Watch Paparazzi

Entrepreneur Alessandro Squarzi spotted wearing Chopard

Alessandro Squarzi, the Milanese entrepreneur whose influence spans vintage workwear retail through Fortela and archival sportswear through AS65, was recently photographed wearing the stainless steel Chopard Alpine Eagle in its full 41 mm configuration, reference 298600-3001, fitted with the brand's striking galvanised blue dial and Roman numeral indices.

The Alpine Eagle was introduced by Chopard in 2019 as a deliberate spiritual successor to the St. Moritz, a model the manufacture produced between 1980 and the early 2000s. The ref. 298600-3001 houses Chopard's manufacture Calibre 01.01-C, a self-winding movement beating at 4 Hz with a 60-hour power reserve, visible through a sapphire caseback. The case itself is built from Lucent Steel A223, Chopard's proprietary stainless steel alloy developed with Swiss metallurgists, polished to a brightness the brand argues standard steel cannot achieve. The octagonal bezel with integrated bracelet draws a clear architectural line back to the integrated-bracelet sports-luxury genre, placing the Alpine Eagle in direct conversation with the Royal Oak and Nautilus without mimicking either.

The blue dial on this reference deserves particular attention. Its galvanised finish is textured to evoke the layered, iridescent quality of a raptor's iris — a concept that sounds contrived on paper but reads with genuine depth on the wrist. Roman numerals rather than applied indices give the dial a dressier register than the Alpine Eagle's sportier executions, broadening its wearing range considerably. Collector reception has been warm: the integrated-bracelet format, manufacture movement, and proprietary case material represent genuine value at this price point within the luxury sports watch segment.

Squarzi's watch choices consistently reflect a preference for pieces with material and mechanical substance over pure logo recognition — the Alpine Eagle fits that brief precisely. His audience in the Italian fashion and vintage communities carries significant cultural weight, and a sighting of this kind functions as credible, organic endorsement.

At retail, the Chopard Alpine Eagle ref. 298600-3001 lists at approximately $8,700 USD. Grey market premiums remain modest, a reflection of relatively healthy boutique availability rather than any weakness in the model's desirability. For collectors seeking a manufacture-movement integrated-bracelet sports watch outside the dominant Genevan duopoly, this reference continues to represent a legitimate alternative.