Festive choices from Chopard
Festivities that mark the end of the year carry with them both touches of nostalgia and optimism. This indeed is the time to gift loved ones precious gifts – to mark an anniversary or to inspire dreams. Haute Joaillerie and Horlogerie brand Chopard has a wide choice of gifts: for him, for her, and for the home
The House of Chopard understands that exceptional people deserve the best that life and the world has to offer. The Maison has a range of offerings for the festive season that includes horological masterpieces, dazzling jewellery, and unique accessories, with some of the brand’s collections spanning all the categories. Day & Night Magazine brings you a curated edition of the brand’s offerings.
WATCHES – L.U.C XPS 1860
The elegant and distinctive L.U.C XPS 1860 pays homage to the first watch in the L.U.C collection: the L.U.C 1860 launched 20 years ago at the creation of Chopard Manufacture. The watch, with its superb dial and ultra-thin case, combines elegance and sobriety with an in-house movement: the Calibre L.U.C 96.03-L.
One of Chopard’s ultra-thin watches, it features a small seconds dial and a date display at 6 o’clock, with 1860 referring to Louis-Ulysse Chopard’s founding of his watch manufactory. Its short, ergonomic lugs ensure a perfect fit for the 40 MM watch on even the smallest wrists. With a total thickness of just 7.2 MM, the L.U.C XPS 1860 comes with a stainless steel case. Its distinctive dial features a central part bearing a sophisticated hand-guilloché motif on the rose gold version and a sunburst satin-brushed pattern on the stainless steel version. Both finishes radiate from the logo at 12 o’clock.
Its Calibre 96.01-L, Chopard’s first in-house movement, is automatically wound via a 22-carat gold micro-rotor and has a 65-hour power reserve – amazing for ultra-thin watches. One of the few ultra-thin watches to display the date, the timepiece also has a seconds indication that is chronometer-certified by the COSC.
Mille Miglia GTS Automatic
Since 1988, when Chopard became the official timekeeper of “la corsa più bella del mondo”, the Mille Miglia has become a flagship collection of the brand.The Mille Miglia GTS is a complete collection composed of a three-hand watch with date display, a chronograph and a power-reserve model, with their eminently masculine curves inspired by the classic cars that took part in the race between 1940 and 1957.
The steel case of 43 MM is fitted with short, pointed lugs carefully tapered to ensure optimal comfort, while facetted hands emphasise the sports aspect of this timepiece. The watch’s Calibre 01.01-C – designed, developed and assembled in the Fleurier Ebauche workshops for the collection – equip both the Automatic and Power Control versions.
With robust construction, automatic winding, a 60-hour power reserve and “Chronometer” certification, the watch is built for the rigours of the racing track. In keeping with the racing motif, the dial of the GTS Automatic is black with red-and-white accents while the date aperture appears in the Mille Miglia red-arrow race logo with the distinctive presence of red on the dial, particularly on the minutes track and the seconds hand. This watch is available in steel with a rubber strap.
Imperiale watch
An authentic classic by Chopard, the Imperiale watch now welcomes a new variation highlighting the ultimate imperial colour, purple. The Imperiale watch distils a wealth of details representing subtle nods to the finest hours of the imperial age of the Roman Empire.
Noble Roman numerals frame the delicately engraved dial centre that evokes the motifs of the embroidered cushions on which monarchs used to place their royal insignia. The shape of the lugs is reminiscent of traditional ancient columns famed for their perfectly balanced proportions, while the curve of the hands recalls the sharp daggers used by sovereigns in combat.
Purple, the ultimate imperial colour, makes its grand entry on this new model, echoing the cabochon-cut amethyst shaped like a lotus flower and adorning the crowns of the Imperiale models. In this instance, it is associated with steel cases topped by polished or diamond-set bezels, lending a blend of strength and modernity to these new timepieces that are complemented by a purple alligator leather strap.
