04/09/2024

Haute Stuff: Chopard Shows Off It’s Savoir Faire at Watches and Wonders 2024

From exquisite gem-setting to super cool complications, the brand’s 2024 timepieces represent the maison’s history and diversity.

By Rhonda Riche

Editor-At-Large

It’s no secret that Chopard makes amazing timepieces. The maison also produces incredible jewelry. Combine the two, and you get the brand’s fantastic jewelry watches. That is why we are always excited to see how these efforts influence each other via the pieces Chopard unveils at Watches and Wonders.

For example, the refined aesthetic and carefully engraved dial of the Alpine Eagle set it apart from other luxury sports watches. Meanwhile, the playfulness of the Happy Sport collection, which many write-off as jewelry watches, is actually supported by some serious in-house movements. Finally, the brand can use the technology that creates these mini movements and make larger-diameter timepieces thinner.

Thus, despite their very different appearances, what really ties its collections together is the joie de vivre the brand brings to its offerings. Here are five of our faves from the show.

L’Heure du Diamant

Jewelry watches have been in the spotlight lately. In fact, Sotheby’s and Heist-Out are holding an auction of bedazzled timepieces called “Rough Diamonds” in Geneva on April 11th. With this in mind, Chopard’s L’Heure du Diamant collection fits perfectly into this moment.

First introduced in 1969, the L’Heure du Diamant’s signature is its use of crown set stones to surround the dial. This technique allows light to shine through the diamonds from front to back, producing an unapparelled brilliance.

Developed and designed in the maison’s workshops in Fleurier, Switzerland, this year’s model comes in a 26mm case crafted from 18-karat ethical white gold. Meanwhile, the dial is composed of mother-of-pearl; the hour markers are set with brilliant-cut diamonds; and the leaf-shaped hours and minutes hands are rhodium-plated.

L’Heure du Diamant © Chopard

The mechanism powering L’Heure du Diamant – the Chopard 10.01-C – is another kind of jewel. This brand-new manual-winding in-house movement is one of the smallest and thinnest on the market, measuring only 15.7mm in diameter and 2.9mm thick.

The L.U.C XPS Forest Green

When Chopard launched its L.U.C collection in 1997, it was dedicated to three core values: technical performance, aesthetic refinement, and a commitment to certified watchmaking.

The Chopard L.U.C XPS Forest Green

Starting with the tech specs, the latest addition to the L.U.C collection, the L.U.C XPS Forest Green, has a 40mm Lucent Steel (Chopard’s exclusive alloy) case now produced with at least 80% recycled materials. And inside, it’s powered by the in-house L.U.C Calibre 96.12-L.

The Chopard L.U.C XPS Forest Green

As for aesthetics, the most charming thing about this dress watch is its satin-brushed dark green sector dial. Enhanced with a PVD treatment, this dial offers a look that is contemporary and classic at the same time. Other traditional touches include Chopard’s signature rhodium-plated Dauphine hands.

The Chopard L.U.C XPS Forest Green

Finally, in regard to certified watchmaking, the ‘S’ in the XPS acronym refers to the small seconds at 6 o’clock. This is required by COSC (Official Swiss Chronometer Testing Institute), which uses the small seconds display to evaluate the precision of the movements it certifies (the average daily rate of the watch must fall between −4 and +6 seconds). Thus, it will not be surprising to learn that the L.U.C XPS Forest Green is a COSC-certified chronometer.

Imperiale

The best example of mixing the skills of Chopard’s many artisans is the Imperiale collection. Launched in 2010, the Imperiale line is a pet project of Co-President and Artistic Director Caroline Scheufele. As a result, her love for watchmaking emanates from this 36mm watch.

The Chopard Imperiale in white gold

More than a timepiece, the 2024 Imperiale, which will only be available in Chopard boutiques, is also an art object. The case is composed of ethical 18-karat white gold with a diamond-set bezel, lug covers, cabochons, and crown.

The dial-makers have also employed the decorative art of marquetry (the craft of creating a micro mosaic image or pattern). Here, a garden of pink mother-of-pearl flowers set with padparadscha sapphires grows on a grid of blue-green and white enamel.

The Chopard Imperiale in white gold

Fun Fact: Padparadscha (Sinhalese for “lotus flower”) sapphires are exceedingly rare gemstones characterized by their pink and orange tones. Typically found in Sri Lanka, padparadscha sapphires also rate a 9 on the Mohs Hardness Scale.

Visible through the transparent caseback, the Chopard 96.17-C movement is just as enchanting. Utilizing the Chopard Twin technology with a double barrel, this movement provides a 65-hour flower-power reserve.

Happy Sport

Happy Sport is one of Chopard’s most instantly recognizable collections. And while it has been reinvented many times since it debuted in 1993, it has never lost its playful character. Now, at Watches and Wonders 2024, the brand is presenting a 250-piece limited edition dressed up with watery blue details.

The Chopard Happy Sport © Patrick Csajko

Framed with diamond-paved bezels, this limited edition features a silver-toned dial with a guilloché center. Plus, in the traditional Happy Sport style, the display is enlivened with dancing diamonds and aquamarines.

The Chopard Happy Sport © Chopard

Lastly, this 33mm Lucent Steel model gets its energy from the Chopard 09.01-C self-winding movement, which has a 42-hour power reserve, and comes on a pale blue alligator strap.

Alpine Eagle XL Chrono

Last year, at Watches and Wonders 2023, the Alpine Eagle 41 XPS was one of the most talked about timepieces of the show. Aficionados particularly loved the watch’s dial, which featured a brass plate engraved to resemble an eagle’s iris, a small seconds sub-dial, and applied indices made of white gold.

This year, the Alpine Eagle collection is once again soaring to new heights. This time, however, the brand is leaning into the sportier side of the design by releasing the Alpine Eagle XL Chrono, a precision chronograph built for both comfort and speed.

The Chopard Alpine Eagle XL Chrono

Available exclusively at Chopard boutiques, the Alpine Eagle XL Chrono’s 44mm-diameter case is constructed of ultra-light grade 5 titanium and comes on a sporty rubber strap, making it especially resistant to corrosion and salt water. Meanwhile, the dial has kept the collection’s signature eagle eye texture of the dial but in a bold (and strikingly beautiful) Rhône Blue for extra legibility.

The Chopard Alpine Eagle XL Chrono

Finally, powering this model is the Chopard 03.05-C high-frequency movement. A heavy hitter, boasting three patents and COSC certification as a chronometer, this movement features a stop-seconds function and has a 60-hour power reserve.