8379, ST. MORITZ, SILVER DIAL

A ref. 8379, the Chopard St. Moritz in steel. The silver dial is clean and bright, and it keeps the focus where it belongs, on the case. And the case is the point: an octagonal bezel held down by eight exposed screws, the bezel itself shaped to follow their contours. It is sporty, compact and unmistakably of its era, an integrated design language that most brands have only recently rediscovered. The automatic movement inside makes it an everyday wearer. This one wears on a textile strap, a relaxed take that lets the bezel stand out even more.

The St. Moritz was designed in 1980 by Karl-Friedrich Scheufele, then just 22 years old and the son of the family that owned Chopard. It was Chopard's first sports watch and its first watch in steel, a bold move for a house known for gold and diamonds. Named for the Swiss ski resort, it captured the spirit of après ski glamour that defined the era, with exposed bezel screws as its signature. It became a defining Chopard design of the 1980s and 1990s. In 2019, Chopard revived its spirit with the Alpine Eagle, a modern collection built directly on the St. Moritz template.

We sourced it because this is the original of a watch everyone now wants. The Alpine Eagle is one of the most talked about steel sports watches of recent years, and this is where it came from. Look at the bezel: eight screws, and the outline of the bezel bending around each one, a detail that is both functional and decorative. A young Karl-Friedrich Scheufele drew it, and he went on to run the company. On a textile strap it feels less like a statement and more like a weekend watch with a story built in. The St. Moritz is still underappreciated, and that will not last. Curated with intent.