Chopard L.U.C Full Strike Tourbillon Limited Edition in Ethical 18-Carat Rose Gold

June 16, 2022 MasterHorologer

Chopard expands its L.U.C Haute Horlogerie collection by introducing a multi complication timepiece incorporating the brand’s emblematic striking minute repeater mechanism and tourbillon. Limited to 20 pieces, this watch features an ethical 18-carat rose gold case.

Celebrating the 25th anniversary of the L.U.C collection, the L.U.C Full Strike Tourbillon model is one of the most sophisticated and most innovative Grand Complication watches ever created to date.

It follows in the footsteps of Chopard’s L.U.C Full Strike minute repeater timepieces, of which the first ethical rose gold edition was awarded the “Aiguille d’Or” best-in-show award at the 2017 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève. These timepieces feature a unique Chopard-patented system in which the gongs and sapphire crystal form a single entity, which resonates in its entirety to produce the chime.

Dressed in a 42.5 mm diameter and 12.58 mm thick case, the L.U.C Full Strike Tourbillon is distinguished by well-balanced proportions contributing to the characteristic elegance of the L.U.C collection. With its interplay of grey and gold colours between the case and strap, dial and hands, as well as between the movement’s steel and nickel silver components, this watch flaunts its aesthetic perfection at every level.

For the first time in the history of the Full Strike, the L.U.C Full Strike Tourbillon model has an almost entirely solid dial. Instead of broadly revealing the watch’s internal mechanisms, it reserves its openings for the two horological complications that make this piece so special.

The first cut-out between 9 and 11 o’clock, highlights the two mirror-polished steel hammers whose striking generates the chime. The other, at 6 o’clock, reveals the tourbillon of the L.U.C 08.02-L calibre.

Thanks to a cross-through sapphire crystal tourbillon bridge, nothing obscures the view of the spiral-shaped carriage bridge. The final touch, made possible by the use of sapphire with its multiple properties, lies in the four rounded notches. This L.U.C signature tourbillon bridge is derived from a design by the founder of the Maison, Louis-Ulysse Chopard.

The dial is made from a base plate in solid gold and this material remains visible along the openings, featuring mirror-polished edges. It also features a hand-guilloché radiating floral pattern belonging to the collection’s aesthetic repertoire that is then ruthenium grey-coloured by means of a galvanic treatment.

It is complemented by applied Roman numeral hour-markers and hands, all of which are gilded in a rose gold matching the case. The latter, like all Chopard’s watch and jewellery creations since 2018, is crafted from ethical gold.

Chopard Manufacture watchmakers have placed the tourbillon of the L.U.C 08.02-L calibre at 6 o’clock, beneath the seconds hand. Its high-quality steel carriage picks up the distinctive spiral design – a signature of L.U.C tourbillons.

This regulator further enhances the precision of the movement, a subject to which Chopard’s Co-President, Karl-Friedrich Scheufele, takes a resolutely uncompromising approach. It combats the adverse effects of gravity on the balance-spring and escapement by placing them in a variety of spatial positions.

The tourbillon placed on the Chopard Manufacture minute repeater mechanism thereby contributes to the extreme precision of L.U.C Calibre 08.02-L as well as to the obtention of chronometer certification from the Official Swiss Chronometer Testing Institute.

The L.U.C Full Strike Tourbillon is not a mere modification of the L.U.C Full Strike. Moving from a calibre comprising 533 components to one with 568 is not an addition, but a revolution. The decision to include a tourbillon regulator required a complete development process that involved rethinking interactions and layouts.

With such a delicate complication subject to as many parameters as the minute repeater, the Chopard Manufacture workshops had to ensure that this tourbillon would not in any way modify the acoustic qualities of the chime.

This equilibrium is preserved by the sapphire gongs that are all-of-a-piece with the watch glass, which acts as a resonator. Moreover, the fact that the minute repeater has its own barrel naturally eliminates any energy-related interference, while the presence of the tourbillon does not alter the striking reserve.

L.U.C Calibre 08.02-L inherits the unprecedented advances featured in the L.U.C 08.01-L: the first minute repeater movement introduced by Chopard Manufacture in 2016. In addition to its resonant structure, whose role is taken on by the sapphire crystal, several innovative technical systems have been added.

It also benefits from the innovations introduced in L.U.C Calibre 02.01-L in 2003. A total of seven are the subject of patents. In a minute repeater mechanism, the energy used by the strikework is provided each time the arming lever is activated.

