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The Chopard Alpine Eagle 41 XP CS Platinum is the brand's first platinum sports watch and it's ready for anything.The 41mm case is only 8mm tall including the sapphire crystal, but still 100m water-resistant.It's powered by the COSC-certified L.U.C calibre 96.42-L with a platinum micro-rotor and a 65-hour power reserve.When you think about it, high-luxury sports watches are a bit contradictory. Here is an object that's capable of being thrown around, scratched, and being plunged underwater, and yet it's made of a precious metal, worth more than a car, and condition is seemingly everything. This is the first watch in Chopard's Alpine Eagle collection to be hewn from platinum, and your wrist is absolutely going to feel it.Platinum is a fascinating metal for many reasons. It's the least reactive metal there is, making it hypoallergenic for those with metal allergies, and it also retains its gleaming white lustre for decades (if not centuries), with no thought of tarnishing. The only real patina that platinum forms is a buildup of scratches, which also tend to be far less noticeable than on other white metals. On a fully-featured sports watch like the Alpine Eagle 41 XP CS Platinum, that ensures it can actually handle being worn on a daily basis, no matter what you throw at it. It's even 100 metres water-resistant for trips into the pool or ocean. Given that platinum is approximately 30% heavier than 18k gold, the solid case and bracelet will have more luxury heft than you can dream of.The Alpine Eagle 41 XP CS Platinum's case design is also worth noting aside from its material, with a wonderfully slender profile of just 8mm tall. The 41mm diameter hits a nice standard for its sportiness, especially given the symmetrical “wings” that protrude from the case sides. The round bezel's vertical brushing lends it structure, as do the eight screws with their slots carefully aligned with the bezel's rotation. Flashes of high polish on the bezel's edge and the lugs offers up some refinement, matched by the centre links of the integrated platinum bracelet.The dial, as with all Alpine Eagles, is completely mesmerising. This explosive blue gradient has been named “Shades of Ice” by Chopard, capturing the glacial depths of the Swiss Alps in all of its liquid and icy forms. The swirling texture was borrowed from the eyes of the actual eagles of the Alps, and it's rendered with such depth that you can almost pick out each individual gouge into the dial. The baton indices and Roman XII keeps the layout fairly simple, which only emphasises the stunning dial colour and texture further. On the other side, similarly breathtaking is the ultra-thin L.U.C calibre 96.42-L with COSC-certification for chronometer accuracy, a platinum micro-rotor automatically topping up 65 hours of power reserve, and a balance wheel beating at 4Hz. The c?tes de Geneve and perlage finishing may not be particularly innovative, but they’re executed flawlessly, and deserving of the L.U.C. name, having been awarded the Poin?on de Geneve for its quality.Chopard Alpine Eagle 41 XP CS Platinum price and availabilityThe Chopard Alpine Eagle 41 XP CS Platinum is now available exclusively from Chopard boutiques. Price: US$110,500BrandChopardModelAlpine Eagle 41 XP CS PlatinumReference295396-9001Case Dimensions41mm (D) x 8mm (T)Case material950 platinumWater Resistance100 metresCrystal(s)Sapphire front and backDial“Shades of Ice” blueBracelet and strap950 platinum braceletMovementL.U.C calibre 96.42-L, in-house, automatic micro-rotorPower Reserve65 hoursFunctionsHours, minutes, secondsAvailabilityNow available exclusively from Chopard boutiquesPriceUS$110,500
01.04.25