Chopard’s Zagato Lab One Concept is a sporty high-end conceptual timepiece, that utilize titanium for strength and weight reduction.

This watch represents the third collaboration between Chopard and Italian design studio Zagato, emphasizing motorsport engineering principles in its design, drawing cues from concept cars, featuring a tubular architecture inspired by a racing-car chassis. Instead of traditional lugs, it has self-locking tubular loops that pivot up to 45 degrees for ergonomic fit on the wrist.

The Zagato Lab One Concept is presented in a lightweight anthracite-colored ceramized titanium case with a distinctive aesthetic befitting a concept timepiece. The 42 mm x 11.5 mm beadblasted ceramized titanium case, has been treated with an electroplasma oxidation technology, making it highly scratch-resistant (around 1000 Vickers hardness) while maintaining exceptional lightness. It weighs just 43.2 grams, including the strap.

Design elements reinforce the motorsport theme, such as a fuel gauge-style power reserve indicator at 12 o’clock and a crown engraved with a steering wheel motif. It also uses shock-absorbing “silent blocks,” analogous to automotive engine mounts, to protect the movement. 

 

A hand-wound, COSC-certified L.U.C Calibre 04.04-L movement, which includes a 60-second tourbillon with an aluminum carriage to reduce mass. The anthracite ceramized titanium movement mainplate itself serves as the dial, adorned with Zagato’s signature “Z” motif. The edges of the mainplate and bridges have been beveled, rhoidum-plated, and polished for a unique contrasting effect.

The Zagato Lab One Concept (Ref. 168636-3001) is topped with a box-style sapphire crystal, has a 50 meters water-resistance rating, and comes with two straps (a technical fabric with hook-and-loop fastener and anthracite-colored ceramized titanium loop, or calfskin leather with engraved pin buckle). It retails for $170,000 and is available in a limited edition of 19 pieces, with the number representing Zagato’s founded on April 19, 1919.

Final Thoughts

A cool, lightweight design, made in collaboration with a respected design house, and featuring a high-end L.U.C. movement. No indices marking the hour, no graduations indicating the minutes, and nothing around the 60-second tourbillon, will make reading and setting the precision timekeeping, even with a stop-second function, impossible. At least it has a clean, sporty, monochromatic design, and you know exactly how much power is left each day.

 

Photos by Chopard.