Alpine Eagle 41 XP CS Platinum

Alpine Eagle 41 XP CS Platinum

Platinum refinement meets the elegance of an original ‘Shades of Ice’ blue dial for a timepiece featuring double-certified excellence

For the first time, Chopard is enriching its Alpine Eagle sports watch collection with an exceptional platinum version featuring the balanced proportions of the ultra-thin ‘41 XP’ case paired with a reshaped bracelet. Crafted in this incomparably pure metal, the new model becomes the precious setting for a dial adorned with a ‘Shades of Ice’ blue gradient, inspired by the nuances of Alpine glaciers, unfortunately disappearing due to global warming. This exceptional timepiece offering a central seconds display (as the ‘CS’ in its name indicates) bears the Poinçon de Genève quality hallmark and is powered by the ultra-thin, chronometer-certified L.U.C 96.42-L movement equipped with a platinum micro-rotor.  Water-resistant to 100 m, this is a sports watch with a blend of strength and stamina.

Platinum sets the stage for excellence

Platinum is a metal that is both incomparably desirable and fascinatingly rare – 30 times more so than gold. Its peerless purity is equally alluring, expressed through the legal fineness hallmarks 850, 900 and 950, indicating the parts out of 1000 and hence the percentage of platinum in each alloy. This makes it the purest metal used in watchmaking and jewellery. Between 40% and 60% denser than gold, it is highly resistant to corrosion and abrasion, giving it exceptional durability that can be passed down through generations. Its extraordinary qualities nonetheless require special skills and the use of specific tools to machine it, while its ductility makes it ideal for producing small objects with complex technical shapes – hence its use in medicine and advanced engineering. Finally, the fact that it is totally hypoallergenic metal and renowned for its unalterable lustre means it is entirely suited to everyday wear.

Chopard uses only its purest version at 950/1000. Making its first appearance in the Alpine Eagle collection with this model, this noble material has been featured in other watchmaking iterations within the Maison’s collections. Since 1997, the L.U.C 1860 timepiece has been interpreted in this precious metal on several occasions, followed by other models in the L.U.C collection. As is often the case for handcrafted creations, such an exceptional material requires its own maker’s mark and Chopard will henceforth use the bee symbol – hand-engraved between the lugs – to identify its platinum timepieces. Since the time of Louis-Ulysse Chopard in the 19th century, this insect has been one of the symbols of the Manufacture. Industrious, honest and modest, the lynchpin of a cohesive whole held together by collaborative endeavours, it perfectly embodies the values with which the workshops have never ceased to identify.

The Alpine Eagle 41 XP CS Platinum timepiece will be the first to bear this hallmark. It is based on the structure of the Alpine Eagle 41 XP case – introduced in 2022 to house a flying tourbillon movement – rendered in platinum. The material becomes a veritable canvas for revealing the excellence of the work carried out by Chopard artisans. The curves, volumes and angles of the case as well as of the integrated bracelet appear to burst forth from the metal. Their complexity is revealed in the specific gleam of this material, accentuating the polished chamfers, the links of varying heights, as well as the contrast between the specular-polished and satin-brushed or straight-grained matt finishes. Shapes and materials never cease to inspire the Alpine Eagle collection, naturally leading Chopard to introduce with this timepiece a new integrated bracelet featuring subtly reshaped lines: the first five links around the case form a steeper slope than on previous models, while those around the clasp are slimmer. This distinctively elegant bracelet profile combines a concern for ergonomics with wearer comfort.

A dial honouring the majesty of the Alps

Colourful dials with names evoking the grandeur of the Alps are one of the signatures of the Alpine Eagle collection, as evidenced by the ‘Aletsch Blue’, ‘Rhône Blue’ and ‘Vals Grey’. Inspired by the majestic beauty of Nature, Chopard is introducing a new colour: a gradient blue named ‘Shades of Ice”. This distinctive hue that is paler in the centre and deeper around the rim recounts the shimmering beauty of glaciers and Alpine lakes whose reflections transition from transparent to dark in step with changes in light and the passing of time. The dial centre suggests the purity of mountain waters and shifts to an intense blue conjuring up steep, compact glaciers. This enigmatic transition is also a story of density: that of the crystal acquiring an increasingly intense tint as its density increases, perfectly echoing the extreme density of the platinum framing the watch face.

The unique dial texture stemming from the stamped ‘eagle’s iris’ radiating pattern adorning its brass surface creates a play on light that brings the timepiece to life. A life in the Alps, between light and shadows, sun and ice. From dawn to dusk, an ever-changing shimmer captures the eye like sunbeams playing across a snowy landscape. The hours and minutes hands in ethical gold further enhance the delicate beauty of this spectacular dial.

As Chopard’s Co-President Karl-Friedrich Scheufele is keen to emphasise: "The Alpine Eagle collection is renewed in a subtle combination of refined textures, materials and changing colours that embody the timeless elegance of Chopard craftsmanship, the technical excellence of our watchmakers and the ethereal beauty of Alpine Nature. This new Alpine Eagle 41 XP CS Platinum model is more than a timepiece, paying vibrant tribute to the majesty and richness of this Nature.”

An exceptional movement

The 8-millimetre thinness of the Alpine Eagle 41 XP case enabled Chopard to equip it with its new high-end in-house L.U.C Calibre 96.42-L. This sophisticated, ultra-thin (3.30 mm) self-winding movement with central seconds display is equipped with a micro-rotor in platinum, whose density makes it the ideal material for this type of winding. The calibre is fitted with Chopard Twin technology’s two barrels representing the Maison’s technical excellence and ensuring a 65-hour power reserve. Adorned with a Côtes de Genève pattern, its refinement is acknowledged by the Poinçon de Genève quality hallmark. The timepiece is water-resistant to 100 metres for everyday versatility and is also chronometer-certified by the Official Swiss Chronometer Testing Institute (COSC).  

The Alpine Eagle collection: rebirth of an icon

Forty-five years ago, Karl-Friedrich Scheufele convinced his father Karl to produce a steel sports watch designed meet the sophisticated and uplifting lifestyle of St. Moritz. The eponymous collection was born in 1980. History repeated itself in a singular way when Karl’s grandson Karl-Fritz became fascinated by a St. Moritz watch found on his father’s desk and persuaded him to revive this icon of the time. This modern reinterpretation thus stems from three generations of family collaboration. The Alpine Eagle collection embodies Chopard's values of technical ingenuity, artisanal excellence and family spirit.