How to Tell if Your Chopard Happy Diamonds Are Real

Renowned for a dedication to craftsmanship that stretches back to 1860, Chopard remains one of the world’s most sought-after fine jewelry and watch brands. Favored by stars like Julianne Moore, Lupita Nyong’o and Marion Cotillard for their turns on the red carpets of Hollywood and Cannes, Chopard’s designs are as exquisite and relevant now as ever.

Lupita Nyong’o and Julianne Moore in Chopard jewels at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival

But it was in 1976 that the brand introduced a new look and concept to fine jewelry and watches: diamonds that are free to move. Designed to float freely over the dial of a men’s watch, their Happy Diamonds’ playful take on finely crafted luxury was so popular it led to the fully-fledged collections that include women’s watches and fine jewelry today.

Early images of Chopard Happy Watch designs courtesy of Chopard.

When investing in fine jewelry or watches of the caliber of Chopard, it’s essential to ensure you’re buying the real, finely crafted thing. We turned to our Expert Team Lead for Fine Jewelry & Watches, Adriana Krakowski, to explain the telltale signs of real Chopard Happy Diamond pieces. “Authenticating Chopard Happy Diamond pieces is more about authenticating the piece as a whole,” she says. “You know to expect a certain level of quality in the diamonds and overall craftsmanship as well as what brand markings to look for. You have to be very familiar with the variety of styles that Chopard has made under the Happy Diamonds collection since 1976. The value isn’t derived from a crude breakdown of intrinsic elements, it’s about understanding the piece as Chopard and what that means within the secondary market.” With this bigger picture in mind, there are three key elements of Chopard Happy Diamonds that Krakowski broke down for us.

1. Chopard Happy Diamonds Quality

Chopard only uses diamonds studied, authenticated and certified by gemologists at the Gemological Institute of America and the Hoge Raad voor Diamant in Antwerp, Belgium. “Chopard’s pieces are made exclusively with 18K gold and platinum, and high color and clarity diamonds that emit no or faint fluorescence,” says Krakowski. Diamonds with inclusions or of a low color grade are warning signs that a piece may be inauthentic. For a primer on diamond grading and valuation, you can see Krakowski’s guide to the four Cs here.

2. Chopard Happy Diamonds Craftsmanship

Chopard Happy Diamonds are specially designed with gold sheaths made of the precious metal from Chopard’s own foundry. Not only does this design allow Happy Diamonds to move freely, unleashing more radiance than a stationary stone, it protects the surfaces across which they move. Poor craftsmanship in any aspect of a Chopard Happy Diamonds piece is a warning sign that the piece may be fake. For watches, Krakowski warns that “diamonds that don’t glide smoothly under the crystal, the wrong number or size of diamonds, unevenly spaced screws on the case back, glue on the crown, the presence of contaminants or dust under the crystal, incorrect font, font size, font placement and low-grade luminosity are all signs that a piece may be fake.”

3. Chopard Happy Diamonds Brand Markings

“Each current Chopard piece is marked with a serial number and the brand’s script logo, which are engraved with lasers,” notes Krakowski. The engraving should be clear and legible, and the serial number should match the one listed on the piece’s certificate of origin, if available.

With the signs of top quality materials, world class craftsmanship and distinctive brand markings in evidence, you can rest assured you’ve found an authentic Chopard Happy Diamonds design. Or, take the guesswork out of selecting your perfect piece by shopping our fully authenticated collection here.

All items are pre-owned and consigned to The RealReal. Trademarks are owned by their respective brand owners. No brand owner endorses or sponsors this ad or has any association and/or affiliation with The RealReal.

Please note: Brand standards, logos and other identifying features may have changed since the time of publication.