If making a statement is the desired goal, then the team at the Swiss Manufacture has aced the brief
Right off the bat, there is the inspired dial in its striking namesake hue. It not only recalls the azure waters of the Mediterranean Sea bordering the southern slopes of the Alps, but also instantly dispels the notion that sports watches must abide by the bog-standard colour code of black, white, grey, and navy. The nature references don’t stop there either: the dial’s texture and sunburst pattern mimic the iris of the mountain eagle that lends its name to the range.
In terms of technical nitty-gritty, the dial is decorated with a seconds hand with an arrow-shaped tip that sweeps over a highly legible display punctuated by snailed counters. It is also worth noting that the hands and hour-markers are coated with Grade XI Super-LumiNova, which retains the same intensity over the years, while naturally more luminous than traditional Super-LumiNova.
The tachymeter scale, bearing discreet orange 100, 160 and 240 graduations, appears on the inner bezel ring. It is divided into four steps, with different intervals of 5, 10, 20 or 40 km/h per line. This arrangement facilitates reading the average speed measurements and contributes to the dial’s overall aesthetic dynamic.
Beyond the dial, the sense of expanse is further aided by the extra-large 44mm case forged in Lucent Steel. This proprietary material is made with a recycling rate of at least 80 per cent and developed by Chopard for its anti-allergenic properties, robustness, and incomparable brilliance.
At the heart of this new model lies the Chopard 03.05-C movement with a 60-hour power reserve. Developed and assembled by the Manufacture, it claims to be one of the world’s most innovative chronograph movements worthy of three patents.
Firstly, it is equipped with a unidirectional gear drive system that prevents energy losses while ensuring rapid automatic winding. In addition, its vertical clutch ensures accurate time-measurement starts. This chronograph calibre is also of the flyback variety, enabling smooth successive timing operations thanks to three pivoting hammers with elastic arms facilitating zero-setting of the counters.
Equipped with a stop-seconds function enabling accurate adjustments of the watch, the Chopard 03.05-C movement is chronometer-certified by the Official Swiss Chronometer Testing Institute.
Although available with an integrated metal bracelet as well as a leather strap, the Alpine Eagle XL Chrono model looks particularly smart with its third option of a rubber strap. We also like how the Chopard workshops have ensured that its design cleverly reprises the shape of the metal-link bracelet—slightly tapering with a raised central cap—in a nod to an integral part of the collection’s DNA.
