Chopard 1860SS: A Collector's Journey to 'Purist Perfection'

ant · 2023-09-17T10:29:43Z

Discover the Chopard 1860SS through a collector's journey to Geneva. Ant shares insights on its 'Purist perfection,' the influence of Wei Koh, and Chopard's unparalleled customer experience.

ant

WPS member · Chopard forum

64 replies12228 views2 photos

Ant's eagerly awaited Chopard 1860SS acquisition journey offers a rare glimpse into the luxury watch experience, from the anticipation of travel to the personalized reception at the boutique. His detailed account not only celebrates the timepiece's 'Purist perfection' but also highlights the exceptional customer service that defines Chopard, setting a benchmark for high-end maisons in the industry. This article explores the unique elements that make the 1860SS a standout reference and the Chopard experience so memorable.

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After a long wait my 1860SS was ready. I quickly packed my bags, off to the airport, the usual stupid aggro there (why are UK airports soo unfriendly, inefficient and nasty?), and arrived in Geneva with my friend.

This was last Thursday evening, Gods! How could we wait until Friday afternoon.

We diverted ourselves with a delicious meal or two and, finally, started the walk to the Chopard Boutique.

As ever we received an embracing warm welcome (how do they do it? Every Chopard Boutique is such a pleasure to visit)

We were taken upstairs where the third of our group awaited us.

Coffes, teas, drinks etc were offered along with the delectable Chopard chocolates.....yeah, yeah, yeah,,,,,,all we wanted were the watches.

At last the teasing stopped, and we received our masterpieces.

In my opinion they are close to Purist perfection: perfect size, beautiful dial, top notch mechanism with Geneva seal and brilliant finishing, and with a stealthy beauty that we all understand.

That evening KFS invited us to dinner. Guess what? More perfection. Why am I not surprised? Everything they do exudes the drive to achieve it.

KFS was his usual urbane sophisticated and charming self and Christine was a perfect foil for him. What an evening!

Key Points from the Discussion

The Chopard 1860SS's unique design, particularly its stainless steel case and salmon dial, was heavily influenced by watch enthusiast and journalist Wei Koh, who advocated for these specific features.
The author and two friends each acquired a Chopard 1860SS, making it a 'triple header' experience, underscoring the watch's appeal among collectors.
Chopard's exceptional customer experience, characterized by warmth and sincerity, is attributed to the brand's ethos, which originates from the top leadership, specifically KFS (Karl-Friedrich Scheufele).
The 1860SS is considered an 'almost perfect' enthusiast's watch due to its size, dial, Geneva Seal movement, and finishing, offering significant value despite its luxury price point.
The Chopard 1860SS movement features hacking seconds and a clean, no-date dial, which are desirable attributes for many collectors.
The overall acquisition experience at Chopard is described as overwhelming in its genuine warmth, contrasting sharply with the often 'offhandedness or fake warmth' found elsewhere in the industry.
Chopard is noted for being an underrated brand that offers quality comparable to the best in the industry, suggesting that collectors should explore their boutiques.

The Discussion

fmc000

Sep 17, 2023

Wonderful watch...

...and wonderful experience. I suppose this is just the way a luxury purchase should be managed by the brands but it looks like Chopard is more an exception than a standard. Congrats.

ant

Sep 17, 2023

I agree completely

They are a class act. Regards Antony

amanico

Sep 17, 2023

Excellent! I wonder if I don't prefer it to the Alpine Eagle! Bravo!

MichaelC

Sep 17, 2023

+1. The movement sure fits a heckuva lot better.

amanico

Sep 17, 2023

Am totally in love with these 2...

ant

Sep 17, 2023

Total agreement from here!

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