Chopard is one of the last family-run watchmaking and jewellery company. Since the 1980s, Caroline and Karl-Friedrich have played an active part in the company, and are now Chopard’s current Co-Presidents. Karl-Friedrich, who manages the men’s collections, developed sports watches during the 1980s and the Chopard Manufacture in Fleurier, which produces the L.U.C movements, in the 1990s. In 2021, Chopard Manufacture marks its 25th anniversary
L.U.C Perpetual Chrono
Lightweight, versatile and precise, this very modern grand complication from the Chopard watchmakers combines extremely accurate chronograph and perpetual calendar functions. The combination of perpetual calendar and hand-wound chronograph has long been regarded by connoisseurs as one of the highest expressions of the watchmaker’s craft, which Chopard mastered five years ago with the presentation of its first L.U.C Perpetual Chrono timepiece. The latter houses the L.U.C 03.10-L movement, a veritable horological marvel notable for its integration of the most prestigious chronograph and perpetual calendar achievements. Carrying both “Chronometer certification” and the esteemed Poinçon de Genève, this masterpiece is now transformed with a lightweight grade 5 titanium case corresponding to the lifestyle of the contemporary gentleman. Water-resistant to 30 m, the watch enjoys a power reserve of approximately 60 hours. Combined with an artfully pared-back aesthetic, the new L.U.C Perpetual Chrono, produced as a limited edition of 20 pieces, offers a truly modern approach to classical Fine Watchmaking.
L.U.C GMT One Black
The new 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 for a new generation of gentlemen. The timepiece offers wearers total clarity across two time zones, with the local time displayed conventionally via the distinctive Dauphine hands of the L.U.C collection, and a second time zone indicated against a 24-hour track via a pointed GMT hand. For added utility, the two time zones are adjusted with separate crowns: the crown positioned at 2 o’clock manages the date and local time, while the crown at 4 o’clock moves the 24-hour disc. Produced as a limited edition of 250 pieces, the L.U.C 01.10-L movement powering this timepiece is equipped with a GMT function. It guarantees a generous 60-hour power reserve, while the meticulously hand-crafted movement finishing is visible through the display case-back.
L.U.C Time Traveler One Black
This worldtime watch is a limited edition of 250 pieces, and introduces a monochrome style ideal for 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. Beating inside is the calibre L.U:C 01-05-L, created entirely in-house. The timepiece displays complex information with absolute clarity via a series of concentrically arranged discs. A central date disc, indicated by a discreet hand, is surrounded by a chapter display for the hours and minutes of the local time zone, adjusted by a crown positioned at 2 o’clock, which also adjusts the time in the main time zone. A second crown at 4 o’clock is used to turn the disc bearing the reference cities of 24 time zones, synchronised on the city disc with local time. Wherever the wearer finds himself at a given moment, when the city for the local time zone is set to the 12 o’clock, all the time zones around the globe will display correctly.
L.U.C Quattro Spirit 25
To celebrate its 25th anniversary, Chopard Manufacture presents its first jumping-hour timepiece: L.U.C Quattro Spirit 25. Housed in a 40-millimetre case of ethical 18-carat rose gold, the timepiece displays the time on a pure white dial. The hours appear through an aperture at 6 o’clock, ensuring that the minutes hand does not obscure the sight of the hours change, which takes place instantaneously. The rose gold aperture frame accentuates the large black Arabic numerals showing the hours against a white background. Entirely made in-house, the watch is issued in a 100-piece limited series. The L.U.C 98.06-L movement equipping this timepiece is one of the few to offer up to eight days of power reserve. Thanks to the four stacked and series-coupled barrels based on the unique Chopard Quattro technology – which usually allows up to 216 hours of autonomy – the watch maintains a reserve above 190 hours despite the amount of energy required for the rotation of the hours disc.
L.U.C QF Jubilee
This anniversary creation, a 25-piece limited series, is powered by its L.U.C 96.09-L movement, equipped with Chopard Twin technology featuring two superposed barrels wound by a 22-carat gold micro-rotor, endowing the watch with a 65-hour power reserve. Featuring a 39 mm steel case, a perfectly legible sector dial and a strap made of responsible calfskin leather – along with certification from both the Official Swiss Chronometer Testing Institute and the demanding Fleurier Quality Foundation, the timepiece offers a sporty and casual interpretation of the L.U.C collection. Once favoured by naval officers who appreciated its clear legibility, the sector-type dial of the L.U.C QF Jubilee watch features a silvered sunburst centre, followed by a chapter ring in Chopard blue punctuated by chevron hour-markers, and finally, a silver-toned railway-track minutes circle with transferred black markings. The small seconds hand is set at 6 o’clock, with Super-LumiNova coating on the four main hour-markers, the round base of the chevron-style hour-markers, and the hours and minutes hands.
L.U.C XP Esprit de Fleurier Peony
For this edition in ethical 18-carat rose gold limited to eight pieces, Chopard has added the art of Grand Feu Enamel to its pool of in-house Métiers d’Art practices. Inspired by the antique decorative pocket watches found in the L.U.CEUM, Chopard’s museum in Fleurier, Chopard’s enamelling artisan has created a vibrant image of pink peonies blooming on a light green background. It takes the enamelling artisan an entire week to complete each dial for one of the eight watches. Visible through an open case back, the L.U.C 96.23-L mechanical self-winding movement is also beautifully decorated with Fleurisanne, an engraving technique by an in-house artisan. As with previous editions, the flower’s blooms are not confined to the dial but are exhibited as floral engraving on the gold bridges of calibre L.U.C 96.23-L – a slim Fine Watchmaking movement with an ethical 22-carat gold micro-rotor and two superposed barrels enabling the 65-hour power reserve linked to the Chopard Twin technology.
