The Chopard Alpine Eagle Cadence 8HF in Titanium (Live Pics & Price)

The luxury sports watch with integrated bracelet is all the rage at the moment. The Alpine Eagle, Chopard’s take on the genre, is a modern, state-of-the-art reinterpretation of the 1980s Saint-Moritz. Unveiled two years ago, the model is now released in a 250-piece limited edition powered by a high-tech 8Hz high-frequency automatic movement. Here’s the Chopard Alpine Eagle Cadence 8HF in Titanium.

While most mechanical wristwatches usually tick between 2.5Hz and 4Hz, high-frequency movements ticking at 5Hz and over are widely considered to improve the precision and stability of movements (even if, naturally, precision and stability are not solely related to frequency). Chopard has been conducting research in the field for years. The brand released its first experimental watch ticking at an impressive 8Hz as early as 2012 with the L.U.C 8HF powered by the L.U.C 01.06-L calibre.

Following two other limited edition watches in 2014 (the L.U.C 8HF Power Control black ceramic and titanium DLC powered by the L.U.C 01.09-L movement) and 2017 (the Superfast Power Control Porsche 919 HF fitted with the 01.11-M movement), Chopard now enriches its Alpine Eagle collection with a titanium model powered by an 8Hz automatic movement: the Alpine Eagle Cadence 8HF.

At first glance, the look of this 8Hz Alpine Eagle is similar to that of existing models. The case is still 41mm in diameter and 9.75mm in height. However, the use of titanium brings a slightly darker colour and a different aspect from the Lucent Steel versions. And, on the wrist, its lightweight and unique touch makes it exceptionally comfortable. 

Featuring a grey galvanic finishing, the look of the Eagle Iris textured dial with its distinctive luminescent markers and hands is also familiar. But it comes with several visible upgrades. Slightly sportier, it features just one Roman numeral at 12 o’clock (versus 3-6-9-12). Underneath the logo, the chronometer caption is preceded by 8HZ, while the addition of the dynamic arrow-shaped logo applied on all Chopard HF (high frequency) watches creates a counterpoint at 6 o’clock. The graduation framing the dial is more detailed. Last but not least, the “Vals Grey” colour of the dial is inspired by quartzite-tiled roofs of the eponymous Swiss village.

The smooth motion of the seconds hand reveals one of the highlights of this limited edition: the exceptional movement at the core of the watch. Visible via the exhibition caseback, the in-house automatic calibre 01.12-C is an 8Hz movement whose precision is chronometer-certified by the COSC. To achieve this outstanding frequency, Chopard has designed a regulator fitted with a silicon impulse pin, pallet lever and escape wheel (with a high number of teeth hence fewer degrees of rotation per beat), reducing friction to a minimum and eliminating the need for traditional watchmaking lubricants. 

The balance wheel features a conventional hairspring. Its size/inertia is reduced, and it oscillates at an amplitude of about 200 degrees only. The efficiency of this regulator, in particular thanks to the lightness of silicon and its tribological properties, has enabled Chopard to develop this high-beat escapement while delivering a comfortable 60-hour power reserve.

The watch is fitted with an integrated bracelet in grade 5 titanium. The design and the finishing are in line with the Alpine Eagle collection, meaning a three-link tapering architecture with a polished central link. It is secured to the wrist by a concealed triple-folding clasp.

The Chopard Alpine Eagle Cadence 8HF Titanium is released in a 250-piece limited edition. The price is set at CHF 19,000 or EUR 18,900. For more information, please visit www.chopard.com.