Category: Chopard Watches
Chopard Launches Mille Miglia GTS Automatic Chrono California Mille 33rd Edition
For the sixth consecutive year, Chopard proudly served as the Official Timekeeper of the 33rd annual California Mille, which took place last month from April 21 to 25. Inspired by the original Italian Mille Miglia open road race from Brescia to Rome (of which Chopard has also been a global sponsor since 1988), the California Mille is a 1,000-mile, four-day excursion through Southern California’s most scenic destinations. To mark the occasion, the Swiss brand unveiled the new Mille Miglia GTS Automatic Chrono California Mille 33rd Edition, a chronometer-certified timepiece in Lucent Steel with numerous references to the legendary Italian endurance rally that enthusiasts effectively call “La Corsa Pùi Bella del Mondo,” the most beautiful race in the world. Typical of the collection, the watch exudes a very elegant yet functional elegance that evokes the spirit of the 1960s.
The C.O.S.C.-chronometer certified self-winding chronograph is clad into Chopard’s genuine steel alloy Lucent steel and water-resistant to 100 meters. Presented with a diameter of 44mm, it is equipped with mushroom-style chronograph pushers engraved with a knurled pattern and a ratcheted crown to ensure good grip and facilitate use.
The luminescent beige dial with green and red racing stripes and the California Mille logo has a textured finish that serves as a beautiful backdrop for the snailed small seconds and chronograph sub dials and the date window at 3 o’clock.
The watch face is framed by a thin and slender green bezel bearing a tachymeter scale. Its contrasting white transferred graduations serve to measure average speed ranging from 60 to 400 km/h by means of the chronograph sweep-seconds hand. The case back is closed and bears a “USA Limited Edition 25” engraving. The Mille Miglia GTS Automatic Chrono California Mille 33rd Edition is fitted with a brown calfskin strap lined with rubber. In keeping with the codes established at the launch of the Mille Miglia collection, the lining is patterned like the tread of 1960s Dunlop Racing tires.
On April 21, 2024, over 70 classic cars manufactured pre-1958 began their four-day excursion covering over 1,000 miles through some of Southern California’s most scenic routes as part of the 33rd edition of the California Mille. For the sixth year in a row, Chopard served as the Official Timekeeper of the rally, which began in La Jolla and ended at Westlake Village in Los Angeles, with the journey taking drivers through Rancho Mirage, Lake Arrowhead, Pasadena, and Valencia. This is also the sixth time Chopard has released a watch for the race; this year’s edition is the Chopard Mille Miglia GTS Automatic Chrono California Mille 33rd Edition watch, which marries details from both the Italian Mille Miglia and its Californian counterpart.
The link between cars and watches is a personal one for Karl-Friedrich Scheufele, Chopard Co-President. He has a passion for classic cars, and it was under his leadership that Chopard became the world partner and official timekeeper of the 1000 Miglia in 1988. As he puts it, “Lovers of fine cars often have a great weakness for precious timepieces, and vice versa. Extreme precision and sporting elegance are important in both these fields.” The Chopard team entered the 2024 California Mille with a vintage blue Porsche 1957 356A (T2) Speedster, a.k.a “Bluebelle,” on loan from the incredible Ingram Collection.
CHOPARD Mille Miglia Classic Chronograph French
On the occasion of Salon Rétromobile dedicated to classic cars, held in Paris from January 31st to February 4th, Chopard reinterprets its Chopard Mille Miglia Classic Chronograph French Limited Edition with an exclusive edition for French ‘gentlemen drivers’. The Swiss Maison has been associated with Italy’s 1000 Miglia since 1988, becoming the world sponsor and official timekeeper for the race. The Mille Miglia collection captures the essence of what Enzo Ferrari deemed ‘the most beautiful race in the world’. Issued as a numbered 100-piece limited edition and available in France, the new Chopard Mille Miglia Classic Chronograph French Limited Edition features a 40.5 mm x 12.88 mm case made of Lucent Steel, Chopard’s high-quality alloy with a recycling rate of at least 80%.
Lucent Steel, named for its luminous appearance, is surgical-grade and 50% harder than conventional steel. The bezels, crowns, and pushers share this material, showcasing contrasting polished and satin-brushed finishes. The pushers are knurled, reminiscent of brake pedals, and the crown features additional notches for an enhanced grip.
