Chopard's Alpine Eagle: A new generation luxury watch born from the brand's history

Chopard's Alpine Eagle, created by examining the company's history, is a high-minded new-generation luxury sports watch that is unique to Chopard, backed by its advanced design and technical capabilities.

The exquisite size and comfortable fit
Interesting story

　To be honest, I've never been particularly interested in luxury sports watches. Generally, high-end sporty stainless steel watches have been around for a long time, and I thought that even slightly expensive divers' and chronographs could be considered "luxury sports."

　My role is to review the Alpine Eagle, which Chopard released in October 2019. So, let's take an open and honest look at the watch itself.

　First of all, the exterior. It is based on the brand's first stainless steel model, the St. Moritz, which Chopard released in 1980, but compared to the original, the decorative elements have been toned down and the watch appears to have a more robust feel.

　The fit is impeccably comfortable. It's quite heavy (we measured it at 171g), but when you wear it, it doesn't feel that heavy. The case also looks small. The case diameter is 41mm, but the bezel diameter is 38mm. This is probably the secret to why it looks more compact than it actually is, and it's a really clever design.

　What impressed me most was the dial. I'm not particularly fond of engraved dials, but the striated dial on this model is appealing, paired with a calm, mineral-like gray. The Roman numerals on the indexes are framed with luminous material, but the lines are a little thin. It would be best if they were a little thicker.

　The bracelet is sturdy and there's no unnecessary play when twisting it. The links move smoothly. The clasp is a double-wing clasp, but it has a gold center piece engraved with the logo, so you have to operate it from top to bottom when closing it. It would be better if the center piece was eliminated so you could open and close it without the need for a top-to-bottom order, but this is something you get used to, so it shouldn't be a problem with regular use.

　Also, many models of this type use screws for decoration, but I hate screws that are just for decoration. In contrast, the screws on the Alpine Eagle are said to function properly to secure the bezel and case back.

　The movement's finishing is extremely simple. The Chopard-manufactured "Caliber 01/01-C" has a fine grained finish.

　What's even more interesting is that the St. Moritz, which served as the prototype for the Alpine Eagle, was the "maiden work" of Karl-Friedrich Scheufele, current co-president of Chopard, when he was just 22 years old.

　Another feature that is typical of Chopard is the use of a new alloy called "Lucent Steel A223" for the case and bracelet. This material is highly compatible with the skin and has a Vickers hardness of 223. It is harder and more wear-resistant than the 316L (Vickers hardness 180-200) commonly used for watch cases, and its low impurity content gives it a shine comparable to that of gold.

　In this way, I believe that Chopard's Alpine Eagle is a truly ambitious luxury sports watch with an interesting background, featuring a high-quality movement manufactured in-house using high-performance new materials.