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Chopard Imperiale 29mm Stainless Steel Diamond and Amethyst Automatic Ladies Watch
Ref. 388563-3004
The Imperiale line is Chopard's clearest argument that a watch can be made to the same standard as jewellery without sacrificing the movement inside. This 29mm reference carries a COSC-certified in-house calibre — the 09.01-C, built and assembled in Chopard's own Swiss workshops — which is a meaningful commitment in a case this size. Forty-two hours of power reserve and a sapphire exhibition caseback mean the movement is both practical and worth looking at. The dial rewards closer attention than a photograph suggests. A mother-of-pearl centre with an engraved embroidery pattern sits beneath an outer track of Roman numerals and applied baton indexes, with dagger-shaped hands moving across it — a layered composition that catches light differently depending on angle. The lotus-flower crown, set with a single amethyst cabochon, is a small detail that announces itself only once you know to look, which is exactly the right way to carry something like that. The diamond-set bezel frames it all without overwhelming the dial beneath.
- Reference
- 388563-3004
- Brand
- Chopard
- Collection
- Imperiale
- Case size
- 29mm
- Case material
- Stainless steel
- Case shape
- Round
- Dial
- Silver
- Crystal
- Sapphire
- Movement
- Automatic
- Calibre
- Chopard 09.01-C
- Functions
- Date
- Water resistance
- 50m
- Bracelet / strap
- Stainless steel bracelet
- Strap colour
- Silver
- Clasp
- Folding clasp
- Lume
- Luminous
- Condition
- Ex-display
- Retailer
- Mappin & Webb
Additional specifications
- Power reserve
- 42 hours
- Gem set
- Yes
Learn more about Chopard
Louis-Ulysse Chopard founded a workshop in Sonvilier in the Jura in 1860, building pocket watches that sold well in Eastern Europe and Russia. The family ran it for three generations before the line ran out of successors, and in 1963 the company was sold to Karl Scheufele III, a Pforzheim jeweller.
The Scheufele family still owns it, and their dual background explains the house's character: Chopard is unusual in being both a serious watchmaker and a serious jeweller, with in-house capability in gem-setting and gold-working alongside movement production.
The Happy Diamonds concept of 1976 — loose stones rotating freely between two sapphire crystals — became the commercial engine of the jewellery side and remains instantly identifiable.
On the watch side, the L.U.C collection launched in 1996 with the calibre 1.96, a micro-rotor automatic that announced Chopard as a genuine manufacture rather than a fashion house buying movements. L.U.C watches have since collected Geneva Seal and COSC certifications and produced tourbillons, perpetual calendars, and minute repeaters made in Fleurier.
Chopard has timed the Mille Miglia since 1988, giving it a motorsport line with real provenance, and in 2018 moved its entire gold supply to ethically certified sources — the first major house to do so across all production.
- 1860
- Louis-Ulysse Chopard founds the workshop in Sonvilier.
- 1963
- Karl Scheufele III acquires the company.
- 1976
- Happy Diamonds introduces free-moving stones.
- 1988
- Chopard begins timing the Mille Miglia.
- 1996
- The L.U.C 1.96 establishes in-house movement production.
Also in 6 collections
This watch appears in Back in Stock (4,847), Stainless Steel Watches (3,197), Automatic Watches (1,736), Watches Under 37mm (1,704), Women's Watches (1,622) and Silver Dial Watches (718).
Best of 2 retailers
What the specifications mean
A mechanical watch for everyday wear.
Strengths
- 29mm wears small and slips under any cuff
- Sapphire crystal, which resists scratching
- Luminous hands and markers for low light
Worth knowing
- 50m suits rain and handwashing, not swimming
Chopard Imperiale alternatives
Watches from other brands at a similar price, style and size, so you can see what else your budget can buy.
| Specification | 388563-3004 | 178240 | 102711 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £6,735 | £6,855 | £10,200 |
| Case size | 29mm | 31mm | 33mm |
| Water resistance | 50m | 100m | 30m |
| Movement | Automatic | Automatic | Automatic |
| Strap | Stainless steel bracelet | Stainless steel bracelet | Leather strap |
| Power reserve | 42 hours | 48 hours | 60 hours |
| This watch |
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Your new watch
Frequently asked questions, and things you should know about this watch
Can I swim with it?
Showering yes, swimming no. 50m covers splashes and brief immersion, but a swimming stroke generates well above the pressure that figure describes.
Water resistance explainedWill the glass scratch?
Unlikely. Sapphire is second only to diamond in hardness and shrugs off everyday marking.
Sapphire, mineral and acrylic comparedDoes it need a battery?
No. It is automatic — the motion of your wrist winds it, and there is no cell to replace.
Quartz, automatic and solar comparedHow long does it run for when it's not worn?
About 42 hours fully wound — enough to survive a night off the wrist, but not a full weekend.
Is it a men's or women's watch?
Listed as women's.
Cheapest place to buy
Both Mappin & Webb and Goldsmiths list it at £6,735, so choose on delivery and warranty rather than price.
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