Chopard has added a new flying tourbillon watch to its IMPERIALE collection.
Issued in an eight-piece limited edition, IMPERIALE Flying Tourbillon watch features a diamond-set case in ethical 18-carat white gold, and a sparkling aventurine dial ‘embroidered’ with a mother-of-pearl marquetry lotus blossom.
Introduced in 1994, the Chopard IMPERIALE collection welcomes its first-ever flying tourbillon movement, L.U.C Calibre 96.24-C. Entirely designed and crafted by Chopard, this exclusive mechanism is one of the only ones on the market bearing both Chronometer-certification and the Poinçon de Genève quality hallmark.
Entirely crafted in the Manufacture’s workshops, Chopard’s flying tourbillon was launched in 2019 in the men’s L.U.C FlyingT Twin watch. Since then, this tourbillon mechanism has also been available in ladies’ limited series.
It now benefits from all the technical innovations developed over the last 25 years by Chopard Manufacture. Its remarkable slenderness–at barely 3.30mm thick for 194 components– ranks it among the thinnest in contemporary Haute Horlogerie.
L.U.C Calibre 96.24-C is equipped with a stop-seconds function. This technical feature, which is extremely rare in a tourbillon, enables even more accurate time-setting, and the IMPERIALE Flying Tourbillon is indeed chronometer-certified by the Official Swiss Chronometer Testing Institute (COSC).
This exceptional watch has earned the Poinçon de Genève, the prestigious hallmark that has been awarded since 1886 in recognition of the highest level of production quality for each component. Finally, Chopard Twin technology ensures that the IMPERIALE Flying Tourbillon has a 65-hour power reserve.
A tribute to the great historical empires, the style codes of the IMPERIALE collection are reflected in the dagger-shaped hands and the case lugs reminiscent of ancient columns. On the back of the model, a sapphire crystal reveals the Côtes de Genève motif as well as the diamond-paved platinum micro-rotor.
The case and lugs in ethical 18-carat white gold are adorned with sparkling diamonds. Their brilliance lights up the glittering midnight-blue sky of the aventurine glass dial on which a lotus flower in mother-of-pearl marquetry has blossomed.
Its wonderfully curved petals open on to a second flower, this time paved with diamonds. In place of the pistil, the flying tourbillon adorned with four petals also acquires a plant-like allure, thus instilling new poetry into the rotations of its infinitely small mechanism.
Technical details
Model: Chopard IMPERIALE Flying Tourbillon
Ref. 385389-1001
Edition
Eight-piece limited edition in ethical 18-carat white gold set with diamonds
Available exclusively from Chopard boutiques
Case
Ethical 18-carat white gold
Total diameter: 36.00 mm
Thickness: 9.12 mm
Water resistance 50 metres
Crown shaped like a lotus flower in ethical 18-carat white gold set with a diamond 5 mm
Case middle, bezel and lug cover in ethical 18-carat gold set with diamonds
Glare-proofed sapphire crystal
Exhibition case-back with glare-proofed sapphire crystal
Movement
Mechanical self-winding movement L.U.C 96.24-C
Winding via a diamond-set platinum micro-rotor
Number of components 194
Total diameter 27.40 mm
Thickness 3.30 mm
Number of jewels 25
Frequency 25,200 vph (3.5 Hz)
Power reserve 65 hours
Two stacked barrels – Chopard Twin technology
Flying tourbillon making one rotation per minute
Bridges adorned with the Côtes de Genève motif
Variable-inertia balance
Chronometer-certified by the COSC
Poinçon de Genève quality hallmark
Dial and hands
Blue aventurine dial with IMPERIALE flower-shaped tourbillon set with diamonds and mother-of-pearl
Rhodium-plated sword-shaped hours and minutes hands IMPERIALE Flying Tourbillon – Rhodium-plated IMPERIALE flower with blue small seconds index
Functions
Central display of the hours and minutes
Small seconds display at 6 o’clock on the flying tourbillon carriage
Stop-seconds function
Strap and buckle
Strap in shiny blue alligator leather
Pin buckle in ethical 18-carat white gold set with diamonds