knowing
- 30m means keeping it away from water
Chopard Happy Sport alternatives
Watches from other brands at a similar price, style and size, so you can see what else your budget can buy.
| Specification | 278608-3001 | 1-35-14-03-02-04 | L81260972 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £7,650 | £9,300 | £5,550 |
| Case size | 33mm | 32.5mm | 34mm |
| Water resistance | 30m | 30m | 30m |
| Movement | Automatic | Automatic | Automatic |
| Strap | Leather strap | Leather strap | Leather strap |
| Power reserve | 42 hours | 60 hours | 72 hours |
| This watch |
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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 comparedHow long does it run for when it's not worn?
About 42 hours fully wound — enough to survive a night off the wrist, but not a full weekend.
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