Karl-Friedrich Scheufele’s passion for cars is well known, as reflected in the Chopard watch collection and in the brand’s partnership with the Mille Miglia rally. But the Chopard Co-President also admits to another passion that is more discreet, more intimate, yet just as inspiring : the mountains, where he enjoys both hiking and skiing. It is naturally a part of the environment as a whole, of which the concern for conservation dictates Chopard’s ethical approach to sustainable luxury.

This year, the mountain is making its mark on the new Alpine Eagle collection, a range of watches with integrated case and bracelet available as models for both men and women. This is an update of a previous Chopard watch : the 1980 St. Moritz, inspired by the tastes of the alpine elite of the time, as well as Chopard’s first sports watch and first model in steel.

But the Alpine Eagle is not just about launching a new collection. The eagle after which it is named is the main concern of the Eagle Wings Foundation, of which Karl-Friedrich Scheufele is a founding member, alongside photographer Nomi Baumgartl and falconer Jacques-Olivier Travers. The foundation’s objective is twofold : to document the impact of global warming on the Alps and to work towards the conservation and reintroduction of the white-tailed eagle, the largest of the European eagles, which has disappeared from the Alps. This original program aims to demonstrate that it is not too late to act on an ecosystem on which humans are inflicting such damage ; and that wildlife species are able to adapt to current conditions, provided that their destruction is stopped.

“Eagle Wings is a visual dialogue between the viewpoint of the eagle, of humankind in general and of scientists in particular.” In concrete terms, Victor, a nine-year-old white-tailed eagle, flew for five days across five alpine countries in October 2019, equipped with a camera. His piercing gaze took in the melting glaciers and he brought back pictures of the odyssey to share with humans. May they be deeply troubled by what they see and at last be galvanized into taking action !