In ethical 18-carat white gold set with sapphires, The collection reaches a new heights with the presentation of a timepiece inspired by the splendour of the Zinal Glacier.
The Alpine Eagle collection of sporty-chic timepieces welcomes a 41 mm-diameter model featuring an original “Zinal Blue” dial and a matching bezel decorated with baguette-cut sapphires in shades of blue and purple. True to the Manufacture’s commitment to sustainable luxury, this watch is crafted in ethical 18-carat white gold. It beats to the rhythm of the Chopard 01.15-C movement, whose precision settings are authenticated by chronometer certification. From gold smelting to bracelet manufacturing, along with gemsetting, component production and movement assembly, every stage in the making of the collection is performed by Chopard’s artisans of emotions.
A “Zinal Blue” dial inspired by the splendour of the Alpine landscape
A new dial colour is making its debut in the Alpine Eagle collection: like Aletsch Blue, Bernina Grey and Pitch Black, “Zinal Blue” is inspired by the palette of natural colours composing the beauty of the Alpine landscape. It draws its name from the eponymous glacier standing proudly in the heart of the Swiss Alps, whose shimmering blue and purple reflections, resulting from the ice’s partial absorption of light rays, captivate the gaze, creating a truly breathtaking sight.
Featuring a radiating pattern evoking an eagle’s iris, this textured dial is dominated by the colour blue, evoking the purity and freshness of ice, while its nuances recall the translucent crystals of the sparkling glacier. As the eye wanders over the dial, purple appears, like a mysterious imprint of Nature, suggesting the depth and energy emanating from the heart of the glacier itself.
This unique visual change is achieved through a subtle PVD (physical vapour deposition) treatment, which involves the use of several ‘target material pellets’ sputtered onto the dial to release atoms of material. Unlike traditional methods, this innovative process does not use pigments: the colours are obtained using specific gas mixtures and adjusted exposure times. They result from interference between the different layers deposited. In addition, the eagle-eye structure of the dial surface plays a role in the final appearance, as it influences the way light is reflected and refracted, accentuating the optical effects and creating unique variations between blue and purple.
The rhodium-plated hands, enhanced with Super-LumiNova® Grade X1, gracefully sweep across this landscape frozen in time. Their precise movements mark the hours, minutes and seconds, like a reminder of the imperceptible passage of time that has shaped these Alpine treasures.
The peerless mastery of gemsetting exercised within Chopard’s workshops
All around the dial face, a setting of baguette-cut sapphires, patiently assembled to form a subtle colour gradient, lights up the watch bezel and echoes the dial colour. It serves as a vivid reminder that, alongside its mastery of watchmaking skills, the Manufacture also benefits from a renowned heritage in the art of gemsetting and stone selection.
This understated yet dazzling Alpine Eagle Summit model with its “Zinal Blue” dial whisks observers away into a world of natural splendour. Whether worn by a mountain explorer or a nature lover, it is a tribute to the grandeur of our environment that Chopard remains determined to protect.
A timepiece crafted in ethical gold
Since its launch in 2019, the Alpine Eagle collection has been distinguished by a choice of materials whose origin meets the specifications of sustainable luxury. The 41 millimetre-diameter case and integrated bracelet of this new Alpine Eagle Summit model are crafted in ethical 18-carat white gold.
In keeping with Chopard’s goal of improving luxury practices, the fine gold used in the production of this model – just as in all the Maison’s watch and jewellery creations since July 2018 – is ethically sourced.
One of the rare Manufactures to have had its own precious metals foundry for several decades, Chopard is thus in a position to control its value chain in order to offer creations conveying a more reasonable approach to our stewardship of the Earth.
Chronometer-certified mechanical precision
True to the Manufacture’s commitment to certified precision, the Chopard 01.15-C self-winding movement, beating at the heart of the Alpine Eagle Summit and visible through a transparent sapphire crystal caseback, is developed in Chopard watchmaking workshops and certified by the Official Swiss Chronometer Testing Institute (COSC). The word “Chronometer” embossed on the dial is a reminder of this label of precision and excellence.
When fully wound, the mechanism provides 60 hours of power reserve. Consistently targeting the highest standards of precision, watchmakers have also equipped this movement with a stop-seconds function enabling the wearer to set the time to the exact second.
