Comments:
The ultra light anchor wheel made of silicon is a b**** to photograph. (Note to self: Finally buy a macro lens!)
I must have been a good boy in 2019
Why? Because on the morning of Christmas Eve Santa (in disguise of a DHL delivery guy) stopped by and left a very nice Christmas ornament for our tree.
I had been eyeballing the L.U.C. 8HF CHronometer since I came across MichaelC's here on PuristS. Later our Ken (KIH) gave me the chance to play with his when we met at a PuristS lunch in Vienna that had been origanized by KMII.
The High-Tech appeal of the 8Hz(!) movement had fascinated me from the begining and was enhanced by the pitch black ceramics/titanium case with its clean circilar and straight lines. Just my cup of tea. Such a kind of watch was missing in my small collection which tends to consist of more classical pieces.
Ken wrote an excelllent review of the 8HF Chronometer in 2015 which you can find here. And there are only few things to add to his report:
The thing I never understood is why Chopard decided to put an alligator strap onto this thoroughly modern watch. Maybe the designers could not convince marketing to sell a watch at this price point with anything less than an alligator? Just because Alligator is expensive? No idea.
Anyway, the first thing I did was to swap the strap against a clean and pure coutchouk strap that does the job way better than the original. At least that is my two cents.
Anyway, the first thing I did was to swap the strap against a clean and pure coutchouk strap that does the job way better than the original. At least that is my two cents.
And then there is another thing that is different in my 8HF Chronometer compared to its 249 siblings. Can you spot it?
The seconds hands and the power reserve hands are swapped. Usually you find the red hand on the small seconds and the polished one on the PR display.
The fun fact is that the watch has been serviced by the Chopard Service Center Germany three months ago. (I received the service card as an evidence.) And according to the seller no further action has been taken since then.
So am I the lucky owner of an official Piece Unique now??? Just kidding. But I must say that I like it this way. To have the small seconds hand in a finish that matches the one of the minute and hour hands makes sense to me. Even if that polished little hand it is really hard to find and to read against the black dial. But the same is true if the same hand is used for the power reserve display. So would I like to have it changed to "original"? No! It is very original this way 
The case back brings up an obvious question: Why is there only this small window on top of the balance and not an entire sapphire case back?
My personal take on that question is that the movement working within the 8HF Chronometer basically is a Chopard 01 movement upgraded with the high frequency escapement. (The idea was to develop the escapement is a way that could easily be integrated into more existing Chopard movents.) However the 01 movement looks a litte bit "usual" and not as spectacuar and as High Tech as you might expect from an 8Hz "prototype" watch. (A few years later the "Superfast" Chronometer got an 8Hz movement with a design that matched the High Tech appeal of the watch.)
Btw.: The ceramics caseback wears extremely comfortable because it feels is absolutely smooth on the skin.
The ultra light anchor wheel made of silicon is a b**** to photograph. (Note to self: Finally buy a macro lens!)
I
am adding this (admittedly poor quality) picture anyway because you
can still see the holes in the wheel and the ultra thin spoke. If you
want your anchor wheel to start and to stop 16 times per second then you
need to make sure that the inertia of the thing is as low as it will
ever get.
And because it is safe to assume that one of you would ask for a wristshot I add it here before you need to ask
There was no intention here to buy another watch in 2019, but sometimes the stars are aligned just right...
Best regards and have a happy and good new year everybody!
Martin
Huge congratulations on your present 🎁
It’s one of the most fascinating watches from Chopard IMHO and still on my shopping list. Hopefully in 2020 😊
Wishing you a great 2020 Martin!
Wishing you a great 2020 Martin!
Thanks a lot, dear K.
Your part in my story is much appreciated
It would be nice to see more than two of them PuristS hands. So I keeping my fingers crossed that you will get an 8HF in a not too distant future too!
Wishing you a good 2019 too!
Best, Martin
It would be nice to see more than two of them PuristS hands. So I keeping my fingers crossed that you will get an 8HF in a not too distant future too!
Wishing you a good 2019 too!
Best, Martin
What a great watch with the technology behind it and the stealth black apearance ! Big congrats and i ll try to be a good boy too this year :-) [nt]
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Thank you, Ron!
Please note: You need to be a very good boy for one of these. For just “good boy” you may get a Speedie ;-)
Have a good new year,
Martin
Have a good new year,
Martin
I like that watch very much and I like the idea of buying watches with no intention
how else would I end up with 100+ watches -- but no Chopards. I must rectify that in 2020.
Thanks for the review / unveiling.
Cazalea
Which Chopard would you pick?
There is quite a wide choice from elegant via sporty to high tech and all the way to grandes complications.
Best, Martin
Best, Martin
Excellent, my friend. Bravo. Thanks for the presentation of your new watch. Now I have to check under my Xmas tree if I forgot something or what... ;) [nt]
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If this is where you find your gifts, I got a spruce needle in a Christmas present. 🤣😂🤣😂 [nt]
No message body
You need to look between the branches ;-j
Or maybe you just have not been enough of a good boy?
Happy new year, dear Nicolas!
Best, Martin
Happy new year, dear Nicolas!
Best, Martin
Pretty cool Martin, congrats.
It was not a watch I was aware of, but just read your post and then Ken’s posts from 2015.
I agree that the rubber seems like the better compliment to the watches style.
Indeed a niche model by Chopard and not well known.
I learned about it here on PuristS too some years ago.
One of the big ups of our place
Best, Martin
One of the big ups of our place
Best, Martin
Big Congratulations dear Friend!
Your photos are superb. I only sold mine to help fund a grail watch (The Freak). This Chopard is a wonderful timepiece, and you are going to love it!
Thanks a lot, dear Michael!
I am feeling the power of this one already. Since Christmas it stuck on my wrist.
It is powerful but it does not shout. No worries for scratches or dings and nobody recognizing it.
A luxury piece for every day
It would have been nice to have this watch in common with you, but I can fully understand that you let it go for that particular Freak.
Warmest regards,
Martin
It is powerful but it does not shout. No worries for scratches or dings and nobody recognizing it.
A luxury piece for every day
It would have been nice to have this watch in common with you, but I can fully understand that you let it go for that particular Freak.
Warmest regards,
Martin