Here, the energy comes from a separate, dedicated barrel wound directly by the crown. It enables the L.U.C Full Strike Tourbillon to chime a maximum of 12 times the most complex and energy-intensive time: namely 12 hours and 59 minutes.

This exceptional power reserve is due to several factors. Benefiting from a patented clutch-lever device, it ensures that the strikework gear train is blocked to avoid losing power reserve during the information capture that controls the minute repeater.

Keen to preserve the user-friendliness of the minute repeater and to make its operation as secure as possible, Chopard Manufacture has introduced a number of innovative systems. Thus, if the barrel no longer has sufficient force to power the minute repeater, a safety mechanism blocks its release. In addition, Chopard has filed a patent for a new strikework-activation device. As soon as it is activated, the pusher is disengaged, thereby making it impossible to disturb the running of the minute repeater or to damage it.

So as to optimise and perpetuate the acoustic richness of the monobloc sapphire crystal/gong system derived from the L.U.C Full Strike, Karl-Friedrich Scheufele has initiated a new approach. In 2018, while attending a concert given by violinist Renaud Capuçon, he realised that a minute repeater watch should be designed as a musical instrument and should deliver something more – namely emotion.

Renaud Capuçon is a virtuoso of his time as well as a specialist in acoustics and sound – just like his brother, cellist Gautier Capuçon. Both play instruments that are several hundred years old and which embody a perfection and uniqueness that have stood the test of time.

Karl-Friedrich Scheufele decided to call upon the two soloists to join forces with Professor Romain Boulandet – head of the Applied Acoustics Laboratory at Geneva’s HEPIA engineering school – whose work in an anechoic chamber perfectly isolated from noise pollution has demonstrated that the sound of Chopard’s minute repeater is powerful, harmonious and crystal clear.

Together, these experts have combined their skill and knowledge to conduct an analysis that goes beyond the purely measurable criteria of acoustics to enter another dimension: that of sound as perceived by the listener. The L.U.C Full Strike Tourbillon timepiece benefits from their analysis and their contribution, both scientific and emotional.

Thanks to Chopard’s unalterable sapphire gongs, the sound of the L.U.C Full Strike Tourbillon is unchanging, stemming from the orchestration of complementary talents: Karl-Friedrich Scheufele for watchmaking precision; Renaud and Gautier Capuçon for artistic and emotional endorsement; and Romain Boulandet for scientific expertise.

Technical details

Model: Chopard L.U.C Full Strike Tourbillon
Ref. 161987-5001

Edition
Numbered 20-piece limited edition in ethical 18-carat rose gold

Case
Ethical 18-carat rose gold
Total diameter 42.5 mm
Thickness 12.58 mm
Crown with integrated strikework pusher in ethical 18-carat rose gold with L.U.C logo 8.80 mm
Vertical satin-brushed caseband
Polished bezel and case-back, hand-engraved case-back
Exhibition back with sapphire crystal

Movement
Mechanical hand-wound L.U.C 08.02-L
Number of components: 568
Total diameter: 37.20 mm
Thickness: 8.90 mm
Number of jewels: 61
Frequency: 28,800 vph (4 Hz)
Power reserve: 50 hours
Mainplate and bridges in untreated nickel silver
Bridges adorned with Côtes de Genève motif
Chopard-patented one-minute tourbillon regulator equipped with a Chopard-patented monobloc pallet-lever
Minute repeater
Chopard-patented monobloc sapphire crystal and gongs
Chopard-patented variable-inertia balance
Chopard-patented clutch-lever device serving to block the strikework so as to avoid losing power reserve during information capture
Chopard-patented dedicated ratchet-driving mechanism serving to avoid pauses during chiming
Strikework-activation device serving to act on the pusher whether while it is chiming or not, in normal, low, continuous or fast mode (Patent pending)
Balance-spring with Phillips terminal curve
Chronometer-certified by the COSC
Poinçon de Genève quality hallmark

Dial
Dial in ruthenium grey hand-guilloché 18-carat rose gold
Chapter ring with snailed concentric circle pattern
Applied gilded Roman numerals
White transferred power-reserve graduations
Gilded Dauphine fusée-type hours and minutes hands
Gilded baton-type small seconds hand
Gilded baton-type power-reserve and strikework power-reserve hands
Railway-type minutes track engraved on the sapphire crystal
Tourbillon bridge in glare-proofed sapphire crystal

