 are fairly equal in output, with 80,000 watches and 70,000 pieces of jewellery produced each year. And overseeing it all, the figurehead of the company remains Karl Scheufele III who, as chairman, is active in day to day operations, along with his wife Karin.
Yet, Chopard is an independent family entity in a world dominated by four huge groups: Swatch Group, Richemont, LVMH and Kering. And as such, I ask Karl-Friedrich about how successful they have been in weaning off ETA supplies, given Swatch Group’s well-publicised and industry-changing decision to cease selling watch parts to any other company as of December 31st, 2019. “Ironically, we had our own watch movement assembly until the 1980s, when we closed it down. But in 1996, decided to start again with Manufacture Chopard in Fleurier. It took a tremendous effort as it had to be done from scratch but the result is that we’re now able to meet about 20 per cent of our mechanical needs, and this will rise to about 50 per cent within the next four years.” It turns out that, of the numerous watches Chopard produces each year, only half are mechanical, the rest are quartz. The advantage of this is that when it comes to electronic oscillators, there are enough global quartz suppliers that there shouldn’t ever be an issue with the supply of parts.
Personal involvement backed by a vested interest seems to be a calling card for Chopard, and that’s apparent even in the commercial sponsorships the company gets involved with. Take the Mille Miglia, for instance – a legendary road race, held from 1927 until 1957 and reborn as a regularity race for vintage cars in 1977. Chopard became its exclusive long-term sponsor in 1988, and this has helped inspire a whole new line of watches for the brand, and bring global awareness to the rally. “Chopard’s association with classic cars was a result of a personal passion of mine and not some opportunistic endeavour,” Karl-Friedrich says, apparently keen to stress this point.
As my time with Karl-Friedrich comes to an end, I ask him what we should expect in brand’s next chapter. “Personally I do not think in terms of volumes or sales. My belief is that Chopard stands for great design, authentic products and outstanding quality. And what is more important than anything else is continuity.” In racing terms, Karl-Friedrich Scheufele thinks it best to avoid the temptation to charge ahead. Instead he counsels navigating wisely, with your rear-view mirror firmly in sight. That way, you’ll get to where you need, and all in good time.
It is generally believed that America is more polarized than ever. After all, one need only look at the fallout from the last election to test this theory: both liberals and conservatives are convinced that their ideas and principles are the best and should be followed.
But a recent survey by Reuters casts a bit of doubt on how well people really know their own minds and understand the political principles they say they adhere to. It appears that many Americans base their views on whether a particular authority figure holds them.
As Reuters explains, surveyors read a variety of political statements which Donald Trump made on the campaign trail to mixed groups of Republicans and Democrats. One group was told that each statement was made by Trump; the other omitted that important detail. In almost every case, Democrat support for the statement decreased when Trump’s name was attached, while Republican support increased.
Government-run health care is a prime example of this. When asked if government should take care of everyone, 68 percent of Democrats agreed. Only 33 percent of Republicans did the same. But when Trump’s name was thrown into the ring, both parties had a sudden change of heart. Democrats in particular exhibited a 20 percent drop in support for government-run health care.
A similar scenario unfolded when respondents were asked about American exceptionalism. When told that Donald Trump believed that American exceptionalism is insulting to people from other countries, Republicans displayed a dramatic jump in agreement with the president. Democrats, however, demonstrated another 20 percent drop in support for the idea.
Such outcomes shouldn’t be surprising given the vitriol which has surrounded presidential politics of late. Nevertheless, such outcomes are a bit alarming, for they clearly demonstrate that a good chunk of the American public do not make decisions based on thoughtful, informed reasoning. Instead, they pick a public figure they like (or dislike) and move with him (or away from him) as the winds may blow.
"The people themselves, therefore, are its only safe depositories. And to render even them safe, their minds must be improved to a certain degree."
Sadly, the improvement of American minds isn’t happening in today’s schools. Many students cannot distinguish between fact and opinion; instruction in logic and critical thinking, while given lip-service, seem to have disappeared from schools; and only 12 percent of the nation’s high school seniors are proficient in history, the subject which lays the groundwork for American government.
If America’s schools are not teaching students to be independent, well-reasoned, and educated thinkers, is it any wonder that the American public is so easily swayed in their political beliefs and opinions?
It was a star-studded red carpet at Us Weekly's Hot Hollywood party in LA last night. Lauren Conrad is a staple at the yearly bash and looked angelic in white after spicing it up in yellow to give out spoilers at PaleyFest. Her ex Doug Reinhardt was there, attached at the hip with Paris Hilton as usual, though we'd rather gaze at Jon Hamm with Jennifer Westfeldt by his side. Even Kara DioGuardi stopped by after American Idol's double elimination night. Never ones to miss an event, Khloe and Kourtney Kardashian, back from their bikini trip to Mexico, made it out for the festivities as the gorgeous crowd partied the night away.
To see lots more photos including Kelly Osbourne, Jon Hamm and many others just read more.
Now when I decided to start this blog series about adventures in and around my home in Coniston, I have to admit it was all adrenalin this, running that, cycling here, canoeing there and all other manor of activities to get your heart racing. Don’t get me wrong. My next blog after this one is probably one of the toughest local challenges I’ve come up with, but for now, I fancied doing something a little more relaxing. OK, a lot more relaxing – fishing.
If you fancy bragging about bagging half a dozen Wainwrights during your Lake District holiday but don't feel like your legs are quite up to scaling over 3,000 feet up the dizzying heights of Scafell or Helvellyn and the likes, or if you are coming on holiday with children and are looking for lower, safer summits to conquer without missing out on the spectacular scenery the Lakes has to offer then we've put together a list of some the easier, but no less rewarding, fells to climb during your stay.
It’s been almost exactly a year since I finished my world record bike ride across Europe. And in this year, I have cycled only three times and one of those times was to get some bread from the bakery 200 meters from our house. I always do this - go cold turkey right after a big block of cycling and I have to admit, I always regret it. It’s far easier keeping a steady fitness than trying to build it up again from scratch. Never the less, it’s now May, the sun is out (sometimes, this is The Lake District after all), it’s warm and I’m in desperate need to get back on the bike.
Read more about #Explorefromthedoor with Sean Conway - #9 The Double-Double Awakener!
Winter walks are, in the words of Tina Turner, simply the best. Layering up, a flask of boiling hot tea in your thermos and a map snugly sealed in a zip-lock bag you’re ready to hit the trails. With winter, however, it can be extremely windy which can make heading up the hills feel somewhat out of your comfort zone. Don’t get me wrong. I love it when the elements are giving you a Rocky Balboa style battering but it’s not for everyone. Luckily there are many low level, easier routes that can turn your dreary winter day into an adventurous one.
Read more about #Explorefromthedoor with Sean Conway - #7 Make fun while the snow falls!
The view from the front of our house I have to say is second to none. Yes on a good day we can see the Old Man off to the left but every other day, unless the mist is really low, we can see the wonderfully craggy hillside of Rigg Head and Yew Pike and its towering proximity to our home means we have a soft spot for the route up there. My wife and I call it the Tilberthwaite loop because you head up towards Tilbertwaite but in reality, it should be called the Yewdale Fells loop but we started calling it Tilberthwaite and it stuck.
If you’re into mountain biking but, like me, aren’t Danny Macaskill and able to throw yourself down 50ft drops, then the Grizedale forest is the place for you. The second best thing about Grizedale is that you don’t need to drive there from Coniston, you can get on your bike right at your door and be there within half