Luxury maison Chopard has made itself a formidable presence in the world of haute horlogerie and haute joaillerie. The Chopard Manufacture in Fleurier is now celebrating its 25 years and has unveiled an amazing collection of horological marvels and jewellery. We bring you a sneak peek at its offerings…
Chopard Manufacture in Fleurier celebrates 25 years
By dint of determination and perfectly controlled internal growth, Karl-Friedrich Scheufele has succeeded within a mere quarter of a century in equipping the Chopard group – of which he is Co-President – with independent watchmaking workshops of the highest order. Twenty-five years after its foundation, Chopard Manufacture is a comprehensive hub of skills encompassing all aspects of the art of watchmaking. It is moreover a profoundly human-driven initiative, regarded as an example worthy of imitation, firmly rooted in a tradition of fine craftsmanship and perpetuating the finest expertise. The L.U.C timepiece collection has become an inescapable name coveted by watch collectors and is now displayed in a new permanent showroom designed by Karl-Friedrich Scheufele to highlight the Manufacture’s numerous technical achievements and emblematic models.
L.U.C Full Strike
The L.U.C Full Strike is a new platinum limited edition for the crystal-clear minute repeater by Chopard Manufacture. Unique in terms of its design, its sound and its natural elegance, the L.U.C Full Strike timepiece is appearing in a new 20-piece limited series featuring a platinum case and a grey-blue dial. It combines the nobility of the L.U.C 08.01-L minute repeater movement with that of a precious metal as well as Haute Horlogerie finishes acknowledged by the ‘Poinçon de Genève’ quality hallmark. With this collector’s watch featuring chronometer-certified precision and patented innovations, Chopard Manufacture has created an exceptional minute repeater in which the sapphire crystal and gongs form a single entity, thereby generating a rich, crystal-clear, constant and powerful sound that is unique in the world.
L.U.C Flying T Twin
In 2019, Chopard Manufacture introduced its first self-winding flying tourbillon movement, the L.U.C 96.24-L. This extremely slim (3.30 mm) chronometer-certified calibre – equipped with L.U.C Twin technology based on two stacked barrels and high-precision functions including a stop-seconds function – powers the new L.U.C Flying T Twin timepiece. This ultra-thin 40 mm-diameter model with its classically pure design is made of ethical 18-carat white gold in a very limited numbered edition of 50. It is distinguished by its remarkable appearance featuring a blue dial graced with a hand-guilloché gold honeycomb pattern – a reference to the beehive symbol of Chopard Manufacture – and a matching leather strap. The technical and aesthetic prowess of this exceptional timepiece has been recognised by the prestigious ‘Poinçon de Genève’ quality hallmark.
Alpine Eagle Frozen
Inspired by the grace of the eagle and the majesty of the Alps, Chopard’s sporty-chic collection welcomes two new versions of the Alpine Eagle Frozen. Crafted in ethical 18-carat white or rose gold, their 41 mm-diameter case, bezel and integrated bracelet are entirely set with diamonds. These jewelled versions of the watch for ‘contemporary eagles’ are equipped with the mechanical self-winding Chopard 01.03-C movement and a 60-hour power reserve. Thanks to their abundance of diamonds, reminiscent of tiny flakes of frost covering glaciers, they shine with an ethical and responsible aura. The entire case, as well as the bezel, dial and each bracelet link are paved with 872 diamonds (totalling 12.27 carats) in ethical 18-carat gold – requiring no less than 20 hours of meticulous work for each timepiece.
Happy Snowflakes
Created in 1993 and featuring an innovative combination of steel and diamonds, the Happy Sport has been subtly distilling its audacity and modernity through the watchmaking world for almost three decades. It extends its power of seduction to snow-capped peaks with Happy Snowflakes, a capsule collection vividly illustrating the scope of Chopard’s talents and creativity. Like a snowball packed with joy and freshness breaking the monotony of winter, a 30 mm stainless steel watch stages iconic dancing diamonds and a dainty gold snowflake whirling on its finely hammered silver-toned dial. Available with a polished or diamond-set bezel, this timepiece beats to the rhythm of the Chopard 09.01-C automatic movement and a 42-hour power reserve. It is paired with a white leather strap and can be complemented by a matching pendant made of 18-carat white ethical gold and diamonds.
Happy Sport
Perpetually on the move and brimming with joie de vivre – such is the nature of Happy Sport. Constantly reinvented since its creation in 1993, it enjoys multiple lives, just like the women who wear its dancing diamonds that whirl as freely as the creative imagination pervading Chopard’s watchmaking workshops. The new Happy Sport, whose 36-mm case houses an automatic movement, is fitted with a metal bracelet and enlivened by warm, precious tones. The steel version features a pink dial, while the bi-material version in steel and ethical rose gold has a golden dial.
