Editor’s Note: This story originally appeared in Volume IV of B.H. Magazine. To get your copy (and access to future issues), subscribe here.
Independence is one of horology’s most coveted attributes – a mark of authenticity in an industry dominated by conglomerates. For Chopard, a family-owned maison with deep roots in both high jewellery and haute horlogerie, independence isn’t a marketing angle; it’s the foundation of creative freedom. Few understand this better than Karl-Friedrich Scheufele, the man who spearheaded Chopard’s L.U.C collection and turned the brand into a serious player in fine watchmaking.
I have found myself in Gstaad, Switzerland, surrounded by the aroma of fondue and an air of quiet affluence, to witness the latest chapter in Chopard’s story: the unveiling of 2025’s Alpine Eagle models. A collection inspired by the St. Moritz of the past, engineered for the future. This blending of eras is a recurring theme in Chopard’s world, a refreshing reminder of what a focused, multi-generational family business can achieve.
My interview with Karl-Friedrich Scheufele and his son Karl-Fritz is not about looking for grand proclamations of brand superiority. Instead, I want to understand the mechanics of running an independent manufacture, where decisions are made over a bottle of Haut-Brion at the Eagle Ski Club, not a shareholder meeting in the basement of a Genevan hotel.
Every new model, every material, every risk the brand takes is debated and ultimately approved by three generations of the Scheufele family. Today, Karl-Friedrich and his sister Caroline serve as Co-Presidents, while their father, Karl Scheufele III – who acquired the business in 1963 – continues to impart his wisdom.
“My father is still very much interested in figures, and he’s always reminding us to be responsible and careful, to keep both feet on the ground,” explains Karl-Friedrich.
“Every decision has long-term consequences. We have to be grateful for what we’ve achieved, not assume our business is great, and that we can do anything,” he continues. “You can never assume you’re perfectly safe from failure.”
This sense of responsibility is something he’s passed down to his children, just as his father did for him.
Karl-Fritz, still in the early days of his leadership journey, carries the confidence of someone who hasn’t just heard about the family business, but lived it. “It’s like being part of a perpetual Netflix series,” he says, chuckling. “Every evening, my parents would come home, and it was a new episode.” While most teens were discussing playground drama and TV shows over dinner, Karl-Fritz was absorbing conversations about calibres, customers, and the nuances of high jewellery craftsmanship.
Independence gives Chopard the freedom to take risks, but it also means bearing the full weight of its decisions. When Karl-Friedrich first proposed the idea of the St. Moritz watch – Chopard’s first steel sports timepiece, named after the resort town in which the brand’s flagship boutique was based – his father didn’t shut it down. Instead, he listened. “That’s something I’ve kept in mind,” says Karl-Friedrich. “It’s important to give the next generation the chance to not only express themselves, but actually make something happen.”
Years later, when Karl-Fritz suggested reviving the St. Moritz, the same discussions took place. But this time, it wasn’t just about design – it was about pushing the boundaries of what a luxury steel watch could be. “Technical innovation wasn’t something I was very familiar with, and my father said, if we’re going to make a new sports watch, we need to bring something technical to the table. The material has to be different; something sustainable and not yet available on the market,” explains Karl-Fritz. “We didn’t want to just make another steel watch. We wanted to do it better.”
This commitment to doing better – rather than bigger or faster – is another hallmark of Chopard’s approach. Unlike brands churning out staid iterations to meet quarterly targets, Chopard moves with the deliberation of a watchmaker assembling a minute repeater. Every collection must have a purpose. Every innovation must serve a function beyond mere novelty.
To understand Chopard is to understand that it’s not simply in the business of making watches and jewellery – it’s in the business of preserving craftsmanship. The maison’s in-house manufacture in Fleurier is a temple to classic horology, where master artisans engrave, assemble, and polish each component by hand. The L.U.C calibre 1.96, for instance, is one of the industry’s best-kept secrets – a micro-rotor marvel that combines Geneva Seal certification with COSC-chronometer precision. And yet, it maintains an alluring ‘IYKYK’ presence, despite deserving more recognition.
“The exclusivity [with calibre 1.96] is preserved in a way, by itself,” explains Karl-Friedrich. “We have increased production with Alpine Eagle, although we are very limited because of the combination of the Geneva Seal and COSC certification.”
In an industry obsessed with scale and efficiency, Chopard prioritises its artisans. Here, a skilled watchmaker or jeweller isn’t just an employee, but a custodian of centuries-old techniques, and a member of the family. “We feel like people who buy our watches resonate with the idea of passing something along,” says Karl-Fritz. “Of respecting the craft and keeping these traditions alive.”
However, in the 21st century, craftsmanship and desirability aren’t enough – luxury must have a conscience. Customers demanded sustainability, and Chopard responded early, becoming one of the first major watch and jewellery houses to commit to 100 per cent ethical gold. “It wasn’t a marketing decision,” explains Karl-Friedrich. “It was the right thing to do.”
Ethical gold was just the start. The Alpine Eagle collection introduced ‘Lucent A223 steel’, a premium alloy made of up to 70 per cent recycled steel. Double-refined for increased purity, durability, and scratch resistance, it also appears brighter and whiter than traditional steel alloys, and is less likely to cause allergies. While striving for increased technicality, Chopard created a beautiful material – one that complements their high jewellery aesthetic.
Now, the brand is tackling another sustainability challenge in luxury: packaging. “It’s a tricky one,” admits Karl-Fritz, “because you want something impressive, but also responsible and secure for shipping. Weight is also a huge subject.”
Listening to the Scheufeles, it becomes clear that Chopard’s greatest strength is also its greatest challenge: maintaining the delicate balance between heritage and evolution. It’s why, despite the family’s ventures into hospitality with their striking 1, Place Vendôme hotel in Paris, there’s no desire to decorate other luxury goods in the Chopard name. “Clients don’t want to see the same brand name everywhere,” says Karl-Friedrich, almost disdainfully. “This kind of practice isn’t sustainable.”
Instead, they stay focused on what they do best, which is making exceptional watches and jewellery with a clear sense of purpose. A belief that luxury should be personal, meaningful, and timeless. And that’s why, when I ask the pair why someone should buy a Chopard watch over a competing brand, Karl-Fritz doesn’t talk about specs or prestige. He talks about values.
“You’re not just buying a watch. You’re buying into a philosophy. A tradition. A commitment to doing things the right way, even when it’s harder,” says Karl-Fritz with a nod of approval from his father. In an era where luxury feels dominated by numbers, and often devoid of soul, Chopard remains one of the last true bastions of independence. That is why you should care.
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