The silver-toned dial incorporates midnight blue, white, and red transfers, serving aesthetic and technical purposes. These transfers symbolize national colors and enhance legibility. The white minutes track and tachymeter scale remain prominent for speed and distance calculations. Grade X1 Super-LumiNova coating on hour-markers and hands ensures night-time readability. The red chronograph seconds hand complements the iconic 1000 Miglia logo. Protected by a glass-box sapphire crystal and a slim bezel, the dial gains perspective and depth, creating shimmering effects with incoming light.
The sapphire crystal case-back is adorned with crossed flags, one a black and white chequered racing flag and the other in the French national colors. It showcases the self-winding chronograph movement certified by the Official Swiss Chronometer Testing Institute, operating at a frequency of 4 Hz (28,800 vibrations per hour), with a 42-hour autonomy. The watch is water-resistant to 50 meters / 165 feet. Fitted with a perforated calfskin strap matching the blue hues of the dial and reminiscent of traditional driving gloves, the new Chopard Mille Miglia Classic Chronograph French Limited Edition
Chopard L.U.C Strike One
Over the past few years, Chopard L.U.C Strike One has been able to effectively transform the makeup of its offering through the Alpine Eagle. The independent brand took an old-school relic and re-shaped it for the modern consumer. The AE has grown so much in such a short time that it is easy to miss the insane work Chopard does from a movement manufacturing perspective within the L.U.C line (some of which also bleeds right back into the Alpine Eagle, see here). As a fan of Alpine Eagle myself, I must tell you that it’s the L.U.C stuff that has regularly knocked my socks off, from overall thin dress watch design to things like officer’s casebacks and dial textures. These watches deserve to be up there with the best of them.
And this year, for Dubai Watch Week, Chopard L.U.C Strike One has announced a new entry into the fold for the 25th anniversary of the L.U.C collection: the 18k white gold Chopard L.U.C Strike One. This 25-piece limited edition chimes with the passing of each hour on a Chopard-patented monobloc sapphire. The 40mm case utilizes Chopard’s ethical 18k white gold material. It contains an integrated pusher with the crown and the watch is an amazingly 9.86mm in thickness.
Inside is the L.U.C 96.32-L, which beats at 4Hz and has 65 hours of power reserve. The Chopard L.U.C Strike One is chronometer-certified and contains the Poinçon de Genève quality hallmark. But covering this movement on the front side is what looks to be a beautifully made grey-green dial (itself made from solid gold). It is hand-guillochéd with a honeycomb motif. The dial features a cut-out of the mirror-polished hammer at one o’clock. It’s this very hammer that delivers the chime. You also get a railway-style minutes track, engraved on the sapphire crystal. Just below it is the monobloc sapphire gong. The chiming mechanism rings out when the minute hand reaches 12 o’clock and therefore strikes 24 times a day. The movement itself contains twin barrels, which allow for the 65 hours of power reserve when the chiming mode is activated.
What I appreciate most about Chopard L.U.C Strike One and this watch in particular is the way in which the whole piece really seems to be fully thought out from aesthetics to mechanics. This movement was first developed in 2022 and the crown-integrated pusher and the ability for the wearer to arm or disarm the chime function via the crown is an innovation for sure.
But even if you might not be interested in this watch for its complication (which you should be given the price), the guilloché dial in a muted grey-green just looks so understated in the exact way a watch like this should. Speaking of price, I for sure thought it would cost a good degree more than $66,600. I’m not going to go throw the phrase “Value Proposition” in here, but it was a surprising revelation nonetheless.
I also know that the brand puts considerable effort into ensuring the acoustics in its chiming mechanism are top-notch. I just wish I was in Dubai with the team right now to hear it live. If we’re able to get some video of this from the ground, we’ll definitely be sharing.
