Chopard’s high-revving Alpine Eagle Cadence 8HF gets a lightweight, ceramised titanium upgrade
Russell SheldrakeThe Alpine Eagle has been one of the most interesting luxury sports collections since its launch in 2019. Drawing inspiration from a classic Chopard collection, the St Moritz, it brings together elements from Chopard’s typically dressy aesthetic and marries them with an elevated, sporty feel that would be more at home on the slopes of Verbier than down your local gym.
As you can tell, I have been a fan of the Alpine Eagle for a while now. I think it’s one of the most compelling luxury sports models around, in a market that appears to be getting more and more crowded by the day. I say this in the full knowledge that last year, during our annual kiss-marry-kill video at the end of Watches and Wonders, I killed the skeletonised Alpine Eagle, as I believed it did away with the most evocative part of the watch, its eagle’s iris dial.
Anyway, enough of the past. We’re here to talk about the new high-tech, high frequency entrant to the collection, the ceramised Alpine Eagle 41 SL Cadence 8HF. As I already mentioned in my 2025 Alpine Eagle collection round-up, the new 8HF is my favourite of the flock for its perfect confluence of characteristics – but let me expand on that.
The case
Measuring in at 41mm across and 9.75mm thick, it sits perfectly within the dimensions of the standard Alpine Eagle models, but far exceeds the others in reaching 1,000 Vickers of hardness thanks to the ceramised titanium. This level of hardness is achieved through a process that oxidises the base grade 5 titanium using electro-plasma technology, and alongside making its surface harder also gives this watch its slate grey look.
The design is extremely familiar to those aware of the Alpine Eagle line. With six bezel screws holding everything together, there are crown guards that are balanced on the other side of the case with matching bumpers. The case slopes down at a harsh angle towards the lugs, where it attaches to the rubber strap. Every surface has been kept matte, adding to the sleek, hi-tech look.
The dial
My favourite part of any Alpine Eagle model is the dial, always drawing me in with clever colour grading and dynamic design. After all, there’s a reason why they made our best-of lists in blue, green, red, and grey variants – they’re just that good. The Cadence 8HF SL has the most monochromatic version we have ever seen from this young collection, with a black dial, markers, date window, and hands. The only points of contrast come from the orange details on the brand logo at 12, high frequency logo at 6, the minute track, and the seconds hand. This orange and black colour scheme has been the trademark of Chopard’s high frequency models for years now, and helps distinguish them from the rest of the catalogue.
The movement
Chopard has a great history using high-frequency movements that I don’t think get spoken about enough, first introducing the concept in 2012 with the L.U.C 01.06-L which gained notoriety for being the first high frequency movement with chronometer certification. The ceramised Alpine Eagle 41 SL follows in the footsteps of the of the 2024 Cadence 8HF (in which review we also went in a lot more depth about high-beat movements), though upgrading the mainplate and bridges to match the ceramised titanium of the case. The calibre 01/14-C keeps the grams to a minimum, while still running at 8Hz (57,600vph) for up to 60 hours, with a full silicon escapement, including the pallet lever, escape wheel, and impulse pin.
The strap
To match the sporty aesthetic, along with the monochromatic colour pallette at play, a black rubber strap feels like the best option to go with. It also helps keep the weight down, with the integrated number sporting a case-matching pin buckle. If you’d want to dress this one up just a tad, though, Chopard also provides a black calfskin strap with orange stitching.
The verdict
To me, the Alpine Eagle 41 SL Cadence 8HF is the very best of what Chopard can do, and moves the brand in an interesting new direction at the same time. Their mastery of high frequency movements is something that doesn’t get enough praise, and even though you’ll find other brands shouting about this, for Chopard it seems to fly under the radar. The utilisation of ceramised titanium gives a clue as to what Chopard may be capable of in the future, as they look to experiment with more materials outside of their existing precious metal and steel innovations. There’s really very little I can complain about, the new Cadence 8HF is an excellent watch, with features that show the future of a brand not enough people get excited about.
Chopard Alpine Eagle 41 SL Cadence 8HF pricing and availability
The Chopard Alpine Eagle 41 SL Cadence 8HF is a limited edition of 250 pieces. Price: €26,800
| Brand | Chopard |
| Model | Alpine Eagle 41 SL Cadence 8HF |
| Reference | 298600-3028 |
| Case Dimensions | 41mm (D) x 9.75mm (T) |
| Case material | Ceramised titanium |
| Water Resistance | 100 metres, screw-down crown |
| Crystal(s) | Sapphire front and back |
| Dial | Black, eagle’s iris texture |
| Straps | Rubber, ceramised titanium pin buckle Black calfskin, orange stitching, ceramised titanium pin buckle |
| Movement | Calibre 01.14-C, in-house, automatic, 8Hz, COSC |
| Power Reserve | 60 hours |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, seconds, date |
| Availability | 250 pieces |
| Price | €26,800 |