Chopard

Been a very long time since I last posted on the Purists. I miss this place, but I simply can't bring myself to visit too often - it's a bit like torture actually. Gazing at the stunning slices of micro-mechanical ingenuity and rarely having the funds to acquire one is quite depressing.

Anyway, it's been five years since my last major acquisition (Blancpain cal. 1106) and the itch has simply become too bad not to scratch. I have been maintaining a "next watch purchase" spreadsheet for the best part of three years (I know what you're thinking - "I bet that guy gets a lot of women"?) and have been keeping an eye on the market closely too. Working near Bond Street helps, admittedly.

I didn't want another dress watch (also have a JLC RDM) and very few dress watches have actually interested me recently (with one notable exception). I think the JLC & BP have those bases well & truly covered, so it was time for something sportier.

Not a chronograph though. I've never liked them. I think they are the most superfluous of all complications (barring perhaps the moonphase, but at least they're decorative/pretty). Anything north of a 7750 is expensive too. They also tend to be quite thick, as most are automatic.

Basically, the shortlist was:
Omega Hour Vision
Blancpain 1999 Aqualung
Omega Planet Ocean (with the funky orange bezel)
Chopard LUC Sport
Chanel J12

OK, so a pretty esoteric list with a broad price range and some very non-Purist brands (Chanel? WTF?). OK, so the Hour Vision isn't a sports watch, but it is the most competitively priced dress watch out there and looks fairly sporty in black. This is a really special watch for the money and I strongly suggest you check it out, if only for your personal edification. I may buy this at some point in the future.

The BP AL is a very special watch and has that amazingly thin, beautifully finished automatic F. Piguet movement. The dial is also wonderful. However, the rubber strap is horrid and the "71" bracelet is very expensive. I already have the manual version of the movement in my BP.

The Planet Ocean was a cheap alternative. I like the way it looks and it's a good solid sports watch for not much dough. Very thick though and very ubiquitous. I like having something different on my wrists!

The Chanel J12 is a very sleek, classy looking sports watch. If it had something other than "chanel" written on the dial and a manufacture movement, I'd consider it more seriously. However, you've got to admit that it's a very pretty watch?

Which left the Chopard LUC Sport. A very late addition to my list, because I'd always been focussed on the 1.96/dress models. Admittedly, it's not the prettiest watch and the very sober dial/bezel combo doesn't exactly advertise itself. The hands & hour markers (despite being rhodium plated) aren't anywhere near as well-finished as other watches I've seen around the price. The rubber strap is also very cheap looking and difficult to use in practise. However, I've been more of a movement than a dial man and this is the Chopard's trump card.

I am very impressed with the level of finish, the sheer beauty and execution of the 4.96, and its thinness. Thinness is one of the core attractions of mechanical watches and one of the cornerstones of fine horology. It's tragic that the fashion for increased watch sizes (I'm guilty too - the LUC Sport is 40mm) has also increased the ligne of wristwatch movements to pocket-watch levels. To me, the engineering challenges presented by designing a slim movement are substantial. It compounds technical difficulties in other areas too (reliability, construction, finishing etc.) and therefore presents a serious technical challenge. This is one of the problem I have with Glashutte (and even this new Omega Hour Vision that I like so much). They make wonderful watches, but do they really have to be an inch thick? I'm sorry, but in DT's world, that's cheating!

Anyway I've laid my cards on the table and will now have to take the long, arduous, expensive route to paying for this. Yes, I've broken all the rules and put this on tVisa. Should've cut it up when I had the chance, but I was never long on will-power.

Just need an amazing strap from ABP to make it stand out a bit more....

Warm regards,
DT