Chopard Alpine Eagle XL Chrono 44mm
The Chopard Alpine Eagle collection debuted with a selection of three-hand models back in 2019 and the Fleurier-based manufacture has used the little time since to expand upon the exceptionally successful recipe of the original. The Chopard Alpine Eagle XL Chrono is a special addition to the collection because it is the largest and grandest rendition of the Alpine Eagle at 44mm-wide, making the best use of all that extra space to include the brand’s 03.05-C in-house chronograph movement. Chopard and motorsports go back decades, all the way to the late 1980s when the brand started sponsoring the Mille Miglia, “the most beautiful race in the world” with which it has been in continuous partnership ever since. It is no surprise, then, that the sporty Alpine Eagle XL Chrono, equipped with a tachymeter scale, is presented on the wrist of Jacky Ickx, six-time 24 Hours of Le Mans winner and long-time friend of the brand. The dial is characterized by red accents and amply sized and situated markers across the main display as well as the subdials to allow for the accurate reading of the measured time — an essential feature for chronographs rich with racing DNA. The backdrop remains the beautifully textured pattern inspired by the eagle’s iris, as it is on every Alpine Eagle watch. the subdials, tachymeter scale, and even the date display all feature numerals and texts in Chopard’s bespoke typography — yet another touch to indicate all-encompassing attention to detail from the brand and its co-president, Karl-Friedrich Scheufele. The 44mm-wide and 13.15mm-thick case of the Chopard Alpine Eagle XL Chrono watch is crafted from A223 Lucent Steel, an innovative steel alloy that is hypo-allergenic and robust with truly incomparable brilliance and whiteness achieved through a meticulous recasting process. A223 Lucent Steel responds beautifully to various surface treatments and on the XL Chrono it exhibits a combination of high-polished and intricately brushed elements. The pushers are discreetly integrated into the robust crown guards on the right hand side of the case while the screws securing the bezel are all perfectly aligned with the shape of the watch — again, testifying to the attention to detail all Alpine Eagle references are crafted with, all the way from the very material they are crafted from. The caseback reveals the 310-component Chopard 03.05-C, a self-winding and column wheel-equipped chronograph caliber developed and assembled by Chopard’s watchmaking workshops. With three patented innovations, including a unidirectional gear drive system to prevent energy losses while ensuring rapid winding and a zero-reset mechanism with pivoting hammers and elastic arms for the flyback function, the 03.05-C also boasts a patented vertical clutch system for the smooth and accurate starting of the chronograph. Making it all the more desirable and rare among modern chronographs is a flyback function to allow for the quick stopping, resetting, and restarting of the function at the press of just one button. Fitted with a stop-second feature for to-the-second synchronization with a reference time, the Alpine Eagle XL Chrono is chronometer-certified by the Official Swiss Chronometer Testing Institute — as befits such a technical masterpiece. Already available with an integrated metal bracelet and a leather option, the Chopard Alpine Eagle XL Chrono model is treated to a new look with a supple rubber strap with a pin buckle. Water-resistant, durable and comfortable, this new strap option lends a particularly dynamic look to this sporty chronograph that is water resistant to 100m.
CHOPARD L.U.C 1860 ONLY WATCH
The tricky thing about reissues is balancing the old with the new. Chopard has perfectly managed this balance with the new L.U.C 1860 in Lucent Steel, creating one of its best time-only watches, maybe even since the original L.U.C 1860 from 1997.
Chopard launched its L.U.C collection back in 1997 with the Chopard L.U.C 1860 powered by its in-house caliber 1.96. Independent, in-house, and certified to the highest standards, the L.U.C collection was Chopard’s effort to establish itself as a watchmaker amid the ’90s rebirth in traditional watchmaking. The original L.U.C 1860 went on to win all kinds of “Watch of the Year” awards. It was just that good.
At first glance, the new L.U.C 1860 is a lot like the old 1860: 36.5mm case that measures 8.2mm in thickness, guilloche gold dial, and a COSC-certified, Geneva Seal micro-rotor caliber. Chopard could’ve kept the new Chopard L.U.C 1860 pretty much like the old one and no one would’ve complained. A lot of us, myself included, have been asking for it. Back when it was released in 1997, and up to today, the L.U.C 1860 is already recognized as one of the best modern, dressy watches.
But it’s how Chopard decided to change the original that makes the new Chopard L.U.C 1860 so successful. Chopard started in the right place, riffing off the white metal and salmon pairing that’s the most collectible of the original 1860. Now though, the 36.5mm case is in Chopard’s Lucent Steel. The bezel is still polished, but the mid-case is brushed and the lugs are a bit thicker. Thanks to its thinness and curved lugs, the 1860 hugs the wrist; the anthracite strap that Chopard presented it on is also a nice, dressed-down choice. Together, the case changes give the new L.U.C 1860 a slightly more casual look, even if it wears mostly the same as the original 1860. What the Tudor Pelagos 39 is to the Black Bay 58, the new L.U.C 1860 is to the original: a little sleeker, cooler, and more modern. In a world where it’s all sport watches all the time, this is exactly how you get enthusiasts to pay attention to traditional dress watches.
