Chopard Alpine Eagle 41 SL Cadence 8HF

Russell Sheldrake

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The Alpine Eagle has been one of the vital fascinating luxurious sports activities collections since its launch in 2019. Drawing inspiration from a basic Chopard assortment, the St Moritz, it brings collectively parts from Chopard’s usually dressy aesthetic and marries them with an elevated, sporty really feel that will be extra at dwelling on the slopes of Verbier than down your native gymnasium.

As you may inform, I’ve been a fan of the Alpine Eagle for some time now. I believe it’s one of the vital compelling luxurious sports activities fashions round, in a market that seems to be getting increasingly more crowded by the day. I say this within the full information that final 12 months, throughout our annual kiss-marry-kill video on the finish of Watches and Wonders, I killed the skeletonised Alpine Eagle, as I believed it did away with probably the most evocative a part of the watch, its eagle’s iris dial.

Anyway, sufficient of the previous. We’re right here to speak in regards to the new high-tech, excessive frequency entrant to the gathering, the ceramised Alpine Eagle 41 SL Cadence 8HF. As I already talked about in my 2025 Alpine Eagle assortment round-up, the brand new 8HF is my favorite of the flock for its excellent confluence of traits – however let me increase on that.

The case

Measuring in at 41mm throughout and 9.75mm thick, it sits completely inside the dimensions of the usual Alpine Eagle fashions, however far exceeds the others in reaching 1,000 Vickers of hardness due to the ceramised titanium. This degree of hardness is achieved by a course of that oxidises the bottom grade 5 titanium utilizing electro-plasma know-how, and alongside making its floor more durable additionally provides this watch its slate gray look.

The design is extraordinarily acquainted to these conscious of the Alpine Eagle line. With six bezel screws holding every part collectively, there are crown guards which are balanced on the opposite aspect of the case with matching bumpers. The case slopes down at a harsh angle in the direction of the lugs, the place it attaches to the rubber strap. Each floor has been saved matte, including to the smooth, hi-tech look.

The dial

My favorite a part of any Alpine Eagle mannequin is the dial, at all times drawing me in with intelligent color grading and dynamic design. In any case, there’s a purpose why they made our best-of lists in blue, inexperienced, crimson, and gray variants – they’re simply that good. The Cadence 8HF SL has probably the most monochromatic model we’ve ever seen from this younger assortment, with a black dial, markers, date window, and palms. The one factors of distinction come from the orange particulars on the model brand at 12, excessive frequency brand at 6, the minute monitor, and the seconds hand. This orange and black color scheme has been the trademark of Chopard’s excessive frequency fashions for years now, and helps distinguish them from the remainder of {the catalogue}.

The motion

Chopard has a fantastic historical past utilizing high-frequency actions that I don’t suppose get spoken about sufficient, first introducing the idea in 2012 with the L.U.C 01.06-L which gained notoriety for being the primary excessive frequency motion with chronometer certification. The ceramised Alpine Eagle 41 SL follows within the footsteps of the of the 2024 Cadence 8HF (wherein assessment we additionally went in much more depth about high-beat actions), although upgrading the mainplate and bridges to match the ceramised titanium of the case. The calibre 01/14-C retains the grams to a minimal, whereas nonetheless working at 8Hz (57,600vph) for as much as 60 hours, with a full silicon escapement, together with the pallet lever, escape wheel, and impulse pin.

The strap

To match the sporty aesthetic, together with the monochromatic color pallette at play, a black rubber strap appears like the most suitable choice to go along with. It additionally helps hold the burden down, with the built-in quantity sporting a case-matching pin buckle. When you’d wish to costume this one up only a tad, although, Chopard additionally gives a black calfskin strap with orange stitching.

The decision

To me, the Alpine Eagle 41 SL Cadence 8HF is the perfect of what Chopard can do, and strikes the model in an fascinating new path on the identical time. Their mastery of excessive frequency actions is one thing that doesn’t get sufficient reward, and although you’ll discover different manufacturers shouting about this, for Chopard it appears to fly below the radar. The utilisation of ceramised titanium provides a clue as to what Chopard could also be able to sooner or later, as they appear to experiment with extra supplies outdoors of their current valuable metallic and metal improvements. There’s actually little or no I can complain about, the brand new Cadence 8HF is a superb watch, with options that present the way forward for a model not sufficient folks get enthusiastic about.

Chopard Alpine Eagle 41 SL Cadence 8HF pricing and availability

The Chopard Alpine Eagle 41 SL Cadence 8HF is a restricted version of 250 items. Worth: €26,800