WINGS OF DESIRE The case

With the launch of the Alpine Eagle in 2019, Swiss jeweller and watchmaker Chopard joined the ranks of top-end sports watch creators. Now the model has been updated with one of the maison’s most sophisticated movements and super-precision in a refined titanium package. In a limited edition of 250 pieces, the Alpine Eagle Cadence 8HF continues to draw attention to the landscape of the Swiss Alps and the plight of the white-tailed eagle, its feathered mascot. Elegant and streamlined, this is a timepiece for high-flyers who have their feet firmly on the ground.

While the original Alpine Eagle is made from the Chopard-developed Lucent Steel alloy or ethical gold or a combination of both, the 41-millimetre Alpine Eagle Cadence 8HF is fashioned from titanium, with all its durability, plus a new lighter weight and darker colour. The eight functional indexed screws are still prominent on the otherwise minimal bezel, borrowed from the St Moritz, the first horological creation by now Chopard co-president Karl-Friedrich Scheufele in the late 1970s.

The face

Inspired by nature, the dial is marked with the “eagle iris” pattern, hand-patinated in Vals Grey, named for the Swiss village known for its quartzite-tiled house roofs. Look for the small arrow-shaped logo on the lower half of the face (the signature of Chopard’s high-frequency watches) and a feathershaped seconds hand.

The band

The tapered bracelet is crafted in grade 5 titanium, with wide links featuring satinbrushed sides and a triple folding clasp.

The movement

A transparent sapphire crystal case back shows off a mechanical self-winding movement, featuring a high-frequency escapement and beating at a rate of 57,600 vibrations per hour. With a 60-hour power reserve and chronometer certified, the complex construction beats twice as fast as a standard automatic movement.