Introduced: Late 1980s

Purpose / Inspiration: Named after the elite Swiss ski resort town of Gstaad, this watch embodied ‘80s jet-set chic. The Chopard Gstaad was designed as a sporty-luxury piece that blended elegance and athleticism—meant to be worn slopeside during the day and at black-tie dinners by night. Slim, sleek, and set with just enough gold or diamonds to show you’d arrived.

Designer: Created during Chopard’s pre-L.U.C. era, under Karl Scheufele’s direction, focused on high-end quartz watches with integrated bracelets and lifestyle appeal

Case size: Ranged from ~24mm (ladies) to ~38mm (men’s)

Case options: Two-tone steel and gold, full 18k yellow gold, white gold, and diamond-set bezels for high-end women’s editions

Powered by:

• Swiss quartz movements (ETA-based, signed by Chopard)
• Very few mechanical versions known—this was a quartz-era product

Bezel: Rounded or softly octagonal with distinctive rivet-style screws—echoing other luxury sports watches of the era

Dial options: Champagne, black, mother-of-pearl, or silver; with Roman numerals, stick markers, or diamond hour markers depending on version

Water resistance: Light (typically 30m)

Bracelet: Integrated bracelet with polished center links and brushed outers; signature “bar and link” style that flowed seamlessly into the case

Discontinued in the early 2000s

No direct successor, but its spirit lives on in Chopard’s Alpine Eagle and jewelry-sport models

Why it stood out: The Gstaad was peak ‘80s luxury—thin, flashy, confident. It didn’t shout like a diver—it whispered exclusivity to those who knew what it meant.

Gstaad by Name, Jet-Set by Nature: A watch built for champagne snow and private lounges

Screws, Gold, and Glam: Sport-luxury done the Chopard way

Quartz That Counted: You weren’t buying it for the movement—you were buying the message

The Wrist Signal of Arrival: If you knew, you knew—and if you wore it, you didn’t need to say a word