Why the Chopard St. Moritz is the Best Hype Vintage Watch You Should Know

1990s Chopard St. Moritz ref. 8023, image credit: Analog Shift

Hype is a word that has found itself sitting very comfortably in watch discourse over the past few years. I have seen it described, quite academically really, in a very positive light; a brand-led marketing strategy that capitalises on our desire to be part of the next big thing, like a collaborative limited edition watch. But how then, can we characterise hype in the vintage sphere? After all, there are definitely vintage hype watches; the beloved Daytona, Nautilus, Royal Oak primarily, and friends. Without a deliberate, singular current marketing strategy behind them though, we have to assume their hype status is somewhat organic; growing year on year as their ever more informed following of online coveters and owners does too.

But is hype really a positive term when it comes to vintage watches? A big draw of vintage is the second-look factor: you want someone to do a double-take and actually engage you in conversation about the watch on your wrist. “Is that a…what is that?” is actually a really charming and gratifying phrase to hear. If the watch you have on is a vintage Patek Philippe Nautilus (lucky you), it is in its very recognisability, less exclusive somehow, despite being ‘rare’ and having a potential price tag up in the tens of thousands, if not higher. (Let’s not forget that famous tag line from some of the earliest Nautilus adverts, ‘One of the world’s costliest watches is made of steel.’) So, if vintage Nautilus watches can be extortionately priced when available, and simply too fashionable, let’s look at an under-the-radar alternative in the form of the Chopard St. Moritz.

Patek Philippe Nautilus 1980s Advert / Chopard St. Moritz 1980s Advert

The St. Moritz was the idea of Karl-Friedrich Scheufele in 1980, at the time in his early 20s. Son of the Chopard co-owners of the time, his idea to create a luxury steel sports watch was not revolutionary. The Royal Oak and Nautilus, among others, had of course formed this new and fast-growing category within the watch world in the 1970s. We are not looking for revolutionary here either though, just a strong alternative to the pricier ‘hypee,’ the Nautilus. The St. Moritz is a widely overlooked watch within the category, one defined by constituent elements including a steel case, distinctive bezel/case shape, integrated bracelet and an element of nonconformity (at least at the time of creation.)

Let’s start with the most eye-catching element of these watches: the bezel. The original St. Moritz bezels are a real juxtaposition of unexpected curves (that element of nonconformity) but anchored by utilitarian-looking screw heads, seen on the Royal Oak and others. The Nautilus bezel is of course void of decorative detail, but the luxury element is the finishing and that octagonal outline edge that is chamfered downwards.

Chopard St. Moritz 1980s Advert

It’s highly subjective, but it is fun to say that the 1980s joy of those St Moritz curves beats the plainness of the Nautilus. And when we are talking about watches with such wild prices, we need to be able to smile. By all accounts, the Chopard bracelet is a triumph, in terms of quality and finishing, and I suppose we should not expect anything less considering Chopard’s status as a luxury jeweller. There is a great similarity between the Nautilus and early St. Moritz bracelets for sure; bright finish links to the centre, and satin finish to the outside, but the difference in alignment of the two types is more than enough to prevent the St Moritz being an homage, or worse.

Many of the earlier St. Moritz watches available seem to be quartz, which, I will admit, does not go in the favour of my argument here. Those that are automatic are home to a movement that would have been assembled in house but using third party components. (Chopard’s fully integrated in-house movement manufacturer opened later, in 1996.) I think we can agree that the Chopard does not quite hold its own in the face of Patek’s initial use of the Jaeger-LeCoultre 28-255.

Chopard St. Moritz ref. 8300, image credit: Watch Collecting

However, and this allows me to sneak beyond the confines of ‘vintage’ a little, if we look at current iteration of the St. Moritz, the Alpine Eagle, it is home to Chopard’s own L.U.C 96.40-L. This automatic movement has received much praise and is a strong competitor for the current Nautilus movement, the 26-330 S (TBC.) Anyway, I promise not to stray into modern again (but please can I be given more excuses to talk about the Alpine Eagle in the future?)

Getting down to money now: at retail, an early Nautilus from the 1970s or 1980s, could set you back around an average of £150,000, versus prices averaging in the very low thousands for the St. Moritz models. Both watches may be difficult to source, with only a handful available in the UK, but the St. Moritz wins on cost, making it well worth the hunt.

There are a couple more points that boost the Chopard in my sales pitch. One is the Alpine Eagle (here I go again), the latest iteration of which was released this year. It is of course only inspired by the St Moritz, but as its successor it is bound to nudge collectors towards the vintage versions, pushing up their value and appeal. The other is that Chopard as a brand seems to be popping up more and more in conversations in podcasts, like Scottish Watches and Significant Watches, to name only two. It is usually mentioned alongside brands including Piaget and Girard-Perregaux, next to wistful phrases like ‘undervalued.’

Chopard definitely feels like a brand on the up in the eyes of us collectors, and it really should be. Their vintage and newer models offer something more fun, interesting and accessible as we all look for alternatives to hype watches. After all, we all want to turn a few more heads with something unexpected on our wrists, without having to delve quite so deep into our pockets.

More details at Chopard.