Chopard Imperiale Watches & Haute Joaillerie

MTF's 2015 holiday gift guide for Chopard ladies' watches and haute joaillerie remains relevant for collectors interested in the brand's feminine offerings. This article highlights the Imperiale collection, detailing its evolution from a unisex watch to a sophisticated jewelry line, and showcases various models from elegant daily wearers to high-complication tourbillons. MTF provides valuable insights into the collection's design philosophy, movement variations, and the exclusivity of its haute joaillerie pieces.

As soon as Pumpkin Week is over, it will be the run up to the Holiday Season again.

Santa Claus will be making his List and checking it twice for all the boys and girls, naughty or nice.

To this end, we present a series of 'Christmas 2015 Chopard Gift Ideas' for PuristS.

For Ladies part 2: Imperiale Watches and Haute Joaillerie

The Imperiale collection is a step up from the Happy Sport.

What started as a unisex watch in 1994 became a whole jewellery collection in 2011. When the codes of contemporary elegance echo the majesty of the Roman Empire, a great classic is clearly in the making.

Since 2010, it became a flagship range of Chopard’s feminine watchmaking.

In 2011, the Imperiale watch inspired a highly sophisticated collection of jewellery. Interwoven three-dimensional rose or white gold lacework adorned with amethysts – the colour of emperors since the Byzantine era – outline the decorative design reminiscent of embroidery. Present throughout the Imperiale watchmaking and jewellery collection, the motif provides this line with its strength of character and regal standing.

The variants of Imperiale watches are many: in steel and precious metal cases; with and without gem-setting.
Imperiale watches are available in 28mm, 36mm, 40mm and 42mm diameter cases.
Quartz movements are found in the 28mm and 36mm cases.
Mechanical movements are found in the 36mm and 40mm cases; the higher specification watches are equipped with Chopard 01.01-C or 01-03-C movements.
Mechanical tourbillon movements are found in 42mm cases.

Our selection for Christmas 2015 is merely illustrative of both ends of the spectrum from simple elegance to ostentatious luxury.

Chopard Imperiale 40mm Automatic Black & White

The steel cases are robust enough for daily wear and yet elegant for a formal occasions if you have to go straight from the workplace to evening cocktails.

The dial is decorated with the Imperiale embroidery pattern which is also embossed onto the padded Barenia leather strap.

The sword-hands (gladius) and some of the hour-markers are coated with SuperLuminova for visibility in those moody cocktails lighting.

 Chopard Imperiale 40mm Automatic Black

Movement:
• Mechanical self-winding Chopard 01.01-C
• Diameter:         26.20 mm
• Thickness:        3.60 mm
• Number of jewels: 25
• Frequency:        28,800 vph (4Hz)
• Power reserve:    42 hours

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Chopard Imperiale 40mm Automatic Amethyst

Case
· 18ct white gold
· Total diameter     40.00 m
· Thickness            10.60 mm
· Water resistant to 50 metres
· Glareproofed sapphire crystal
· 18ct white gold crown set with brilliant-cut diamonds
· Lugs set with cabochon-cut amethysts
· Bezel set with graded shades of baguette-cut amethysts
· Exhibition back

Movement
· Mechanical self-winding Chopard 01.03-C
· Total diameter      28.80 mm
· Number of jewels 27
· Power reserve      60 hours
· 1 barrel
· Frequency            28,800 vph

Dial and hands
· Mother-of-pearl and diamond-set dial
· Baguette-cut amethysts and rhodiumed hour-markers
· Rhodiumed openworked hour and minute hands

Functions and Displays
·  Central hour and minute display

Strap and buckle
·         Dark purple leather strap
·         18ct white gold pin buckle set with brilliant-cut diamonds

Ref. 384239-1012 – In 18ct white gold

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Chopard Imperiale Tourbillon Full Set

Case
• 18ct white gold
• Total diameter:     42.00 mm
• Thickness:            12.40 mm
• Water resistance: 30 m
• 18ct white gold crown set with baguette- and briolette-cut diamonds
• Lugs set with oval-cut diamond cabochons
• Glareproofed sapphire crystal
• Exhibition back

Movement
• Hand-wound, tourbilon: 02.14-L.(4T2I)
• Diameter:               29.70 mm
• Thickness:              6.10 mm
• Number of jewels: 33
• Frequency:            28,800 vph
• Power reserve:      216 hours (9 days)
• 4 barrels, Quattro® technology
• Bridges adorned with Côtes de Genève motif
• Chronometer-certified by the COSC
• Poinçon de Genève quality hallmark

Dial and hands
• Full snow-set 18ct white gold dial with brilliant and baguette-cut diamonds
• Power reserve full set with baguette-cut diamonds and amethysts
• Rhodiumed hour and minute hands
• Metallised black power-reserve and small seconds hands

Functions and displays
• Central hour and minute display
• Small seconds at 6 o’clock
• Power-reserve indicator at 12 o’clock

Bracelet and buckle
• 18ct white gold bracelet full set with baguette-cut diamonds

Ref. 384250-1002 – In 18ct white gold

The Imperiale Tourbillon Full Set must be the haute de gamme of ladies watchmaking but don't just take my word for it!
It won the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève 2012 'JEWELLERY AND ARTISTIC CRAFTS WATCH PRIZE’.

When discussing such a stratospheric timepiece, we must pair it with haute joaillery...

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Haute Joaillerie - a Pear Celebration

Four new Haute Joaillerie creations from Chopard celebrate the supreme precious stone - Diamond.
Remember that Chopard started as a watchmaking company.
Over the past 15 years, the Manufacture has strongly developed its expertise in Haute Joaillerie.

The theme for Christmas 2015 is the pear-cut diamond.
The four new jewellery from the Chopard workshops highlight the pear-cut diamond, one of the diamond cuts most favoured by Co-President and Creative Director, Caroline-Scheufele.

The first is a delightful necklace featuring a floral motif adorned with 39 carats of diamonds, teamed with matching earrings.

Necklace in 18ct white gold set with pear-shaped diamonds (39cts) and diamonds
Ref. 819680-1001

Earrings in 18ct white gold set with pear-shaped diamonds (5cts) and diamonds
839578-1001

Bracelet in 18ct white gold set with pear-shaped diamonds (85cts)
859809-1001

Lady PuristS, Merry Christmas Wishes,

MTF

For Ladies part 1:
www.watchprosite.com

For Ladies part 3:
www.watchprosite.com =

For Gents part 1:
www.watchprosite.com

For Gents part 2:
www.watchprosite.com

For Gents part 3:
www.watchprosite.com