The Alpine Eagle collection of sporty-chic timepieces has been enriched by a 100-piece limited edition adorned with an original monochrome dial. It is crafted in Chopard’s exclusive ultra-resistant, highly luminous, responsible Lucent Steel™, composed of 80% recycled material. The new chronometer-certified Chopard 01.15-C movement featured in its 41-mm case has been specially developed by the Manufacture’s workshops as a variation of the 01.01-C calibre. This timepiece features a ‘SHIKKOKU’ dial, imbued with Japanese codes of simplicity, zen aesthetics and sense of purity echoing the balanced proportions of the Alpine Eagle’s identity. This exclusive model, whose design remains firmly inspired by the beauty of Nature, is sure to become a sought-after model for collectors in Japan.

Chopard has chosen the Japan National Stadium as the venue for the unveiling of this new model of the Alpine Eagle collection. Like an eagle soaring over the Alps, every athlete who plays in this stadium aims for the top of the world.

Karl-Friedrich Scheufele, Co-President of Chopard, made the following comments on the Japan-only model and the appointment of Ambassador: “Japan is actually the biggest market for the Alpine Eagle watches in the world. In order to express our gratitude, we decided to announce the Japan limited edition ‘SHIKKOKU’. As the name suggests, the dial is intense black. Its hands tell the time, of course, but that’s not the main theme on this watch. It’s a very bold and powerful design, and I think you’ll feel special when you actually wear it on your wrist. I finally met Mr. Inagaki today and realized that nobody could wear this watch better than him.”

A new colour makes its debut on the dial of this watch in the Alpine Eagle collection. Like Aletsch Blue, Bernina Grey or Picth Black, ‘SHIKKOKU’ is inspired by a palette of natural colours and evokes the wonderful lacquerware coatings which are true to Japanese culture and its ancestral crafts. Shikkoku is indeed considered to be the darkest shade of black: a symbol of nature, profound mystery and tranquillity, and thus pursuing the ideal of simplicity attached to zen aesthetics.

“I am truly honoured to have such a wonderful opportunity. As an Ambassador of this collection, I will do my best to convey its charm to everyone. Black is actually my favourite colour. I was impressed by the spirit of Chopard’s artisans because they are particular about true black even more than black. The design of the strap also complements its strength. It’s a watch that I want to wear all the time,” commented Keita Inagaki.

On this textured dial with its radiating pattern evoking the eye of an eagle, the indication of the hours, minutes and seconds provides an elegant monochrome design through tone-on-tone black hour-markers and hands – enhanced with Cool Gray Super-LumiNova to ensure visibility even in the dark. Unlike the usual Alpine Eagle large models, this dial does not feature any date indication: an aesthetic bias to ensure perfect overall symmetry and harmony.

This sense of balanced proportions has been made possible through a variation of the emblematic Chopard 01.01-C self-winding movement usually featured in the Alpine Eagle 41 models. The Chopard 01.15-C has been redesigned in order to remove the date mechanism, thus simplifying the dial’s look by eliminating the aperture-type date display between 4 and 5 o’clock. Visible through a transparent tinted glass caseback, the movement is certified by the Official Swiss Chronometer Testing Institute, a label of precision and excellence.

When fully wound, the mechanism enjoys a 60-hour power reserve. Constantly seeking to meet the highest standards of precision, Chopard watchmaker artisans have also equipped this movement with a stop-second function enabling the user to set the time to the nearest second.

The latest Alpine Eagle model is entirely made of Lucent Steel™. In keeping with the sustainable approach to which the Manufacture is committed, this metal exclusive to Chopard is made from 80% recycled material. Thanks to its anti-allergenic composition, it has properties comparable to surgical steel, making it highly dermo-compatible. This alloy is also 50% more resistant to abrasion than conventional steels and has a unique hardness. Finally, thanks to a crystal structure boasting superior homogeneity, its purity enables uniquely shimmering light effects.