The steel case is paired with a salmon dial that’s actually closer to a copper hue and sets it apart from the lighter salmon color of the original. This pairs nicely with the steel case, which is also a bit darker than the original white gold or platinum. Chopard calls its steel “lucent” because of the way it glows, and they’ve managed to achieve a similar quality with the salmon-copper dial.
Besides the color, the dial has some other subtle tweaks compared to the original. It’s still made by Metalem, a dial maker Chopard acquired a few years ago after using them as a supplier for years (and yes, Philippe Dufour would also go on to use Metalem for his Simplicity dials). It’s still a gold dial with beautiful guilloche in the middle, but now that guilloche leads to the Chopard nameplate at 12 o’clock. I generally prefer guilloche that centers on the hand stack like the original 1860 – it feels more balanced and symmetrical – but that’s a minor gripe. Around the guilloche center and the outer minute track, Chopard has added rings of white gold guilloche, an improvement over the original that gives the dial additional texture. The hour markers and dauphine hands are also made of white gold.
The biggest difference though is the lack of a date at 6 o’clock. I didn’t think the original date execution was that bad, though looking at this new Chopard L.U.C 1860 , I get it. This new, no-date version just looks better.
With all these changes, Chopard gave us the L.U.C 1860 many have been asking for, and they managed to execute it better than many of us could’ve hoped.
The lack of a date is thanks to the caliber 96.40-L. Its two main practical improvements over the caliber 1.96 are the lack of a date and the addition of a hacking seconds. Other than that, it’s still a COSC-certified, Geneva Seal, micro-rotor caliber that measures 3.3mm thick. It has two stacked mainspring barrels that give it a 65-hour power reserve, and it still looks absolutely beautiful through a sapphire caseback.
The new L.U.C 1860 is not a limited edition, but it is a limited production, boutique exclusive. Chopard says it’ll produce 10 to 15 this year, ramping up production to about 100 a year after that. One of the reasons to reissue a watch is to make a beloved, hard-to-get historical model more accessible, and it’s a bummer that this isn’t the case with the new L.U.C. But at least this isn’t artificial limitation: the gold guilloche dial and the caliber 96.40 are time-intensive to produce.
This brings us to the price of the new Chopard L.U.C 1860 . Since prices of the original 1860 have shot up in recent years, this is about what you might pay for an original full-set yellow gold 1860 now. It feels like a lot for a time-only watch in steel and no doubt some will push back, but a few people I’ve talked to who love and appreciate the 1860 as much as I do have said, “Chopard could be charging more.” I’d take the new steel 1860 over an original (not that it’s easy to get your hands on either). I used to own an original 1860, and much as I loved it, I just didn’t wear it that much: a gold watch with a large polished bezel and ornate guilloche dial didn’t have a place in my life most days. The slightly dressed-down look of the new L.U.C 1860 feels more wearable, and unlike pretty much anything else on the market.
The new L.U.C 1860 is different enough from the original that it doesn’t feel like a reissue, but an evolution of the original from 1997. For the first time, Chopard has added a steel watch to the L.U.C 1860, and it couldn’t have done so with a more fitting reference. At just over 36mm, this is the dress watch many have been asking for. Look around the deluge of other releases, and you won’t see many (any?) other brands releasing a traditional-looking watch with a size that’s just as traditional. This is about as close as it gets to the platonic ideal of a modern, dressy watch.
Chopard is one of a few independent, family-owned watchmakers that still exist in Switzerland today. Many of the others are bigger, or at least more recognizable. But with watches like the L.U.C 1860 in Lucent Steel, Chopard is establishing itself as something different from the others, just like it did with the introduction of the L.U.C collection in 1997.
