Le Petit-Fils de L.-U. Chopard & Cie S.A. was founded in 1860 by Swiss watchmaker Louis-Ulysse Chopard in Sonvilier, Switzerland. Instead of making movements for other brands, Chopard started off marketing finished watches. The luxury watch and jewelry company was taken over by Chopard’s son Paul-Louis and grandson Paul-André after the founder’s death in 1915. Operations were relocated to Chaux-de-Fonds in 1921, and finally to Geneva in 1937 where the headquarters have been ever since.
By 1943, Paul-André had taken over the company and eventually sold it to German goldsmith Karl Scheufele III in 1963 due to no family interest in continuing the business. Today, Chopard is still owned by the Scheufele family.
Historic Grand Prix of Monaco
While Chopard has had no direct ties to Formula One, it comes extremely close as the official timekeeper of the Historic Grand Prix of Monaco which largely features vintage F1 cars. Chopard has created the Grand Prix de Monaco Historique collection to commemorate the partnership that has included an assortment of ana-digi, chronographs, and time-only pieces. Chopard Co-President Karl-Friedrich Scheufele and former Grand Prix driver Jacky Ickx have enjoyed a decades-long friendship which has resulted in several Jacky Ickx edition timepieces, including ones from their popular Mille Miglia line.
References
https://www.motorsportretro.com/2009/10/chopard-grand-prix-de-monaco-historique-time-attack-mf/
https://www.ablogtowatch.com/chopard-monaco-historique-time-attack-mf-watch-review/
https://www.hellomonaco.com/mc-lifestyle/luxury/chopard-releases-limited-edition-monaco-historic-grand-prix-watche/
https://www.ablogtowatch.com/chopard-grand-prix-de-monaco-historique-2018-race-edition-watches/
https://www.timeandwatches.com/2014/12/chopard-grand-prix-de-monaco-historique.html
https://monochrome-watches.com/introducing-chopard-mille-miglia-classic-chronograph-jx7-jacky-ickx-limited-edition-specs-price/
https://www.chopard.com/en-us/articles/la-maison/jacky-ickx-biography.html