Chopard’s latest Alpine Eagle XPS 41 has a subtle ‘Mountain Glow’ champagne dial
Zach BlassIn 2019, Chopard debuted two key developments. The first was its revival and reinterpretation of the St. Moritz, the Alpine Eagle, to firmly re-enter the ever-popular integrated bracelet watch segment, and the second development, Lucent Steel, to further its efforts for environmental conservation. Over the last seven years, the fan-favourite collection has understandably seen quite a massive expansion, with cohesive designs spanning from 33mm to 44mm, in various materials, armed with various complications, high-frequency models, and gemset models, to a point where there are currently 61 different configurations listed on the Chopard website. A collection rich in colour and texture, the latest Alpine Eagle XPS 41 may seem a bit tamer at first glance, but its ‘Mountain Glow’ champagne dial becomes increasingly more intriguing the more you look at it.
The case
The dimensions of the Chopard Alpine Eagle XPS 41 remain the same as its salmon-dialled Monta Rosa predecessor, measuring 41mm in diameter, a very sporty-slender 8mm in thickness, and a wrist-flattering 47mm lug-to-lug across the wrist. Most people, when they think of the Poinçon de Genève, or Geneva Hallmark, think about high-end movement finishing. But this hallmark, in fact, evaluates both the internals and externals of a watch. It’s rarely seen on stainless steel watches, due to the increased difficulty of meeting the demanding requirements when working with steel rather than gold. But Chopard has embraced the challenge, and the result speaks for itself.
The satin-brushed lines seen throughout the case and bracelet are very pronounced and rich, creating that luxurious steel-meets-wood look that only high-end watches that command higher price tags really carry. For this Alpine Eagle XPS 41 ‘Mountain Glow’, or any Alpine Eagle really, it is instantly clear to anyone, novice or seasoned collector, that its design and finish could only be pulled off by a Maison with a high degree of skill and watchmaking know-how. The light and shadow dynamic created by the brushed surfaces and contrasting, strong accents of mirror-polish look fantastic, and, on the wrist, its dimensions and slender profile make it a very comfortable wear.
The dial
I typically find champagne dials quite plain, boring, and dated. It’s a classic hue, but it can be a bit like your grandfather’s colour at times. But watches are not static objects while worn, and as this dial changes its orientation under light, it begins to change minds like mine and win them over.
As expected, you have a radiant textured surface inspired by the iris of an eagle’s eye, a sloped outer minutes track, and hands and applied indices forged in ethical 18k white gold and filled with high-grade Super-LumiNova. You also have the distinction of a small seconds counter in place of a central seconds hand.
Whereas the Monta Rosa, from any angle of viewing, commanded a bolder salmon-like hue, the ‘Mountain Glow’ dial we have here is subtler, yet also has a trick up its sleeve. Chopard explains that the hue of the dial is inspired by the “warm radiance of the Alps as their peaks catch the sun’s final rays at sunset.” Normally, I would not correlate champagne hues with a sunset, but there is an element of iridescence to the dial, where a gradient of blue, green, and purple hues begins to peek through as light hits it from different angles.
It would appear the eagle iris texture contributes to this effect, with the sloped outer minutes track and stepped and concentric-finished small seconds counter remaining in the classic champagne colour at all times. This dial is the perfect example of the limitations of website and press renders. Without live shots like these, you would think the dial strictly expresses champagne/ivory tones, and that is simply not the case.
The bracelet
Like its case, the Alpine Eagle XPS 41’s bracelet decoration is top notch, the gold bar-shaped links sharply faceted and well-brushed and bevelled. You once again have the distinctly raised centre links, executed in a full mirror polish. Twin-triggers prevent the butterfly clasp from opening accidentally, and it is very much worth shouting out that Chopard has now incorporated a comfort adjustment system in its clasp design. This new evolution allows the bracelet to be extended up to 5mm on the go with a simple pull (and push to bring it back in). An even more subtle development is its refined, increased tapering.
The movement
Exhibited inside is Chopard’s in-house, micro-rotor automatic L.U.C 96.40-L movement. From a technical standpoint, with two stacked barrels, it delivers a near weekend-proof 65 hours of power reserve and is COSC-certified to run within +6/-4 seconds per day – very admirable for a calibre that is just 3.3mm thick. With its Poinçon de Genève quality hallmark, the decoration of the calibre is very elaborate with handsome striping executed on the top of the bridges, thin bevels on the edges of the bridges, polished screws and a polished swan’s neck regulator, and perlage peering out from the mainplate visible beneath the bevelled and engraved 22k gold micro-rotor. When it comes to high-performing and handsome micro-rotor movements, Chopard is among the best in the business.
The verdict
With this new Chopard Alpine Eagle XPS 41 ‘Mountain Glow’, the brand once again displays why its signature sports watch collection is one of the best in the increasingly saturated integrated bracelet segment. Sure, Chopard has yet to explore interchangeability systems and bundled straps like some other brands have, but the Alpine Eagle excels in its Poinçon de Genève level decoration inside and out, favoured proportions, and distinct aesthetic with a handsome bracelet style that is not reminiscent of others in the category and dials that continue to be captivating, whether bolder or tamer (on paper) in hue.
Those familiar with the Monta Rosa variant of the Alpine Eagle XPS 41 may wonder why this new ‘Mountain Gold’ configuration, even with the debut of a more tapered bracelet with a comfort adjustment system, is US$1,900 more expensive. I confess I cannot offer a comprehensive explanation on that particularity. However, for the broader marketplace, the price jump between the XPS 41 ‘Monta Rosa’ and XPS 41 ‘Mountain Glow’ is really not what I imagine most minds will question. It is more a question of the marketplace being able to understand why the standard Alpine Eagle 41 is a US$17,100 watch, while the XPS 41 is nearly double. This, however, I can explain. It ultimately boils down to the XPS 41’s Poinçon de Genève point of distinction and increased hand-finished elements.
Chopard Alpine Eagle XPS 41 ‘Mountain Glow’ pricing and availability
The Chopard Alpine Eagle XPS 41 ‘Mountain Glow’ is available now for purchase. Price: US$31,000
| Brand | Chopard |
| Model | Alpine Eagle XPS 41 |
| Reference | 298623-3003 |
| Case Dimensions | 41mm (D) x 8mm (T) x 47mm (LTL) |
| Case Material | Lucent Steel |
| Water Resistance | 100 metres, screw-down crown |
| Crystal(s) | Glare-proofed sapphire front and back |
| Dial | ‘Mountain Glow’ champagne, eagle iris-textured |
| Strap | Integrated Lucent Steel bracelet, triple folding clasp, comfort adjustment system |
| Movement | L.U.C 96.40-L, in-house, micro-rotor automatic, COSC-Certified |
| Power Reserve | 65 hours |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, small seconds |
| Availability | Now |
| Price | US$31,000 |