Chopard Mille Miglia GTS Power Control Bamford Edition Desert Racer
After their first collaboration in 2021, Chopard is once again their creative forces with Bamford Watch Department to recreate their Chopard Mille Miglia GTS Power Control timepiece. The sand and Meyers Manx are of course optional, but best served together! While watches like the Alpine Eagle 41 and L’Heure du Diamant are perhaps what people will first think of when they hear the name Chopard—gloriously delicate dress watches that look right at home whilst on the wrist of any gala dinner atendee—for us car-loving, watch-toting folk, there is one watch from Chopard’s line-up that speaks to us above all others. That watch is, of course, the Mille Miglia.
As the main partner and official timekeeper of the event since 1988, Chopard have released dozens of special edition examples of their Chopard Mille Miglia GTS Power Control watch, and now they have partnered with Bamford Watch Department to deliver a very exclusive edition of its Mille Miglia GTS Power Control watch. As a way of testing the watch to its limits, George Bamford decided the best way to showcase his latest collaboration was to compete in the Norra 1,000, a gruelling sand adventure which he completed in a Meyers Manx. George describes the idea behind this launch in more detail: “I was so pleased to say that I tried and tested it in the desert, on a desert race and the watch is built to survive on great expeditions and adventures. With this flame orange and tarmac black dial, the combination works in perfect harmony. I loved working on the Mille Miglia watch and when we were coming to create this one, I really wanted to have an alternative to the original Mille Miglia and that’s why we felt the Desert Racer would be the off-road cousin of the Mille Miglia.” As George mentions, the watch is loaded with touches of orange, grey and black. With its oversized numerals and woven-effect rubber strap, the new watch reflects the passion that unites Chopard Mille Miglia GTS Power Control with world of motorsport. Limited to just 50 examples, these timepieces are crafted in bead-blasted titanium, known for its reliability and sturdiness.
Just as a driver keeps an eye on fuel levels during the 1,600 km of the Mille Miglia endurance race, wearers of the Mille Miglia GTS Power Control Bamford Edition ‘Desert Racer’ will be able to check the power reserve of their timepiece thanks to the built-in indicator. This display is inspired by the fuel gauges of the cars competing in the races, while the Chopard 01.08-C movement, endowed with chronometer-certified accuracy, ensures not a moment is lost while out on the open road.
The watch follows an initial collab from 2021 – a grey and ‘flame’ orange DLC number. This one goes by the grander title of the Chopard Mille Miglia GTS Power Control Bamford Edition ‘Desert Racer’ and comes with a frosted black dial, outsize orange ‘12’ and ‘6′ numbers, a 60-hour power reserve indicator that looks like a car fuel gauge and plenty of dusty, road rat desert vibes that feel as though Bamford actually tested this watch by driving it across the National Off-Road Racing Association’s 1,000-mile Mexican vintage rally race in, say, a Meyers Manx buggy.
Chopard Mille Miglia Classic Chronograph
The Chopard Mille Miglia is still around. I know it seems like Chopard is all L.U.C. and Alpine Eagle these days, but I promise the Mille Miglia—which commemorates the legendary Italian road race of the same name—is very much alive and well. Every year, in fact, Chopard has released a race edition with an external tachymeter bezel (here’s the one from last year), and the Classic edition has also had its fair share of LEs. But after years of special editions, the Chopard Mille Miglia collection was due for a remodel, and that’s just what it got for Watches and Wonders 2023. Now in a smaller case with the brand’s proprietary Lucent Steel, including a two-tone version with rose gold, the Chopard Mille Miglia Classic Chronograph is more appealing than ever. The biggest updates are to the case, which sees the Mille Miglia sized down from 42mm to 40.5mm, in line with current trends and I’m sure welcome by almost all. The bezel and crystal have also been updated: A “glass-box” sapphire crystal replaces the flat crystal for a more vintage vibe, while a thinner polished bezel gives the dial some breathing room. Although the case size has been reduced 1.5mm, some of that will be made up by thinning the bezel, which makes the dial, and therefore the watch, appear larger. On account of the new domed crystal, the case has gone from 12.67mm-thick to 12.88mm-thick; while this isn’t a huge leap, it will be more noticeable since the case diameter was also reduced. On balance, all these dimension shifts will likely only result in a slightly different wrist presence, which will be aided by lugs that feature a more significant curve. While the three color dials are fitted on perforated leather straps mimicking leather driving gloves, the black dial has a rubber strap modeled on the tread of 1960s Dunlop racing tires, which is cool; all four come with a redesigned pin buckle closure. Chopard has also upgraded the cases to its proprietary Lucent Steel. This includes the brake-pedal textured pushers, the knurled steering wheel crown, and the welded lugs. I know “Lucent Steel” sounds like some gimmick akin to Blue Steel vs. Magnum, but the difference is real, and I’ll quote our own review of the Alpine Eagle XL Chrono from 2020 to help you understand: Lucent Steel is an ethical, sustainable, double-forged steel alloy that took the brand four years to develop. You can read more in our article debuting the Alpine Eagle collection. The two-tone variant also features Lucent Steel, with ethically sourced 18k rose gold for the bezel, crown, and pushers.
