One of the consistent sentiments in the wake of Watches & Wonders 2023 is that Chopard had an excellent year. In addition to its gorgeous reissue of the LUC 1860 in Lucent Steel came this pair of Alpine Eagle integrated bracelet sport watches that add some much appreciated variety to the collection. The Alpine Eagle Cadence 8HF is done in a titanium case with a high frequency movement while the Alpine Eagle 41 XPS comes in a Lucent steel case with a stunning salmon dial and an LUC movement.
Back in 2021, we saw the first Alpine Eagle Cadence 8HF in a limited edition run of 250 pieces. While it shares a lot with its predecessor, the new iteration of the Cadence 8HF is not a limited edition, which is great to hear. The basics remain the same: a 41mm wide and 9.75mm thick titanium case with 100 m of water resistance outfitted with the COSC certified Chopard Calibre 01.12-C movement that operates at a swift 8Hz and has a power reserve of 60 hours.
Producing these high frequency movements to COSC certified standards isn’t exactly easy so it’s a good sign that we are seeing an unlimited production (though who knows what annual production numbers will ultimately be) iteration of the Cadence 8HF. Using lubricants for such a high frequency movement would likely spell failure so the use of monocrystalline silicon is an essential component here due to the fact that it is self-lubricating. Kudos to Chopard for their commitment to making this movement more common as it really does stand out from the crowd.
The new Cadence 8HF has a pitch black sunburst dial with orange accents that simply looks great. The splashes of orange add just enough color to the dial without going too far. It’s also just very cool to see Chopard’s “high-frequency arrow” done in this eye-catching color. You’ll also notice that the only Roman numeral on the dial is for 12 o’clock as opposed to the standard Alpine Eagle which has them for 3, 6, and 9 o’clock as well. Perhaps this appeals to me as I personally prefer my sport watches to have as few Roman numerals as possible.
The slim lightweight titanium case is ideal for an everyday wear. Chopard deserves praise for just how well they finish titanium which can often be so inelegantly done. Here we see contrasting brushed and polished finishes with edges and surfaces that get much closer in appearance to their Lucent steel siblings than one would expect.
Next up is the Alpine Eagle 41 XPS which finally gives the collection a non-tourbillon L.U.C movement, boasting not just COSC-certification but also the Poinçon de Genève. The 41 XPS comes in a 41mm Lucent steel case that measures just 8mm thick (100 m of water resistance) due to the micro-rotor L.U.C 96.40-L movement. However, it’s that absolutely gorgeous Monte Rosa pink dial (basically salmon) that grabbed me and has not let go since. In fact, it is safe to say that this is my favorite Alpine Eagle to date.
By foregoing the date window altogether and the addition of a small-seconds sub-dial, Chopard has created an excellently symmetrical watch that keeps the attention where it should be. I suppose it’s possible that some may not like this dial color but I’ve yet to meet such a person because to say it’s beautiful would be an understatement.
Turning the case over reveals the equally attractive L.U.C 96.40-L movement that boasts both the Geneva seal finishes as well as Chronometer rated performance. This movement is the contemporary iteration of Chopard’s very first L.U.C caliber which was debuted in 1997 and has gone on to become a storied and celebrated movement. It’s so refreshing to see a micro-rotor movement in a sport watch due to the fact that they tend to be a bit more fragile. The engraved 22-carat yellow gold micro-rotor simply shines as the star of the show on the case back side though the Geneva stripes on the bridges and swan’s neck are lovely as well.
These two additions to the Alpine Eagle family elevate the collection and take it to the next level. Both are non-limited editons though, of course, annual production numbers can still be limited.
The Chopard Alpine Eagle Cadence 8HF in titanium is priced at $20,300 while the Alpine Eagle 41 XPS is priced at $22,500. Indeed these are premiums over the standard iteration but it’s hard not to see the value in both when weighing just how much you get in terms of watchmaking and case/bracelet finishing against the price.
To learn more, visit Chopard here.
