The Chopard Alpine Eagle 41 Shikkoku Japan-Only Edition

Chopard is out to conquer the Land of the Rising Sun with an exclusive 100-piece edition of its Alpine Eagle watch. By far the darkest iteration of the brand’s luxury sports watch, the dial is inspired by a jet-black tone known in Japan as shikkoku. This intense black colour is obtained from the millenary Japanese lacquerware technique known as urushi. Promoted by Chopard’s ambassador, the Japanese rugby player Keita Inagaki, the Alpine Eagle 41 Shikkoku Japan-Only breaks rank and eliminates the date indication to preserve the brooding monochromatic mood of the dial.

Shikkoku

Although Chopard has produced dials with urushi lacquer, this Alpine Eagle is not made using this ancestral technique. Instead, it adopts the signature black colour associated with urushi lacquerware. As the darkest shade of black – a predecessor of Vantablack, if you like – the Japanese associate its impenetrable darkness with the idea of mystery, simplicity and tranquillity associated with Zen aesthetics.

Using its sporty-chic but very passé 1980 St. Moritz watch as a base, Chopard introduced its Alpine Eagle luxury sports watch in 2019. Available with a host of complications, sizes and materials, the model selected for the Japanese market is a 41mm time-only edition in stainless steel.

Monochromatic dial

Sharing specifications with other 41mm time-and-date Alpine Eagle models, the novelty here is the intriguing matte black dial with the characteristic striated pattern to suggest the iris of an eagle’s eye. To consolidate the dial’s dark, almost lava-like mood, the applied Roman numerals, indices and hands are also a glossy black colour and enhanced with Cool Grey Super-LumiNova that gives them a stony appearance. The effect is attractive and somewhat rawer than other Alpine Eagle dials. The arrow-styled seconds hand with the eagle feather counterweight is also black. As mentioned, the date window has been eliminated, allowing the texture of the dial to prevail.

Lucent steel

In keeping with the brand’s commitment to sustainable luxury, the watch and integrated bracelet are made of Chopard’s proprietary Lucent Steel. Developed with partner Voestalpine Böhler, this alloy is 50% more resistant to abrasion, harder (223 Vickers) and more reflective and luminous (lucent) than conventional steel alloys and is made from 80% recycled material. Like all Alpine Eagles, the tonneau-shaped case and the round bezel with eight aligned screws are decorated with vertically brushed surfaces and polished bevels. The case thickness is 9.7mm, and the screw-down crown ensuring the 100m water-resistance of the case, is protected by crown guards and features an engraved compass rose.

Calibre 01.15-C

The automatic movement featured in other Alpine Eagle time-and-date models – calibre 01.01-C – has been redesigned to eliminate the date mechanism resulting in the new calibre 01.15-C. Still certified by the COSC as a chronometer, the movement revealed through the tinted glass caseback beats at 28,800vph and delivers a robust 60h power reserve.

Availability & Price

The Chopard Alpine Eagle 41 Shikkoku is a limited edition of 100 pieces and will be available exclusively in Japan. The retail price is JPY 2,156,000 (or EUR 16,600 with taxes in Europe). For more information, please consult Chopard.com.