The new Chopard Mille Miglia Classic Chronograph is available in four variants: Verde Chiaro (light green), Rosso Amarena (cherry red), Nero Corsa (racing black), and Grigio-Blue (gray-blue). Now that you know Italian, I can tell you that the red, green, and grey-blue dials all have circular satin-brushed finishing while the black dial features what the brand refers to as an engine-turned finish and what I refer to as perlage (though I agree with the brand that it reminds one of vintage metal dashboards). The entire idea of the different color dials is to establish a deeper connection to racing. Inspired though they may be by race cars, Chopard doesn’t go into details about which cars, which would have added a bit of depth to the watch’s story. That said, I will admit that some race cars are green and some are red and some are black and I’m sure some are even gray-blue. The overall layout and style of the new model is almost identical to the previous generation, with two chronograph registers, a running seconds at 3 o’clock, and a color-matched date wheel at 4:30 (if it weren’t color matched, I’d rant for an extra paragraph). One change is the shift from a simple white line around the registers to a thick border scale. Further, the registers no longer indicate their respective units. While I can’t confirm, I believe the brand has also slimmed down the hour numerals, which are filled with the Super-LumiNova also seen on the sword hands. For a pop of color, all four dials feature the red “1000 Miglia” logo and a matching tip on the chronograph seconds hand. Chopard isn’t specific about which movement is in the Mille Miglia Classic Chronograph, but we know the previous models had an ETA 2894-2 modular automatic chronograph movement. Other than some striping on the rotor and the brand’s name in gold, this movement appears to be no more embellished than other high-grade ETAs, with some perlage on the bridges and blued screws. The ETA 2894-2 affords 42 hours of power at 28,800 vph, and the brand indicates it is COSC-certified, keeping time at -4/+6 seconds per day.
Sometimes the hunt for an Entry Level watch includes an element of surprise. That was certainly the case when I filtered all of Chopard’s current catalog by price, only to find that the brand’s most accessibly-priced mechanical watch is one that has grown on me over the past few years – the Mille Miglia Classic Chronograph.
The Mille Miglia has long been described as the most beautiful motor race on Earth, although I expect Italians to say that about every race they have. I also expect the French might have something to say about that, given that motor racing and, indeed, the car developed from infancy there. And yet, Chopard’s Mille Miglia remains a key reminder that historical motor races have a place in today’s world of 8K television and TikTokers with personalities as real as my self-confidence.
Chopard Happy Sport Fifth Avenue Edition
After 15 years on Madison Avenue, Chopard is proud to announce the relocation of its North American flagship boutique to Manhattan’s legendary Fifth Avenue. A selection of spectacular watches is made available to celebrate the occasion, including an Alpine Eagle in ethical 18k yellow gold, a trio of fun Happy Sport pieces, and a Red Carpet Collection haute joaillerie creation with a yellow diamond.
Located in the iconic Crown Building between 56th and 57th streets, the new boutique marries the Big Apple’s eclectic essence and proud history with a vibrant contemporary spirit. Inspired by Warren and Wetmore, a famous architect duo of the 1920s and 1930s, and designed to resemble a New York penthouse, the bespoke décor features unique furniture made by the very best craftspeople throughout its two levels. The location includes a main Salon, a VIP room, and a Gentlemen’s Lounge. An elegant and timeless design concept makes for the perfect setting for Chopard’s vibrant watch and jewelry creations.