Functions
Minute repeater striking sapphire gongs (Chopard-patented system)
Tourbillon with small seconds display at 6 o’clock
Central display of the hours and minutes
Concentric display of the watch and strikework power reserves at 2 o’clock
Stop-seconds function

Strap
Strap in hand-sewn grey alligator leather with grey alligator lining
Folding clasp in polished and satin-brushed ethical 18-carat rose gold

Chopard L.U.C Strike One Limited Edition in Ethical 18-Carat Rose Gold

June 15, 2022 MasterHorologer

Chopard’s new L.U.C Strike One model chimes at the passing of each hour, on a patented monobloc sapphire of which the acoustics have received the artistic endorsement of virtuosos Renaud and Gautier Capuçon.

Equipped with the new L.U.C 96.32-L movement, this refined 40 mm diameter ethical 18-carat rose gold watch is chronometer-certified and bears the Poinçon de Genève quality hallmark. Its solid gold ruthenium grey dial is hand-guilloché with a honeycomb motif. With its crown-integrated pusher, its slender 9.86 mm size and its crystal-clear sound, the L.U.C Strike One model endows the passing of time with an elegantly resonant dimension.

As part of the L.U.C collection’s 25th anniversary celebrations, Chopard Manufacture is laying a new milestone in the history of Haute Horlogerie. Fifteen years after the presentation of its first watch with a striking movement, the collection is renewing the calibre, aesthetics and style of its L.U.C Strike One model.

Chopard Manufacture draws upon the knowledge and experience acquired with its L.U.C Full Strike model, its minute repeater watch launched in 2016 and winner of the “Aiguille d’Or” best-in-show award at the 2017 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève, as the L.U.C Strike One becomes the only chiming watch with a sapphire gong directly attached to the crystal.

The L.U.C Strike One timepiece picks up the aesthetic codes inaugurated with the L.U.C XPS 1860 model, starting with its solid gold dial in ruthenium grey, bearing a snailed rim and a hand-guilloché centre adorned with a honeycomb pattern. The beehive is one of the emblems that Louis-Ulysse Chopard chose to represent his workshops.

At 1 o’clock, the dial features a cut-out revealing the mirror-polished steel hammer that generates the chime through a likewise hammer-shaped opening. The periphery of the dial bears a railway-type minutes track, engraved on the sapphire crystal. Just below this is the element that makes the L.U.C Strike One so exclusive: a monobloc sapphire gong.

The chime-in-passing mechanism rings out only when the minutes hand reaches 12 o’clock. Twenty-four times a day, on the hour, its hammer is automatically armed and strikes the gong, just once. The sound thus produced resonates alone and must therefore feature exceptional intensity, clarity and length. In this solo performance, the chime represents a distillation of the expertise acquired by Chopard Manufacture in the field of striking mechanisms.

The new L.U.C 96.32-L features the typical architecture of L.U.C calibres, with its automatic winding via a micro-rotor in engraved ethical 22-carat gold. In addition, the Chopard Twin technology, with its double barrel, ensures a 65-hour power reserve even when the chiming mode is activated. This stability demonstrates the quality of Chopard’s developments and its management of energy issues.

In addition, this calibre boasts a number of new features compared to the first movement with a strikework presented by Chopard Manufacture in 2006. The first is that the pusher controlling the chime, previously located at 10 o’clock, is now integrated into the crown.

It is this pusher that enables the wearer to switch between silence and striking mode, indicated by a gold-ringed aperture at 12 o’clock. More discreet and also more comfortable on the wrist, this layout remains a Chopard-specific feature to date. In addition, the L.U.C 96.32-L movement is thinner than its predecessor, the L.U.C 96.14-L.

This in turn enables the case of the new L.U.C Strike One model to be less than ten mm thick at 9.86 mm, placing it firmly within the tradition of understated elegance characterising the L.U.C collection.

This is also reflected in its grey alligator leather strap with tone-on-tone alligator lining, secured by an ethical 18-carat rose gold pin buckle.

To optimise and perpetuate the acoustic richness of the monobloc sapphire crystal/gong system derived from the L.U.C Full Strike, Karl-Friedrich Scheufele has initiated a new approach.

He called upon the talents of two soloists (Renaud and Gautier Capuçon) and Professor Romain Boulandet – head of the Applied Acoustics Laboratory at Geneva’s HEPIA engineering school – whose work in an anechoic chamber perfectly isolated from noise pollution has demonstrated that the sound of Chopard’s minute repeater is powerful, harmonious and crystal clear.