L.U.C GMT One Black
The timepiece is a contemporary twist on the dual-time watch by Chopard Manufacture. For true global citizens, the new L.U.C GMT One Black timepiece offers a casual, monochrome take on the dual-time travel watch. Its lightweight, ultra-durable case in ceramised grade 5 titanium and grey-on-black tonality make it the ideal timepiece to meet the demanding pace of life of a new generation of gentlemen. Along with the new L.U.C Time Traveler One Black worldtimer, it is the world’s first travel watch to use this advanced material for the case construction. Produced as a limited edition of 250 pieces, it brings a highly contemporary edge to the embodiment of the watchmaking art according to L.U.C, thanks to L.U.C Calibre 01.10-L, a dual-time movement entirely crafted by the artisans of Chopard Manufacture.
L.U.C Quattro Spirit 25
To celebrate the 25th anniversary of its creation, Chopard Manufacture presents its first jumping-hour timepiece: the L.U.C Quattro Spirit 25. Housed in a 40-millimetre case featuring the L.U.C collection’s characteristically sleek lines and crafted from ethical 18-carat rose gold, its innovative and ultra-sophisticated L.U.C 98.06-L movement is equipped with four barrels based on the exclusive Chopard Quattro technology enabling up to eight days of power reserve. This makes it one of the rare jumping-hour watches with such a degree of autonomy. From the movement to the white Grand Feu enamel dial on which the hours aperture appears at 6 o’clock, the entire watchmaking creation, issued in a 100-piece limited series, is produced in-house thanks to the artistic crafts mastered by the artisans of the Manufacture, thus ensuring a high level of finishing duly rewarded by the prestigious Poinçon de Genève.
L.U.C Time Traveler One Black
As freedom of travel becomes a reality once more for some, Chopard brings a new design and lightweight wearability to its most prestigious watch for globetrotters: the L.U.C Time Traveler One Black, a worldtime watch crafted by the artisans of Chopard Manufacture, produced as a limited edition of 250 pieces, according to the most sophisticated Fine Watchmaking criteria. It introduces a monochrome style ideal for the fast-paced lives of global citizens. Along with the new L.U.C. GMT One Black, it is the world’s first travel watch in ceramised grade 5 titanium, a material that is both ultra-light and very hard-wearing. Beating inside this timepiece is a movement of exceptional quality and invention: calibre L.U:C 01-05-L, created entirely in-house. This stunning fusion of innovative technology and traditional handcraft gives rise to the ultimate timepiece of a new generation of gentlemen travellers.
L’Heure du Diamant
When current trends are captured through ancestral watchmaking and jewellery expertise; when all the codes of aesthetic excellence converge, perfection gives way to pure emotion. It is in this spirit that the L’Heure du Diamant collection sums up the wealth of artistic crafts cultivated within Chopard, by artisans ranging from master watchmakers to gem-setters. The collection is reinvented in a series of cushion-shaped watches, fashioned from ethical 18-carat white or rose gold, graced with a precious rose gold, lapis lazuli or malachite dial and rimmed with diamonds. These creations feature the emblematic tree bark-textured gold bracelet sculpted using a proprietary technique and beat to the rhythm of the Chopard 09.01-C automatic movement. They bear within them the genius of skills patiently nurtured through the years by Chopard’s artisans of emotion.
Jewellery
Precious Lace Collection
Luminous, light-as-air and luxuriantly wearable jewels form the core of the Precious Lace collection from Chopard. With its intricate all-diamond jewels, the Precious Lace Collection is a contemporary classic of today’s jewellery world. Instantly recognisable as the maison’s stylistic signature, this jewellery line is light, lyrical and supremely feminine, as well as unmistakably Chopard in its effortless design and mastery of craft skills.
The collection, inspired by the lightness and whiteness of lace, plays with light and space, weaving diamonds and gold together in fluid, intricate openwork. The result is a fascinating dialogue between strength and fragility, substance and delicacy; between the eternal brilliance of the diamond and the ethereal weightlessness of a lace-like jewel floating over the skin, hovering between Haute Couture and Haute Joaillerie. A jewel that moves in harmony with the body, a sensual and silky second skin fully reflecting the values of the Fédération de la Haute Couture of which Chopard is a “jeweller” member.
Accessories
Chopard, master watchmaker and jeweller, is also renowned for crafting accessories designed for an art of living that is all about refinement and artisanal skills. The maison unveils a new selection of exceptional objects further broadening the universe of its collections.