Since its debut in 2023, the Chopard Alpine Eagle watch collection has been widely celebrated for its spectacular case and bracelet finish, combined with an eagle-eye-inspired, retina-textured dial that also hints at the good cause that every Alpine Eagle watch serves. Chopard, a family-owned and independent company, has set out to support efforts dedicated to aiding alpine eagles to return in greater numbers to their namesake natural habitat. In another longstanding pledge toward sustainability, Chopard has been among the pioneers of sourcing and working with ethical 18k gold — since July 2018, all of Chopard’s watch and jewelry creations are crafted from 100% ethical gold. One of the few manufactures to operate its own precious metal foundry for several decades, Chopard uses this all-the-more precious variation of yellow gold for every part of this 41mm-wide Alpine Eagle — including the case, bracelet, and crown in 18k gold. A beautifully finished bezel fixed with eight functional indexed screws surrounds a textured dial with rich colors and luminous indicators.
Thanks to its independence and the integration of its various professions, Chopard performs all the production and assembly stages of the collection within its own watchmaking workshops, from movement to bracelet, including components as well as the case. The Chopard 01.01-C caliber is composed of 207 parts, measures just 4.95mm-thick and combines a modern 4Hz operating frequency with an extended 60-hour power reserve and a COSC chronometer certification for timekeeping accuracy.
On location to celebrate the opening of Chopard’s new Fifth Avenue boutique are two exclusive Happy Sport watches, both featuring the universal symbol of the apple with a charming dancing element spinning over the dial. The first timepiece, in a 17-piece limited edition, is dressed in black with a DLC-coated stainless steel case and a plant-based leather strap. Sandwiched between two carefully cut and precisely installed crystals are three diamonds and a colorful apple, set against a sunburst satin-brushed dial in black and accentuated by rhodium-plated hands and hour markers. On the crown, an onyx replaces the collection’s traditional sapphire so as to ensure the uniformity of color on this creation.
The second Chopard Happy Sport Fifth Avenue Edition watch is a true high-jewelry piece. Five diamonds and an apple set with rubies, tsavorites, and brown diamonds perform their dance over a dial in textured mother-of-pearl with a guilloché center, a central decorative fillet, and diamond-set hour-markers. Its gilded hands are powered by a self-winding movement that combines a 42-hour power reserve with a 4Hz operating frequency. Both of these special timepieces, whether in ethical 18k rose gold or black DLC stainless steel, measure a sublimely wearable 36mm-wide case. The duo illustrates the boldness of the iconic Happy Sport collection that has been endlessly reinvented without ever losing its joie de vivre.
The final piece linked to Chopard’s Fifth Avenue opening celebrations is the Happy Sport New York Edition, a 25-piece limited edition inspired by the city that never sleeps, graced with five dancing diamonds whirling around a mother-of-pearl dial crafted to outline the banks of the Hudson River. The location of the hands marks the position of the Empire State Building, as a tribute to the architectural masterpiece. A beautifully crafted bezel adorned with a row of hand-set diamonds frames this special birds-eye look at the city so many Chopard fans call home.
Chopard’s stunning and all-new Fifth Avenue boutique will be officially inaugurated in December 2022, in the presence of Chopard’s Co-Presidents Caroline Scheufele and Karl-Friedrich Scheufele, and you will be able to find these highly exclusive pieces there, in the iconic Crown Building between 56th and 57th. To learn more about Chopard watches or the initiatives of this Family Maison, visit the brand’s website.
Chopard L.U.C Perpetual T Luxury men Diamond Watch
The case measures 45mm in diameter, and although housing a movement of this complexity is no small task, the piece would be better suited at 42mm. The movement itself measures 33mm, begging the question: how much did the movement size, or dial layout and aesthetics, influence the overall case size?
It is obvious that the final diameter of the piece was carefully considered. Chopard keeps the lug length short, sweeps them noticeably towards the wrist. They have positioned the pivot point (spring bar location) of the strap closer to the case instead of placing it towards the end of the lug.
At this price point ($74,900 CHF, or $103,685 CDN), and the limited release, a safe first assumption is that the piece is platinum. However, the case is grade 5 titanium. The use of titanium is an interesting choice, and certainly a matter of personal preference. But it sets up a noticeable contrast between the modern material and the otherwise very classic aesthetics of the Perpetual Chrono.
Titanium definitely contributes to lighter weight. For some this translates to a more comfortable wear. But don’t you want to feel every single ounce when you make this kind of investment? I like to know it is safely on my wrist without looking at it!
Chopard has done a good job conveying a lot of information on the dial with a few exceptions. The Rhodium themed colour scheme is appropriately austere without being stuffy. And accent colours (like red to indicate Chronograph functions) are certainly complimentary.