JEWELLERY – Imperiale
To accompany the horological creations in its collection, Chopard has now also introduced long ear pendants that are both sophisticated and contemporary, with a design inspired by the motif adorning the watch dials. Dainty diamond-set 18-carat white gold ‘cages’ surround facetted amethysts or gently clasp long drop-shaped amethysts.
Feminine and bold, Imperiale introduces the powerful purple of the amethyst in a generous setting of gold and sparkling diamonds. On every ring and earring, the precious stones are cut with an exquisite sense of detail and delicacy. The pendants and bracelets showcase metal crafted like lace.
Haute Joaillerie
The elegance of diamonds is showcased by the House of Chopard this season. Diamonds dazzle in the spotlight with two creations featuring a distinctive design that is entirely representative of the amazing creativity showcased in the Chopard Haute Joaillerie collections.
These spectacular jewellery creations are designed and crafted at the very heart of the Geneva-based Maison. The two new jewellery pieces to emerge from the Chopard Haute Joaillerie ateliers highlight diamonds in a variety of forms. These sparkling pear, marquise, oval and brilliant-cut gems meet and mingle to form two stunningly original creations testifying to the creativity of Chopard’s co-president and artistic director Caroline Scheufele: a long 18-carat white gold necklace composed of two diamond-set lacework motifs hemmed by brilliant-cut diamonds and complemented by matching earrings.
Precious Chopard collection
Radiating the graceful charm of blooming petals and the joyful flurry of a whirling tutu, the Precious Chopard collection is a dream ballet of dazzling colours that Chopard has designed as intricately as a great couturier would design costumes. Delicate and precious, finely wrought and set with luminous gems, the Precious Chopard collection is a lacework of intermingled creativity and emotion.
Jewelled watches along with matching necklaces, earrings and rings, all set with pear- and brilliant-cut stones, compose the Precious Chopard collection that is as refined as it is spectacular. Just as Haute Couture utilises only exceptional fabrics, the most precious stones have been incorporated to give life to this collection. For the festive season, Chopard adorns the jewellery in this collection with an exquisite corolla of emeralds and rubies.
The Precious Chopard collection embodies technical virtuosity dedicated to resolutely modern artistry, testifying to the broad stylistic repertoire of the Geneva-based House. Chopard creations belong to the finest Haute Joaillerie tradition and showcase the artistic skills of top craftsman: wax-sculpting experts, jewellers, stone-cutters, gem-setters and polishers. From lines to volumes, from goldsmithing to fashioning precious stones, the brand’s team continues to push the limits and combine their talents in breathing life into the most beautiful jewellery.
ACCESSORIES
Alongside its watchmaking and jewellery expertise, Chopard has developed a collection of accessories extending the reach of the Maison to encompass multiple expressions of luxury craftsmanship. The House of Chopard is a past master in the art of designing and creating privileged living areas, where excellent workmanship and the beauty of the objects that surround us on a daily basis help create an exceptional environment and an authentic quality of life. Such is the promise embedded at the core of every object bearing the signature of the Geneva-based Maison.
Cufflinks, handbags and clocks
For the end-of-year festive season, six exceptional objects that enrich the Chopard accessory collection has been unveiled by the marque. Each is produced with the same concern for quality and excellence embodied in the brand’s watches and jewellery.
With a nod to the famous Mille Miglia collection, a pair of cufflinks and a superb table clock reflect the stainless steel and black rubber design that powerfully evokes the legendary Italian car rally.
For gentlemen, a pair of onyx-set stainless steel cufflinks with rose gold accents is inspired by tourbillon wings, while an L.U.C 1860 alarm clock joins the iconic eponymous watch in tribute to the founding year of the Maison.
Chopard offers women a range of leather goods made from calfskin of the highest quality. The Imperiale collection is evoked through the use of embroidered motifs identical to the engravings on the dials of the watches, picked up on the clasp of an understated caviar-print cognac-coloured leather pouch, as well as on the silk strap of an elegant cognac-coloured bucket bag.
