Review Chopard Alpine Eagle 41 XPS “Monte Rosa” [live photos, price]

Łukasz Doskocz6.03.20246.03.20249 min. of reading

A sporty, daily watch with luxury twist is according to Chopard a combination of details, slim profile, unusual dial and high-end movement, finished in the L.U.C standards, and topped with an almost mythical Poinçon de Genève.

Chopard joined the race to offer a “steel sports integrated” watch back in 2019. It was supposedly already long in the development process amongst the Scheufele family, and the ongoing trend just speeded things up. Instead of creating a whole new watch, Chopard reached deep to the history and found a perfect role model. It was the St. Mortiz, a rather eccentric early 80s design, which was developed by Karl-Friedrich Scheufele himself. As it is a rather peculiar watch (google to see what I mean), Chopard acknowledged the need to rather excessively re-design and create a brand new timepiece, with its own DNA. The creation heavily involved Karl-Fritz Scheufele, Karl-Friedrich’s son.

New creation has been aptly named “Alpine Eagle”. It’s been stated that the name came from Scheufele’s family love for the Swiss Alps, but I’d rather buy the story about the dial. The particularity of this watch is a rather unusual face, with a seemingly irregular guilloche imitating an iris of eagle’s eye. The effect is mesmerising, making Alpine Eagle one of the most stand-out (and outstanding) dials out there. To that Chopard added an original case (the St. Mortiz inspiration), atypical bracelet and an in-house automatic movement, fit for the type. I had a pleasure to wear and experience that watch, appreciating its perks and pointing out some doubts. Watch community accepted the Alpine Eagle with open arms, so Chopard builds the collection up with different models, including complications (like a slim and lean Tourbillon) and luxury iterations with gold and precious stones. Which of them is the best one thus far? In my private rank, boosted by a short hands-on experience during Watches & Wonders 2023, it’s the 41 XPS. But is it truly as great to be the best of the Alpine Eagles flock?

(Un)bearable lightness of being

I had a lot of hopes with testing the AE (Alpine Eagle) 41 XPS, but the experience far excited the expectations, especially in one particular aspect. The latest Chopard watch opened my eyes to a most significant of all technical measurements of a timepiece, that provides the greatest possible wearing pleasure. It is not the diameter of the case, which turns to be deceiving and highly subjective, due to the shapes, forms and profiles. It’s not the lug-to-lug distance either, which is measured from the tip of one side to the other end of the case lugs. It might be even more significant, than the diameter, but we’re still not there yet. An absolute key parameter of the watch, one that makes or breaks it is… the thickness.

Keeping reasonable proportions in mind, there is of course not much gain from a thin case that is big, and at let’s say 45 mm looses all the right proportions, which are not to neglect too. In a regular version, the Alpine Eagle case came thick at 9,7 mm, which was already comforting and pleasurable to wear. XPS undergone a smart, well thought out and controlled slimming therapy, which thanks to few clever moves reduced the height to just slightly over 8 mm (8,2 mm to be precise). Not big difference one might say, but it makes a whole big difference on the wrist. The case with its 41 mm in diameter, wears just so smooth, largely thanks to the slim, reduced thickness. Sits perfectly and easy, even despite it being a full stainless steel watch with a steel bracelet.

It happens more of the than not in mechanical watches, especially those with automatic winding, that the pleasure of experience (of wearing) is significantly diminished by the thick, tall case. It’s not easy to make it slim always, and comes to a few factors, including size of the movement. Chopard however made a few clever decisions, that resulted in wearing the 41 XPS a pure joy.

The entire watch has been made out of Chopard’s proprietary Lucent Steel A223. What hides under the name is an in-house created steel alloy with high resistance to wear and tear and improved purity, which results in a visibly more shiny, brilliant look. The case is finished with a mix of satin-brushed and high-polished surfaces. From the top, case is locked with a satin-brushed bezel with a polished edge, with 8 perfectly aligned screws. The elements protruding on both sides (of the case) are elements of design, however the on the right acts also a crown protection. The crown itself is screw-down (hence the 100 m water resistance) and signed with a compass rose, embossed on a sandblasted background. Finishing details, highlighted by polished edges of the case, appear also on the bracelet. Mounted in integrated lugs, it has been assembled of polished and brushed elements in a rather peculiar shape.

