The Watch: In 1996, Chopard did something that most people in the industry thought was unnecessary: they developed an in-house movement. The brand was known primarily for jewelry, and the prevailing wisdom was that a jewelry house had no business competing on caliber quality with the likes of Patek Philippe and A. Lange & Söhne. The caliber 1.96, developed over three years with the help of independent watchmaker Michel Parmigiani, proved the industry wrong. Walt Odets, writing on Timezone at the time, called it "probably the finest automatic movement being produced in Switzerland today." Philippe Dufour rated Chopard's finishing second only to Lange.
The 16/1862 houses the caliber 4.96, a derivative of the original 1.96 with a central seconds function rather than a subsidiary seconds dial. The core architecture is the same: a micro-rotor automatic with twin stacked mainspring barrels delivering a 65-hour power reserve, a Breguet overcoil hairspring, and a swan's neck regulator. The 22k gold micro-rotor is engraved and visible through the caseback, and the finishing throughout features thick hand-beveled anglage, deep Côtes de Genève, and Geneva Seal certification. The movement is also COSC chronometer certified. The dial was produced by Metalem, the same Swiss dial manufacturer that later produced dials for Philippe Dufour's Simplicity.
The case is 36.5mm in 18k yellow gold, just 8.4mm thick. Limited to 1,860 pieces. At that size and thickness, it sits flat on the wrist and disappears under a cuff.
This 1998 example shows some patina on the gold case and buckle, which is consistent with the age and adds character to the piece.
Condition: Good. Patina on the gold case and buckle.