The two aperture large date window at 12 o’clock is easy to read. Chopard’s ability to maintain (as closely as possible) a very classic three subdial design elevates the watch face, with additional indication tucked into the larger subdials.
Where the colour and layout work, and dial symmetry is maintained, the day/night subdial feels out of place. It’s seemingly better paired in correlation to the moon phase, instead of the day of the week subdial. It might be the subtle sun and moon indications on the day/night subdial. Although the corresponding leap year indication on the opposite side of the dial seems on point to me.
In previous versions of the Chopard L.U.C Perpetual Chrono , the day/night indication was bolder with the night side of the subdial in black (as well as the “L” Leap year quadrant of that subdial). So the more subtle approach on this piece is clearly intentional, just not to my taste.
Is there a readily obvious poetic solution? No, although it might be a good sign that this minor detail is the only thing I can think of to complain about! The rotating moon phase and small seconds at 6 o’clock are well executed. But like the day/night indication the moon phase and small seconds do not feel like an intuitive pairing at first glance.
The more I handled the Perpetual Chrono the more and more sense the dial began to make. But it is important to note that at first glance a watch with this many complications can be a little disorienting.
The Chopard L.U.C Perpetual Chrono is a serious timepiece and a real achievement for any Maison. No one will deny that this watch is a marvel. At this price point there are also many, many choices in the world of horology. Like any serious piece, a watch must speak to you beyond the technical details, or aesthetic highlights. What does the Chopard L.U.C Perpetual Chrono say to you?
ChopardMille Miglia 2022 Race Edition
Fire up your engines! In 2022 the 1000 Miglia is celebrating an anniversary, the 40th edition of the legendary classic car race from Brescia to Rome and back which will be held 15 to 18 June. Swiss jeweller and watchmaker Chopard as the main partner and official timekeeper of the event since 1988, has released two new takes on their popular Mille Miglia Race Editions.
Housed in a 44mm case Chopard Mille Miglia 2022 Race Edition is offered in stainless steel or two-tone stainless steel and 18k rose gold, with silver-toned dial with circular satin-brushed finish, for a brighter look.
Chopard is an interesting brand. We like their watches. We’ve been to both of their factories and met their co-president. The problem is they aren’t big sellers. You don’t see the hype that follows brands like Rolex and Omega following Chopard around despite the fact their watches compete in dealers often. If you see one on the grey market, it’s usually at a great price, which again comes from the trickiness of selling them. Having said that, if you plan on keeping your Chopard, there’s a lot to like, and they’re a well-historied brand.
One key part of Chopard’s recent history is the Mille Miglia revival race. The original Mille Miglia of the 40s and 50s was a race from Brescia to Rome and back to Brescia in Italy, a round trip of 1000km. The danger of the race meant it didn’t last into the second half of the 20th century, but as humans are fickle and tradition-based folks, the race lives on as the Historic Mille Miglia, with owners of period cars taking part in the races, including co-president Karl-Friedrich Scheufele.
Every year, Chopard Mille Miglia 2022 Race Edition makes a special edition to mark that year’s Mille Miglia. It’s usually based on the athletic and masculine Mille Miglia GTS line, and this year is no different. A pair of watches have been made for the 2022 event, both with big 44mm x 13.79mm diameter cases in either stainless steel or two-tone stainless steel and 18k Fairmined gold.
We like the Mille Miglia GTS here at WristReview. There’s charm to the big, vintage-racer style watch. The chronograph pushers that look like engine pistons are a nice touch, as are the gentle shoulders leading up to the big crown. We also like that Chopard Mille Miglia 2022 Race Edition dedicated most of the real estate to the dial and so made the bezels very thin. For 2022, they’re also blue to match the lumed hands, markers on the dials, and detailing on the straps.
Underneath the solid screwed caseback is an automatic movement based on the Valjoux calibre 7750. Chopard has excellent decorations on its watches, and we’d assume this to be no different here, although we’re unable to confirm that. The watch has a 4Hz beat rate and a 48-hour power reserve. I remember when Chopard put its in-house made movements in these. Still, the 7750 is a reliable workhorse and undoubtedly meets Chopard’s strict standards. It is a COSC-rated chronometer, after all.