They might resemble you many things, including chocolate bricks, and are composed of bigger, outer elements with brushing and middle, small rectangular parts, with polishing. The assembly is also unusual, with a mounting screw placed underneath each link and screwed into to the square part on top. The entire thing is smooth and comfy, yet… for my taste it’s the least appealing part of the Alpine Eagle. I can’t force myself to like the design, nor the clasp, which sadly does not offer any micro-adjustment. My AE bracelet judgement is of course subjective, but I’d also love to see a matching, integrated rubber strap for the watch. Which – to my surprise – has not been introduced yet.

Monte Rosa

Other than a very bearable thinness of the case, the AE 41 XPS comes with two additional perks. First being the new dial – for many an absolute key element of any great watch. Chopard kept the emblematic eagle’s eye iris guilloche, but adorned it with a rather unusual color. That particular shade of pink is (by Chopard) called “Monte Rosa”.

I’d place it somewhere between salmon, light pink-gold(ish) or copper, enhanced by the pattern itself. There is a set of applied indices for hour marks with some lume, led by three roman numerals, and a small-second sub-dial at 6 o’clock. It has been slightly re-cased, framed by a polished ring and adorned with snailing. Why there is a small second in a sports watch you ask? That has all to do with the movement.

L.U.C

Second major element of the 41 XPS is the choice of the caliber inside the piece. Basic model is powered by a Fleurier Ebauches made caliber 01-01.C – a perfectly fit, well made mechanism with a chronometer certification and traditional, automatic winding. It isn’t too bulky also, coming at 4,95 mm in thickness. Slim, but not slim enough – so to fit the need Chopard looked for an all new movement. And without any compromises too.

Under the sapphire caseback of the 41 XPS, ticks a hand-assembled and finished L.U.C caliber, made in Geneva. An obvious boost to the quality level of the watch, it is the pampered caliber L.U.C 96.40-L. For the sake of the slimness of the entire watch, it comes with a micro-rotor automatic winding that allows it to be just 3,3 mm thick (or rather thin). With the thinness, a micro oscillating mass also comes with a benefit of an open, unobstructed view through the entire assembly. And the finishing is top, as required by the Geneva Seal. You can easily spot bevelled and polished angles on the Geneva-stripes decorated bridges. The rotor – a bit noisy at times – is made out of 22 ct. gold and decorated with an arabesque and a L.U.C plaque. There is also a plethora of other finishes, including some perlage and golden engravings. The 96.40-L bats at 4 Hz and offers 65 hours of power reserve, accumulated in a double-barrel L.U.C Twin system.

Final thoughts, steep price

I had a pleasure to wear the Alpine Eagle 41 XPS for a few days and came to a number of conclusions. The main one was highlighted a few times already – the slimness of the case (or be it “thickness”) has an absolutely fundamental importance. Even with slightly big diameter and overall heft of the 41 XPS case (and bracelet) it wears, fits and feels like a perfectly tailored glove – all thanks to the low, thin profile. You put it on and it sits right there immediately, rather than constantly battling to settle. Of course shape and form, integrity of the bracelet plus some additional details contribute, but it is all about the thickness. An eye-opening experience, although when think of it, I had some clues before. It is for that reason I guess all the top manufacturers have a luxury, slimline version of it’s flagship sports watches in the collections, only to mention a few “Jumbo” pieces by the likes of AP or PP – I bet you know which ones I’m thinking about. 

41 XPS by Chopard is a truly, properly well-crafted timepiece, representing what the brand can do when it uses all its skills. Of course it comes with a price. Alpine Eagle 41 XPS costs 26 100 EUR a piece – and that is almost 10 000 EUR more, than the regular version. The difference in no doubt big, but all in all, those are two very different watches. 41 XPS has been finished and made in a highest possible way, maintaining its sport/casual character combined with a high-luxury level and feel. The whole watch is Geneva Seal(ed), and that too comes with a cost of fulfilling certain set of strict rules and regulations. There is that unusual design language (witch might be somewhat questionable) and a very special dial, that together make the 41 XPS “Monte Rosa” rather unique, even amongst the vast competition. Chopard can make watches, I have no doubt. But it can also create its own way, own style, which is a rather more difficult and noble. Alpine Eagle is to my eye one of the most interesting “sports steel integrated” watches on the market, and the 41 XPS feel like a crown of the collection, like cherry on the cake. Wonderful on so many levels.