WATCHES & STYLE

#WW2022: Chopard introduces the Alpine Eagle Flying Tourbillon, and more

by Katherine A.
31 Mar 2022

Chopard introduces its latest novelties for Watches & Wonders 2022.

The Alpine Eagle introduces the Flying Tourbillon to its range. Visibly displayed at 6 o’clock, the exposed aperture shows a part of the L.U.C 96.24-L movement, an in-house technical creation that has granted the watch both Chronometer and Poinçon de Genève certification.

In 41mm, the case and integrated bracelet are made from Lucent Steel A223, a proprietary alloy that is created to be extremely robust. On the dial, a toned-down shade in azure that Chopard calls Aletsch Blue is finely textured on a solid gold base that’s patterned after an eagle's iris. 

The Alpine Eagle collection also includes a contemporary rubber strap fitting for its flyback chronograph, the XL Chrono, in both blue and black variations.

Read the launch of the Alpine Eagle here.

The latest to the L.U.C XPS takes the form of an officer’s watch that’s fronted by a handsome forest green dial. Crafted in an 18K ethical yellow gold case in 40mm, the L.U.C XPS 1860 Officer exhibits a hand-guilloché dial with a honeycomb pattern (that repeats on the caseback) with main hours and small seconds.

It is powered by the L.U.C 96.01-L movement that can be seen through the sapphire crystal when the officer’s caseback is opened. On the underside, the beehive motif is engraved, which pays homage to the founding of the manufacture that laid claim to the symbolism back in the 1920s.

Chopard’s iconic Happy Sport line designs a new chronograph in ethical 18K rose gold. The Happy Sport Chronograph in 40mm features seven loose brilliant diamonds that move freely across the dial with a guilloché centre. 

Matching the blue dial transfers, the watch is dressed in a matte midnight blue leather strap with tone-on-tone stitching.

A new Happy Sport in 33mm is also given the full 18K ethical rose gold, with a bracelet to match. As per signature of the Happy Sport, “dancing” diamonds (five for the smaller cases) accompany the sunburst-finish dial that’s surrounded by a minute track in navy blue. It is powered by the Chopard 09.01-C in-house movement with a 42-hour power reserve.

Happy Sport Métiers d'Art Polar Bear Edition

In the Métiers d’Art department, an eight-piece limited edition time-only Happy Sport watches in three animal designs each — hummingbird, sea turtle, and polar bear — are hand-decorated and entirely set with sparkling gems in ethical gold cases. The beautiful dials, arranged in an asymmetry of gold, semi-precious stone, and mother-of-pearl, include loose solitaires in different cuts for each design. 

Featuring triangle-shaped diamonds for the polar bear (white gold case), heart-shaped diamonds for the hummingbird, and pear-shaped diamonds for the sea turtle (latter two in rose gold).

Also in a limited edition of eight pieces is the first flying tourbillon complication in the Imperiale collection. The Imperiale Flying Tourbillon is an astoundingly beautiful fully diamond-pavé 18K ethical white gold timepiece with an aventurine dial and a mother-of-pearl marquetry lotus blossom, with the flying tourbillon within.

In light of the current international context, the maison has made a statement pertaining to the procurement of responsibly-sourced gemstones, announcing that it has “ceased the purchase of newly mined sourcing diamonds from Russian sanctioned entities with immediate effect.”