Following the heartwarming wave of generosity and enthusiasm from its inaugural edition in 2022, the Swiss Institute is thrilled to unveil TimeForArt’s second edition. This year, the TimeForArt 2024 edition features unique contributions from 25 distinguished watch brands —including Anoma, Armin Strom, Baltic, Biver, Breitling, Bulgari, Carl F. Bucherer, Chanel, Chopard, Czapek, Dennison, Furlan Marri, HYT, Louis Erard, Massena LAB, Maurice Lacroix, Perrelet, Reservoir, Ressenge, Reuge, Sartory-Billard, Speake Marin, Toledano & CHAN, Unimatic and Zenith— ranging from cutting-edge independent watchmakers to renowned luxury watch brands. Each one-of-a-kind timepiece created for TimeForArt expresses the most artistic elements of contemporary watchmaking, shining a light on the creative core of today’s horology.
Along with another 24 watch brands, Chopard showcases the full extent of its artistic genius through a one-of-a-kind timepiece. The new Alpine Eagle 41 XP for TimeForArt 2024 combines the pure lines of an iconic creation from the Maison with a dial featuring an exceptional Artistic craft perfected by the in-house workshops: straw marquetry. This aesthetic feat is matched by great technical virtuosity: beating inside a 41 mm diameter case in Lucent Steel —an exclusive alloy endowed with advanced properties and made with an 80% recycling rate— its sophisticated L.U.C 96.17-L movement is equipped with the two stacked barrels of Chopard Twin technology, ensuring a 65-hour power reserve. The thinness of the case is made possible by the use of this automatic movement measuring just 3.30 mm thick thanks to its 22K off-centered micro-rotor incorporated into the thickness of the calibre.
Each edition of a TimeForArt timepiece allows Chopard to call on one of the many Artistic Crafts cultivated in its workshops. In keeping with this tradition, the dial of this new model is graced with straw marquetry. Created by a decoration artisan from the Manufacture specially trained in this 17th-century technique, this masterpiece is a first for Chopard, which has never before presented a dial of this kind on its watches. The choice of straw and its link with the agricultural environment recalls the deep inspiration that the Alpine Eagle collection draws from Nature and the alpine environment that Chopard is committed to preserving.
It all starts with the selection of the material: rye straw grown in Burgundy, France. Each strand is split individually with the fingernail before being flattened with a dedicated tool called a plioir —bone folder. Using a scalpel, the straw is then cut and subsequently glued to the dial in an intricate pattern owing everything to the Artisan’sdexterity. The composition combines strands of different sizes, thicknesses, and shades, while its graphic lines evoke an eagle’s eye view in full flight over the skyscrapers of New York —the city where the TimeForArt auction is to be held.
Once assembled, the dial is coated with wood wax to reveal its full shine and brilliance. During all these stages, the light, thin nature of straw demands extremely meticulous care and patience, justifying 60 hours of work —at the end of which the hour-markers and inner bezel ring are applied by hand, followed by the gold hours and minutes hands.
The Alpine Eagle collection reflects Chopard’s creative richness and visionary spirit in equal measure, along with inspiration drawn from the power of Nature. The one-of-a-kind Alpine Eagle 41 XP TimeForArt remains true to this approach: a round case with stylized sides, a crown engraved with a compass rose, a bezel with eight functional indexed screws, luminescent indications, and a comfortable metal bracelet also in Lucent Steel. At 41 mm in diameter and just 8 mm thick, its case, featuring a slimmed-down bezel and sides, provides a wide opening onto the unprecedented dial.
The Swiss Institute TimeForArt auction conducted by Phillips will take place on December 7th, 2024 at 3 PM EST at Phillips New York.
More info on Chopard here.
