We continue to introduce Chopard’s Watches & Wonders 2024 new product. Due to the rather long holiday, the follow-up article update has been unintentionally delayed. Chopard has focused again on the Alpine Eagle collection, which has already celebrated its 5th anniversary this year, and has released a variety of new products. In addition, the brand showed off its power with a variety of new products for men and women, including L.U.C, Mille Miglia, Imperiale, L’Heure du Diamant, and Happy Sport.
The new product for 2024, the Alpine Eagle 41 XP TT, already contains a lot of meaning in its product name. As the initials ‘XP’, which stands for extra-plat, and ‘TT’, which stands for Tech Titanium, imply, it features a thin automatic movement and a titanium case and bracelet. In addition, this year, for the first time in the Alpine Eagle collection, the openwork movement is exposed on the dial surface, emphasizing the technical aesthetics befitting the name ‘Technical Titanium (TT)’.
Most of the case and bracelet have a satin-brushed finish, while some edges and links are polished. Achieving this level of luxurious finish with grade 5 titanium is a very laborious task. To the naked eye, you can’t tell the difference from the existing Lucent Steel™, but the true value of this replica watches is clearly revealed in its weight. The significantly lighter weight compared to steel and the unique openwork/skeleton movement highlight the individuality of the model.
In addition to differentiated exterior materials, the in-house automatic caliber L.U.C 96.17-S was used as a movement, which is different from the existing Alpine Eagle. This is the first automatic skeletonized movement of the micro-rotor type that debuted in the L.U.C collection in 2015. It can be said to be a literally skeletonized variation based on the manufacture’s Butter & Bread base caliber L.U.C 96.01-L. However, instead of the existing rhodium coating, the entire main plate and bridge are matt sandblasted and finished in ruthenium gray color, creating a subtle harmony with the sports-chic identity of the Alpine Eagle collection and the grade 5 titanium case/bracelet.
Like the original base, the caliber is only 3.3mm thick thanks to the 22K yellow gold micro-rotor design, but the so-called Chopard Twin technology, which consists of two layers of overlapping barrels, guarantees a generous power reserve of 65 hours. . However, like other L.U.C calibers, it did not receive certification from the Swiss Official Chronometer Institute (COSC). Thanks to the ultra-thin caliber, the case thickness is as slim as 8mm, contributing to excellent wearing comfort. The proprietary movement can be admired through the transparent sapphire crystal case back, and it is water resistant to a practical 100m.