When venturing into cutting edge, conceptual design in horology, Chopard may not be the first name to cross your mind. Chopard excels at classic watchmaking with their own signature aesthetic, sure, but their use of ceramicized titanium and high frequency movement in recent years has brought to life a very different aspect of the brand’s ambitions. In their most recent collaboration Zagato (yes, that Zagato), we see this taken a step further with the Lab One Concept, a watch that presents a novel aesthetic direction that uses a tubular structure at the core of the design. The results is Chopard’s lightest titanium watch ever, weighing in at 42.3 grams, including the strap.
Lightweight watches have been in vogue for some time now, and with some brands trading blows in sub 10 gram territory, it’s tough to put some of these numbers into proper context. If you ask me, anything under 60 grams is pretty darn light, and it might get tricky to discern any real benefit much beyond that. As with all such measurements, what really matters is wearability, and how much mass you enjoy feeling on your wrist. Sometimes, a little weight is a good thing, but when it comes to sport watches like this, a trim approach is always going to draw more attention. Especially when it comes packed with a mechanical movement and some sort of exotic material and/or design. Here, the Chopard x Zagato watch delivers.
The Lab One Concept watch is lightweight, but that might be the least interesting detail about it. How it goes about getting there is another story. Zagato, the famed Italian coachbuilder, have brought a tubular design concept to Chopard inspired by the underpinnings of their creations, providing structural strength while keeping weight to a minimum. It’s an idea we can see expressed at the perimeter of the dial, as well with the articulating wire lugs. All of which is made from ceramicized titanium. The movement mainplate and bridges are also made from the material.
The movement is Chopard’s L.U.C Calibre 04.04-L, which has now been used both horizontally in the Engine One H, and vertically in this Lab One Concept. The escapement is placed at six o’clock on the dial, and is placed within a 60 second tourbillon. It’s a hand wound affair, and a power reserve indication is placed at the top of the dial. Flanking the central portion of the dial are two decorative areas that bear the Zagato ‘Z’ in a repeating pattern, and the co branding on either side.
The pattern and the branding work against the nature of the raw design, and almost date the design right out of the box to my eye. A more raw take on the dial plate with minimal in the way of branding would have more effectively highlighted the material and the unique construction, but instead they are relegated to the back seat in favor of a more fashion forward design element. Still, there’s plenty to appreciate in this execution, and one that continues to point in an exciting direction for Chopard. The structure of the lug and its articulation in particular serve as a great reminder of what they are capable of in this genre.
Just 19 examples of the Lab One Concept will be produced, with price information available upon request. Chopard
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