A new high-end and aggressively sporty version of the still fresh Chopard Alpine Eagle is this version of the Alpine Eagle Chrono XL in 18k rose gold with ceramized titanium. Known as the reference 295387-9001, this 44mm-wide version of the Alpine Eagle mixes much of what people like about the Alpine Eagle with some familiar design cues and nods to some other famed sports watches. For comparison’s sake, in this article, I also look at the Chopard Alpine Eagle Chrono XL 298609-3003, which comes in an all-Lucent steel case with a blue dial and matching strap.
aBlogtoWatch’s David Bredan did a nice review of that latter Chopard Alpine Eagle Chrono XL on the matching steel bracelet here. On a strap, these watches have a slightly different character, which is a bit more sporty and light, as well as colorful and less formal. I like the Alpine Eagle on the bracelet very much, but there is something to getting it on a strap. The steel and blue version of the Alpine Eagle XL Chrono comes on a rubber strap, while this 18k rose gold and ceramized titanium has a more traditional padded black leather strap with attractive red stitching.
When you wear this watch, it is hard not to feel as though Chopard is channeling its inner Royal Oak Offshore. It isn’t so much that the watches have similar designs but rather that they are meant to compete in the same consumer product category. You get that even more with the 18k rose gold and ceramized titanium version given the two-tone gold and black look of the case, which give the composition a more youthful and modern pop.
The Alpine Eagle Chrono XL dial combines Chopard DNA and apparently the Rolex “Paul Newman” Daytona in the style of the subsidiary chronograph dials. I love the deeply textured face and the focus on attractive legibility. Detailing is excellent, overall, but I do want to see Chopard continue to search for more and more distinctive dial features on the Alpine Eagle Chrono XL models. The cases are so wonderfully distinctive, and I think there can be a bit more harmony related to the case design on the dial. That said, the dials are highly effective, again very readable, and interesting for the eyes to look at.
The Alpine Eagle Chrono XL is the largest size Chopard currently produces for the Alpine Eagle case. It is 44mm-wide and necessarily on the thicker side due to the size of the in-house automatic chronograph movement. Visual mass looks less on the 18k rose gold and ceramized titanium version given how the different colors give the case a less monolithic view. But the gold and titanium model on the strap is appreciably more money than the Lucent steel version of the Alpine Eagle Chono XL on the strap. The Alpine Eagle case is water resistant to 100 meters, but oddly Chopard makes no mention of this fact on the watch itself or on the website. Over the dial is a flat, AR-coated sapphire crystal, and another is fitted over the caseback with a view of the movement.
Inside the Chopard Alpine Eagle Chrono XL watch is the in-house Chopard caliber 03.05-C automatic chronograph movement, which has a COSC Chronometer certification. The movement operates at 4Hz with about 60 hours of power reserve. While the Alpine Eagle is not technically part of Chopard’s higher-end L.U.C collection of watches, the movements used inside are – I believe – produced alongside many of the L.U.C movements and are solid performers when it comes to reliability and accuracy. With that said, if movement decoration and complexity is what you are after, then the Chopard L.U.C collection is certainly where to take your attention.
With its very sensible dial, trendy design and cool case, and fine pedigree, the Alpine Eagle Chrono XL is a very competent contender for your business if you are in the market for a higher-end, large-sized chronograph that can be worn on a mostly daily basis. The steel version is probably going to be the choice for many people given the nice polishing of the lucent steel case, but this gold and black reference is also very interesting for niche audiences. Oh, and if you are wondering what ceramitized titanium is, then I will explain it as grade 5 titanium which has been coated with a black ceramic treatment. The coating process is meant to change the color, but also to add a degree of scratch resistance. Still, the case has the nice weightiness of gold, but without feeling like a brick sitting on your wrist. I do think a lot of people will like the Alpine Eagle Chrono XL, especially if they are turned off from buying some of the piece’s more trendy and hard-to-get competitors. Price for the reference 298609-3003 Chopard Alpine Eagle Chrono XL in lucent steel is $18,900 USD and price for the reference 295387-9001 in 18k rose gold and ceramitized titanium is $35,900 USD. Learn more at the Chopard website here.
