CHOPARD
L.U.C XPS TWIST
QF FAIRMINED
CHOPARD’S FAIRMINED MODELS are made in the Chopard
workshops where gold from certified sources is rigorously
separated from other alloys in order to guarantee complete
traceability. This new 40mm watch is made with an ultra-thin
case featuring a 4 o’clock crown that nicely echoes the dial’s
asymmetry. The dial is meant to appear a bit like the texture
of raw gold nuggets. Of course, the watch bears the Fleurier
Quality Foundation label, which testifies to the entire watch’s
precision, reliability, durability and quality of the movement
finishing. Each piece in this 250-piece limited edition is also
COSC-chronometer certified.
CITIZEN
ECO-DRIVE
ONE
MEASURING ONLY 2.98MM FRONT TO BACK, Citizen’s Eco-Drive One drew considerable attention when it was introduced last year as the slimmest light-
powered analog wristwatch available. Citizen launched the collection with one 800-piece tungsten-cased limited-edition model with crocodile strap
priced at $6,000 and a bracelet-only version with a steel case and different bezel metal priced at $2,600.
This year Citizen adds three new 39mm models with crocodile leather straps to the Eco-Drive One collection. Due to reach showcases later this year,
these new models boast high-tech Cermet bezels and include a tough Duratect coating over the steel cases. Duratect is Citizen’s proprietary hardening
alloy that protects against scratches and insures that the case color never fades. Cermet is a Citizen-developed composite of hardened ceramic
and metal.
A new version of Duratect, called Duratect DLC, appears as a dark grey color and debuts on the Eco-Drive One this year for the first time. Two of
these new models (AR5024-01E and AR5025-08E) feature this new coating, paired with silver and pink cermet bezels respectively. The most classical of
these three new Eco-Drive Ones, with a white dial (AR5026-05A), is hardened with Citizen’s steel-hued Duratect A offset with a pink cermet bezel and
a dark-brown crocodile leather strap.
LONGER POWER RESERVE
In spite of its 1mm thinness, Citizen’s Eco-Drive Caliber 8826 inside the new Eco-Drive One will operate for twelve months on a single full charge. This
extends the movement’s initial power reserve from the ten months noted at the watch’s debut last year. This improvement in energy efficiency is not
a surprise. During a visit to Citizen’s factories last spring, I was impressed with its never-ending efforts to improve Eco-Drive’s efficiency.
Also new here is the use of a Cermet back plate, which makes the watch all the more resistant to shocks and exterior pressure—important features
for any ultra-thin watch bound for serious wrist-wear.
The 2017 debuts are slightly larger in diameter than the flagship Eco-Drive One that debuted last year, measuring 39mm compared to the 38.15mm
of that 2016 tungsten-cased debut. And by comparison, the new models are just a hair smaller in diameter than the 39.8mm steel-cased 2016 versions.
Effectively the new collection offers fans another chance at obtaining just about every feature of last year’s limited-edition crocodile-strapped
Citizen Eco-Drive One, but with a different case metal, a slightly more efficient caliber and just a bit wider diameter. All for far less than the $6,000
asked for the 2016 debut version.
Those initial Eco-Drive One debuts in part celebrated Citizen’s 40-year history as the leading force in the development of light-powered
wristwatches. The company’s Eco-Drive collection today encompasses a full range of watches, from sporty to dressy, and is the Japanese brand’s
bestseller worldwide.
Price: $3,500.
SUMMER 2017 | INTERNATIONAL WATCH | 115