Chopard: New Movement?

There are news coming out that Chopard is working on a new movement. This new movement will run at 10 Hz or 72,000 A/h. This would mean that this new movement will run twice faster as compared to the famous Zenith's El Primero. The El Primero runs at 5 Hz or 36,000 vph. Most movements runs at either 2.5 Hz (18,000 vph) or 4 Hz (28,800 vph). I will update this as we get more new. The other company that may be working on a 72,000 vph movement is De Bethune.

Just a bit of background. Faster oscillator offers better timekeeping. However, with faster oscillation, comes the problem of maintenance in terms of lubrication. These 'high-beat' escapements needs to have very lubrication and thus far, Zenith with its El Primero movement have persisted. Most manufactures find the 4 Hz (28,800 vph) a good compromise. However with developments in the use of silicon (pioneered by Ulysee Nardin) may make this workable.

Jargon:

vph: vibrations per hour

Hz: oscillations per seconds

A/h: 'alternance' per hour

Common movement frequencies:

2.5 Hz - 18,000 vph

3 Hz - 21,600 vph

4 Hz - 28,800 vph

5 Hz - 36,000 vph