The Chopard Alpine Eagle XL Chrono, Now with Maritime Blue Dial

Presented in 2019 in time-and-date and time-only models, the Alpine Eagle collection was Chopard‘s take on the highly successful luxury sports watch with integrated bracelet category. Revamping a 1980 design, that of the St. Moritz watch, it has then been offered in a variety of editions, from compact ladies’ models to a highly desirable ultra-thin salmon watch or a bold and oversized chronograph sub-collection. The latter welcomes a new member, a watch exclusive to the brand’s boutique, with an unprecedented and surprising colour. Here’s the Chopard Alpine Eagle XL Chrono With Maritime Blue Dial.

Chopard’s take on the luxury sports watch occurred long before the appearance of the Alpine Eagle. Designed by Karl-Friedrich Scheufele in 1980, Chopard’s first luxury sports watch was the St. Moritz.  A successful model that captured the over-the-top bling of the 1980s, complete with a very elaborate-shaped bezel with eight screws, the St. Moritz was eventually discontinued. In 2019, with the trend for watches with integrated bracelet, the concept was relaunched under a new name, Alpine Eagle, and with a modernized design that, however, kept some elements of the St. Moritz.

The first evolution would then take the shape of a much sportier chronograph, adequately named Alpine Eagle XL Chrono. First released in Lucent steel with a dark blue or black dial, it now comes in a much bolder colour, never seen before in the collection, Maritime Blue. As indicated by its name, Chopard’s chronograph is large and sporty. While the time-and-date watches are classically sized at 41mm, the XL Chrono is 44mm in diameter, with a relatively balanced thickness of 13mm. Once again, Lucent steel A223 is the material of choice for the case, a material comparable to surgical steel that is 50% harder than normal steel, anti-allergenic and highly reflective.

The construction of the case and its design are typical of the category and of the collection, with a barrel-shaped middle case, a raised and complex bezel with screws, a flat sapphire and lugs that are an integral part of the design. In the same vein, the chronograph pushers are following the curvature of the case for an overall consistent design. The 100m water-resistance is also a nice touch.

The dial of this new Alpine Eagle XL Chrono retains the signature pattern of the collection, with a pronounced sunburst motif to evoke the iris of an eagle’s eye. Striking and distinctive, it is here offered in a light and vivid blue tone named “Maritime Blue” and paired with orange accents on the hands. No doubt, it’s here to create an impact. The rest of the dial, including the shape of the markers, the snailed counters, the flange with tachymeter and the hands, are identical to other editions of the XL Chrono.

Inside the case is the in-house calibre 03.05-C, an integrated automatic flyback chronograph movement with COSC chronometer certification. The chronograph function is driven by a column wheel and a vertical clutch. With a frequency of 28,800vph and an openworked tungsten rotor, the movement can store up to 60 hours of autonomy.

This Alpine Eagle XL Chrono Maritime Blue is worn on a black rubber strap that retains the look of the metal bracelet – slightly tapering with a raised central cap. Also, it is to be noted that the same rubber strap is now available on the classic black and dark blue editions of this watch.

Availability & Price

The new Chopard Alpine Eagle XL Chrono Maritime Blue is released as a boutique-exclusive model and priced at EUR 20,800. For more details, please visit chopard.com.