Chopard celebrates “La Santa Muerte” with unique timepiece
Chopard’s artisans celebrate Santa Muerte (the patron saint of death) through a one-of-a-kind timepiece in the L.U.C Perpetual T Spirit of ‘La Santa Muerte’. This unique model was presented to collectors at the SIAR, the prestigious watch show held in Mexico City in October 2018
Skulls, flowers, suns, guitars: Santa Muerte is admirably reflected through several fascinating motifs. In tribute to the culture of Mexico, Chopard unveiled an exceptional new timepiece named the L.U.C Perpetual T Spirit of ‘La Santa Muerte’. Entirely hand-engraved by the artisans of Chopard Manufacture, its gold case and dial are adorned with motifs typical of the Día de Los Muertos (Day of the Dead), which is generally celebrated as this saint’s feast day. Inside it, beneath the death mask, beats a supremely sophisticated calibre: a perpetual calendar tourbillon with a nine-day power reserve.
Confirming its credentials as an accomplished, expert and versatile Manufacture, Chopard presents a one-of-a-kind highly complicated watch entirely hand-engraved in-house. After paying tribute to the cultural symbolism of the Chinese zodiac, Chopard is turning to Mexico and the syncretic traditions surrounding Santa Muerte. Stemming from the Aztec civilisation and tinged with Spanish Catholicism, the Día de Los Muertos – Day of the Dead – is a joyful celebration of the cycle of life, an occasion for renewed awareness of the possibility of death, which in turn gives full meaning to life. A day of remembrance, the Día de Los Muertos also provides an opportunity for gifts, offerings and libations to the deceased, and to cultivate the ties that bind families on either side of the final frontier.
This macabre fiesta celebrated through deliberate touches of parody provides a wealth of ornamental elements with which Chopard adorns the generous rose gold case of the L.U.C Perpetual T Spirit of ‘La Santa Muerte’. Even the gold dial features the stylised Mexican Calavera skull, dotted with sun and floral-themed patterns. The tourbillon bridge appears as a moustache above a gentle grimace, and the perpetual calendar counters are sunny eyes. The very contours of the dial have been modified to trace the features of an emaciated yet inoffensive face.
The case of this exceptional timepiece houses one of the most prestigious horological combinations, featuring a perpetual calendar, tourbillon, and a nine-day power reserve achieved by the four barrels of the Quattro system. By spinning constantly around its axis, the tourbillon releases the watch from the effects of gravity. The L.U.C Perpetual T Spirit of ‘La Santa Muerte’ has successfully undergone the stringent COSC test procedure, as confirmed on the dial by the Chronometer inscription, a noble attribute to which Chopard co-president Karl-Friedrich Scheufele is strongly attached.
The entire L.U.C 02.15-L calibre is thus entirely decorated by hand in keeping with the highest Fine Watchmaking standards. The quality of these treatments, along with the principles adopted in its construction and design entitle the L.U.C Perpetual T Spirit of ‘La Santa Muerte’ to bear the ‘Poinçon de Genève’ quality hallmark, one of the most prestigious Swiss watch industry certifications. A hand-sewn black alligator leather strap with alligator leather lining lends a final touch of elegance to this finely crafted watch.
This one-of-a-kind model in 18-carat rose gold has a total diameter of 43 mm, and is water-resistant to 30 metres. The timepiece has an 18-carat rose gold crown with hand engraving, and the caseband hand-engraved with motifs inspired by the Day of the Dead, with the bezel hand-engraved with motifs inspired by Mexican iconography. Housing a mechanical L.U.C 02.15-L movement with manual winding, the Chronometer-certified (COSC), four barrels – Quattro technology – boasts a power reserve of 216 hours (approx. nine days).
The timepiece has a central display of the hours and minutes; the small seconds and tourbillon at 6 o’clock; the large date at 12 o’clock; and a perpetual calendar on the dial face, with the power-reserve indicator on the case-back side. A hand-sewn black alligator leather strap, chestnut brown alligator leather, with an 18-carat rose gold pin buckle, hand-engraved with motifs inspired by the Day of the Dead, lends an air of classic elegance to this ornate timekeeper.
