Chopard Alpine Eagle 33 mm Maritime Blue Watch Review
The Chopard Alpine Eagle 33 mm Maritime Blue dial (Ref. 295384-0001) is housed in a sumptuous ethical 18-carat yellow gold case, complemented with a diamond-set bezel. Inspired by the ‘azure blue waters of the Mediterranean’, the dial also incorporates sparkling gems. Nominated for the Ladies’ prize at the forthcoming 2024 GPHG (Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève), Meehna Goldsmith provides an overview of this supremely glamorous ticking creation.
Chopard St. Moritz watch
The eagle is one of the most majestic birds. Bold and powerful, yet refined and graceful, it reigns over the lofty Swiss Alps. It’s this very bird that inspired Karl-Friedrich Scheufele, Co-President of Chopard, to create the St. Moritz watch back in 1980. As a young lad of 22 working in the family’s Manufacture, he presented the idea of a sports watch forged from stainless steel to his father.
Now a sports watch in stainless steel doesn’t seem like such a big ask with Chopard’s current lineup of timepieces, but back then it was outside the brand’s identity. Never before had Chopard made a sports watch, let alone one in stainless steel. The Manufacture was known for crafting its treasures from precious metals and gems. Karl-Friedrich’s passion paid off and his father agreed to the project. The calculated risk provided grand dividends, the St Moritz becoming one of the brand’s bestsellers for over a decade.
Like his father before him, Karl-Fritz works at the family owned brand. And, like his father 40 years ago, Karl-Fritz gravitated towards watches. It was at his bidding that he convinced his father to revisit the St. Moritz for an update to appeal to current tastes of the 21st century. Fueled by his passion for the Alps and his appreciation of Louis Sullivan’s principles of form following function, Karl-Friedrich reinterpreted and evolved the design.
Chopard Alpine Eagle debut in 2019
The result was the debut of the Alpine Eagle collection in 2019, featuring an elegant integrated bracelet. After all, this is Chopard we’re talking about. In homage to the eagle, the dial consisted of a rock-like texture resembling the eagle’s iris, while the dial reflected the hues of the Alpine ranges, rendered in Aletsch Blue and Slate Grey. Additional colours were released over time, including Pine Green and Monte Rosa pink.
Chopard Alpine Eagle 33 mm Maritime Blue – inspiration
This newest addition to the lineup offers a Maritime Blue colour dial that references the southern slopes of the Alps and rich blue of the Mediterranean Sea. Since Chopard relishes the details, the Alpine Eagle is a feast for the eyes to discover. The tapering bracelet, featuring satin-brushed wide links and sides, a polished central cap and triple folding clasp, is constructed from a single ingot shaped link topped off by a raised central cap, while the protected crown is engraved with a compass rose.
Chopard Alpine Eagle 33 mm Maritime Blue – case
The 33 mm case gets equal attention, with the Alpine Eagle’s round bezel incorporating eight screws, two in each quadrant. The positioning of the screws is very deliberate, they’re set at a tangent to the bezel to show off the high quality finishing and contribute to the overall aesthetic. Moreover, in another tip of the hat to form following function, the screws provide the technical purpose of ensuring water resistance up to 50 metres. Setting off this elegant portrait, the bezel flashes with diamonds, adding yet another aspect of beauty to the light show on the dial.
Chopard Alpine Eagle 33 mm Maritime Blue – dial
The stamped Brass Maritime Blue dial is anchored by applied gilded Roman numerals with diamond set hour markers, while the Baton-shaped hours and minutes hands are coated with high quality Super-LumiNova Grade X1 that not only allows for reading the time in low-light conditions, but also highlights the alternating polished and matt finishes. A particular detail that tickles my fancy is the golden arrow-tipped seconds hand featuring a counterweight shaped like an eagle’s feather, yet another celebration of the thematic elements.
Chopard in-house caibre 09.01-C
Inside the Alpine Eagle ticks the in-house calibre 09.01-C, a self-winding movement with a 42-hour power reserve. This 8-ligne diameter movement, with stop-seconds in order to set the time precisely, has the distinction of being one of the smallest to receive chronometer certification from COSC (Contrôle Officiel Suisse des Chronomètres). An exhibition caseback grants sight of the automatic movement.
Chopard – corporate citizenship
Chopard is one of the few Swiss Manufactures committed to sustainable luxury. Since 2018, it only sources ethically mined and produced gold. The warm, sandy tones of the 18k case and bracelet of the Alpine Eagle perfectly complement the dial. Alternating textures of the vertical satin-brushed caseband and polished chamfers add dimension and depth. In addition to sourcing ethically produced gold, Chopard extends its philanthropic ideals by donating a portion of the sales proceeds to the Alpine Eagle Foundation, an organisation that raises awareness and promotes action on behalf of the entire Alpine range and the creatures which reside there.
Chopard Alpine Eagle 33 mm Maritime Blue – true to the brand’s roots
With the 33 mm Alpine Eagle, Chopard revisits its roots by combining gems and precious metal. At the same time, the watch maintains its modern and sporty lines. It’s a magical combination of contemporary beauty whose heart beats with history and generational storytelling.
Further reading
https://www.chopard.com/
Technical specification
- Model: Chopard Alpine Eagle 33 mm Maritime Blue
- Reference: 295384-0001
- Case: ethical 18-carat yellow gold, diameter 33 mm, height 7.95 mm, water resistance 5 ATM (50 metres), sapphire crystal to front, exhibition caseback.
- Functions: hours, minutes, centre seconds
- Movement: Calibre 09.01-C, self-winding movement, frequency 25,200 vph (3.5 Hz), 27 jewels, power reserve 42 hours, certified-chronometer (COSC)
- Strap: tapering bracelet in ethical 18-carat yellow gold with satin-brushed wide links and sides, polished central cap, triple folding clasp
- Price: CHF 40,700 (RRP as of 25.9.2024)