What are the three dominant colours of 2024?
Colour continues to be a major trend, and I must admit it makes life a bit more cheerful! In our collections, the Alpine Eagle Maritime Blue is highly sought after for its turquoise dial colour. When it comes to gold, yellow gold is gaining momentum, and green dials are becoming more popular, as you can see from the new releases we presented in Geneva this spring.
Is there anything you can say with certainty about 2024?
The only thing I can say for sure about this year is that February has 29 days! A leap year only happens once every four years, which makes it the perfect opportunity to launch a perpetual calendar. Who knows…?
Are watch diameters increasing or decreasing?
Watch sizes have gradually decreased in recent years, to the point that we can call it an established trend. The L.U.C 1860, with its 36.5-millimetre diameter, has been a great success – so much so in fact that we can’t keep up with the demand. Interestingly, it’s popular with both men and women. Many young men today are looking for smaller-sized watches.
What about your women’s range? Are you strengthening your mechanical offering?
Absolutely! There’s no doubt that women are more interested in watches today, and mechanical watches in particular. At Chopard, we’re paying attention. The Alpine Eagle collection, with its highly appreciated 33mm and 36mm models, is a prime example. Fortunately for us, we previously developed an in-house movement that is the perfect size for the collection’s smallest models, which means no new development is needed. We will also be introducing a new, very small, manually wound movement that will expand our range of in-house movements, particularly for equipping women’s watches. I would add that, with regard to jewellery watches, our female customers are also looking for more mechanical mechanisms.
Will there be any technical innovations this year, perhaps a new perpetual calendar?
I couldn’t possibly say but, given that 2024 is a leap year, why not introduce a new perpetual calendar at the end of the year? It could be smaller and even more elegant than previous models. But you didn’t hear that from me!
Is sustainability gaining importance in watchmaking?
I can only speak for Chopard, but sustainability is genuinely important to us. As you know, we only use ethical gold for our watches and jewellery. Last year, we presented our Lucent Steel, which is 85% recycled, and we are currently working on using more sustainable titanium. While we’re not quite there yet, we are moving in that direction because we believe it’s vital to focus on materials that meet our sustainability criteria, rather than simply choosing materials that are fashionable. In general, it’s important to set an example in the luxury industry.
Is sport-chic still in fashion?
Yes, the sport-chic trend remains the centre of attention, but it is evolving slightly towards something more elegant with a more refined touch. The popularity of smaller diameters and the enduring appeal of classic watches confirm this. However, it would be interesting to define what sport-chic really means. Does it mean a watch that can be worn every day, for every occasion? Perhaps. I believe that the Alpine Eagle 41 XPS Monte Rosa, which we launched last year, is the perfect example of a sport-chic watch. It’s very slim and elegant, and you can do everything with it: attend a business lunch, go skiing, dress it up for the evening or take it for a swim.
2023 was the year of the chronograph. What about 2024?
For Chopard, 2024 will be the year of “quiet luxury” – watches for gentlemen. Personally, I love these types of watches. This year, we’re releasing the ultra-slim Alpine Eagle Tech in titanium with a partially openworked movement. It fits virtually every theme we just discussed: sport-chic, lightness, wearing comfort and discreet elegance!
