What is clear to see, with the announcement of the recent few integrated bracelet, sports-chic stainless-steel watches across several brands, is that here is an aesthetic subject matter that has the watch community vastly divided.

But those who are voicing their opinions the loudest, seem to be all the naysayers. What about those on the other side of the fence? What do they have to say?

Focusing in on the Chopard Alpine Eagle, Revolution reached out to a friend, who seems to have already assimilated the Alpine Eagle into his life. The gentleman in question is Giorgio Giangiulio, a journalist and content creator from the world of classic men’s tailoring. Giorgio actively writes for a few titles with his focus being primarily on craft, tailoring and watches.

Clearly, Giorgio is deeply involved in men’s tailoring. But about watches? Says Giorgio, “I’ve worn a watch ever since I was a child. My watches are very much part of my daily mindset. I like to say I inherited my passion for watches from my family.

“My great-grandfather was a watchmaker and my father is a collector. Over the years, I have found myself more and more engulfed in the world of fine watchmaking and I have been privileged to be able to build a small collection for myself over time.”

Today, Giorgio describes his interest in watches to be inclined towards those with rich historical heritage. He also has a certain love for dive and tool watches, which he says, for him, have proven very versatile in formal as well as casual settings. But what most appeals to Giorgio are simple, uncomplicated time-only watches. In his own words, “They hold a discreet simplicity, which for me is the fundamental element of elegance.”

Getting to the point of the Alpine Eagle, Giorgio starts off with a full disclosure first saying, “I was greatly pleased to be chosen by Chopard as one of the worldwide brand ambassadors, for the launch of the new Alpine Eagle.

“When I was contacted by them earlier in the spring, they told me that we were going to work on a campaign for a watch, but what sort of watch? I was not given any indication. They wanted to keep the surprise for the official unveiling in October.

“Some months later, some information was made known to me. I found out that the watch was going to be the new edition of Chopard’s St. Moritz from the ’80s, nothing more. Honestly, I didn’t know what to expect once they shared this information. I was even a bit sceptical. All too often, reinterpretations of the past turn out to be… let’s just say, not very desirable.”

At long last, when the watch was unveiled and Giorgio saw it in the flesh, he describes that the watch fit his personality to a tee: “As soon as I put it on my wrist, I understood that I absolutely had to add it to my collection. It is a watch which encapsulates everything I mentioned before, elegance, discreetness and personality.

“Without a doubt, it is a watch which pleases my sense of aesthetics. I have had the pleasure of trying out both the version with the grey dial and the one with the blue dial, and truthfully, I find it difficult to say for sure which I like better.

“Later when I had to wear the watch for the photography for the campaign with Chopard, I wore it with a double-breasted blue suit by A. Caraceni and a combo by Tommy & Giulio Caraceni, two icons of Italian tailoring in the world.”

Giorgio’s thoughts on the watch aside, we also asked him on his take about the negative reception that the watch has received, contrary to his own liking for the Alpine Eagle. To this he responded, “What you say is true, but on my own Instagram account I have to say that there were a lot of people who also had positive things to say about the watch. I also appreciate that even Wei Koh, the founding editor of Revolution and The Rake had some great things to say about it.

“This is my absolute personal opinion, but I do believe that Chopard, with the Alpine Eagle, has succeeded in not only renewing an icon, but has also launched a watch which has opened Chopard up to a bracket of watch buyers, who might not have considered Chopard previously.”