Chopard Japan K.K. will launch the special content ” Keita Inagaki Goes Behind the Scenes of Watchmaking ” on its special website from July 24, 2024 ( Wednesday). In this content, rugby player Keita Inagaki, who will be the Japan Ambassador of Chopard’s Alpine Eagle from 2023, visits Geneva and Fleurier, Switzerland, and makes his first visit to Chopard’s headquarters and manufacture (workshops).
Click here for the special content “Keita Inagaki Goes Behind the Scenes of Watchmaking” special website.
![]()
Keita Inagaki had a conversation with Carl-Friedrich Scheufele, Co-President of Chopard, and visited workshops such as Gold Casting, Steel Hall, Polishing, and Métiers d’Art, where he interacted with artisans and enjoyed hands-on watchmaking experience. Four videos of the event are now available on the special website and on Chopard’s official YouTube channel. The four videos are now available on the special website and on Chopard’s official YouTube channel. Mr. Inagaki, known as “the man who never smiles,” also shows a rare(?) smile.
Inagaki shared his impressions of his visit to Geneva and Fleurier through an interview on the last day of his three-day visit to Switzerland.
-What do you think of your interview with Mr. Scheufele, Co-President of Chopard?
I was really looking forward to the opportunity to visit the headquarters and have a conversation with Mr. Scheufele, as I don’t think such an opportunity comes along very often in one’s life. I asked him many questions, but the one that stuck in my mind the most was his talk about sustainability initiatives. I heard that the entire company is committed to sustainability, with a clear understanding of the processes by which each material is used and transported. I was told that as the entire company works together on sustainability, there is also a competition within the company to see who has made what kind of efforts and actions. I think it is very difficult to maintain motivation for such efforts. As a rugby player, I have been struggling with how to motivate young players to continue their efforts, so it was a good learning experience for me, and I was again impressed by Chopard’s approach. It was also a time for me to learn and to be impressed once again by Chopard’s approach.
-I think that the team is very important to you, and I think that you have a lot to learn from the team.
Yes, I think so. I mentioned sustainability, but of course it is not only about sustainability. The younger generation must pass on the skills they have cultivated to the next generation. I learned a lot from them, including how to keep the younger generation motivated so that they can pass on their skills to the next generation.
-Inagaki-san is also an artisan and a professional in the rugby world. What were some of the most memorable conversations you had with local artisans?
I felt that each and every craftsman really takes pride in the work they are doing. Actually, I was able to experience some of the production processes myself. It was very delicate work, and my hands were shaking. I asked him, “How much of this work do you do in a day?” I asked, “How much of this work do you do in a day? The answer was ” 1,000 times. I couldn’t believe it.
-1,000 times. That’s amazing.
It’s a very detailed process, and it’s not at a level where you can see it. I had to use a microscope to remove burrs (protruding material) that were created during the machining process. I couldn’t focus at all. He said he does this 1,000 times a day. But the person who was speaking to me looked so confident and happy at the same time. I was very impressed by that. There are various processes in watchmaking, and craftsmen are in charge of each of them. Some craftsmen are in charge of very small parts in the movement, which are used at the very back, while others are in charge of the design of the dial. So there are many different sections. Hundreds of parts are used in a single watch, and I feel even more attached to it when I think that I am wearing a watch that was created by all of them through a series of detailed work.
-I thought that the attitude of “each person defending his/her position with pride” is also important in team sports such as rugby.
I think it is important. It is important to have pride in what you say and at the same time to take responsibility for it. If what you have done is released to the world, you are responsible for it. In that sense, and this is just my personal opinion, but I think that watchmaking and rugby are very similar in the way they are organized. In rugby, each person has his or her own role, and each part of a watch has its own role. If any one part stops functioning, the whole team stops functioning. This visit to Switzerland was also a time that made me think again about the significance of my existence in rugby, or rather, what I have to do. I also feel that I was given a wonderful opportunity to learn anew about the depth of watchmaking.
-What would you give a score for the work process you went through?
I’m not even going to give it a score (laughs). I work with two very thin pins, but they are so fine that I don’t feel like I can handle them. I received one of the pieces I worked on as a commemorative gift, but it was not at a level where I could see the quality of the workmanship. I will never forget the high level of skill of the artisans and the confidence on their faces as they did it without hesitation.
-What are your ambitions as an ambassador for the future?
Through this visit, I was reminded once again that I am truly proud to be involved with Chopard and to be a part of the Maison. I also learned about the background of the many craftsmen who work by hand to create the watches I wear today, and I really want to let everyone know about the charm of Chopard. I think we will have to explore how we can communicate this to the public, but one of the things I like about the “Alpine Eagle” is the compass rose motif in the design. One of my favorite parts of the Alpine Eagle is the design of the compass rose motif, which means “never lose sight of where you are going. I love the process of creating “Alpine Eagle” and the story behind the collection, and I want to share it with everyone.
About the Chopard Alpine Eagle
The Alpine Eagle is a contemporary, sport-chic collection that combines sophisticated mechanisms with a neat design, inspired by the lush nature of the Alps and the sheer strength of the eagle in its habitat. The collection is available in a variety of materials, including Lucent SteelTM, the Maison’s proprietary alloy made from 80% recycled materials, as well as titanium and ethical gold. With its round case with stylish three-dimensional sides, crown engraved with a compass rose, bezel with eight functional screws, and dial in colors inspired by the natural beauty of the Alps, the “Alpine Eagle” watch embodies elegance at its most contemporary. The Alpine Eagle is the embodiment of contemporary elegance.
1 4
Alpine Eagle 41 Price: ¥8,096,000 (tax included) Ethical rose gold case and bracelet, automatic, 41 mm diameter, aleatory blue dial
Read more 2 4
Alpine Eagle 41 XP TT price: 3,927,000 yen ( tax included ) Grade 5 titanium case and bracelet, self-winding, 41mm dia.
Read more 3 4
Ice cube ring price: ¥539,000 and up (tax included) 18k white gold
Read more 4 4
Ice cube pendant price: 968,000 yen ( including tax ) 18k white gold
Read more
Chopard Alpine Eagle official website
About Keita Inagaki
Born June 2, 1990 in Niigata Prefecture, Japan. Rugby player. Belongs to Saitama Panasonic Wild Knights. Nickname is ” Gakky “.
Although he plays a tough position in the front row of the scrum, he makes a lot of tackles and moves forward reliably when he has the ball. After winning his first cap for Japan in 2014, he was selected for the national team for three consecutive tournaments in 2015, 2019, and 2023. In 2019, he helped Japan advance to the last eight of the Rugby World Cup in Japan for the first time in history, and was catapulted into the limelight as “the man who never laughs. He is also known as a fashion leader and is known as “the fashion watchdog.”