The L.U.C. Strike One timepiece benefits from their analysis and their contribution, both scientific and emotional. Thanks to Chopard’s unalterable sapphire gong, the sound of the L.U.C Strike One is unchanging, stemming from the orchestration of complementary talents: Karl-Friedrich Scheufele for watchmaking precision; Renaud and Gautier Capuçon for artistic and emotional endorsement; and Romain Boulandet for scientific expertise.

Technical details

Model: Chopard L.U.C Strike One Limited Edition in Ethical 18-Carat Rose Gold
Ref. 161949-5001

Case
Ethical 18-carat rose gold
Total diameter 40.00 mm
Thickness 9.86 mm
Crown in ethical 18-carat rose gold with L.U.C logo 7.80 mm
Vertical satin-brushed caseband
Polished bezel and case-back, hand-engraved case-back
Exhibition back with sapphire crystal

Movement
Mechanical self-winding L.U.C 96.32-L
Number of components 275
Total diameter 33.00 mm
Thickness 5.60 mm
Number of jewels 33
Frequency 28,800 vph (4 Hz)
Power reserve 65 hours
Two barrels –Chopard Twin technology
Bridges adorned with the Côtes de Genève motif
Chime in passing
Chopard-patented monobloc sapphire crystal and gong
Balance-spring with Phillips terminal curve
Chronometer-certified by the COSC
Poinçon de Genève quality hallmark

Dial and hands
Dial in ethical 18-carat rose gold obtained by galvanic treatment
Hand-guilloché central medallion with honeycomb motif
Chapter ring with snailed concentric circle pattern
Applied gilded herringbone-type hour-markers
Gilded Dauphine fusée-type hours and minutes hands
Gilded baton-type small seconds hand
Snailed small seconds counter
Railway-type minutes track engraved on the sapphire crystal

Functions and displays
Chime-in-passing mechanism striking Chopard-patented monobloc sapphire crystal/gong system
Central display of the hours and minutes
Small seconds subdial at 6 o’clock
“Chime/silence” aperture at 12 o’clock
Stop-seconds function

Strap and buckle
Strap in hand-sewn grey alligator leather with grey alligator lining
Pin buckle in polished and satin-brushed ethical 18-carat rose gold

Edition
Numbered 25-piece limited edition

Chopard Happy Sport Automatic 33 mm in Ethical 18 Carat Rose Gold

June 15, 2022 MasterHorologer

Chopard’s iconic Happy Sport timepiece is now available in a 33mm version made of ethical 18-carat rose gold.

Crafted in accordance with the golden ratio, this Happy Sport watch is fitted with an ethical 18-carat rose gold bracelet. It houses the Chopard 09.01-C in-house movement and guarantees a 42-hour power reserve.

Since 2018, Chopard has become a pioneer in sustainable luxury by committing to using 100% ethical gold in the production of its watches and jewellery. With this new Happy Sport model, ethical 18-carat rose gold flaunts its luminous radiance through a total-look interpretation.

Five dancing diamonds whirl and twirl on the dial. The dance of the diamonds echoes the flawless proportions of the Happy Sport, whose 33 mm-diameter case is inspired by the rules of the golden ratio and dictated by the size of the Chopard 09.01-C movement with which the collection is equipped.

Technical details

Model: Chopard Happy Sport

References
Ref. 275378-5008 – in ethical 18-carat rose gold
Ref. 275378-5009 – in ethical 18-carat rose gold with diamond-set bezel

Case
Ethical 18-carat rose gold
Total diameter: 33 mm
Thickness 10.84 mm
Water resistance: 30 metres
Facetted crown in ethical 18-carat rose gold set with a sapphire 5.50 mm
Bezel in 18-carat rose gold, polished or set with diamonds
Glare-proofed sapphire crystal
Exhibition case-back with the Happy Sport logo

Movement
Mechanical movement with automatic winding Chopard 09.01-C
Number of parts: 148
Total diameter: 20.40 mm
Thickness: 3.65 mm
Number of jewels: 27
Frequency: 25,200 vph (3.5 Hz)
Power reserve: 42 hours

Dial and hands
Gilded sunburst satin-brushed dial
Five dancing diamonds
Gilded Roman hour-markers
Navy blue railway-type minutes track
Sword-shaped hours and minutes hands
Gilded central sweep-seconds hand

Functions
Hours, minutes, seconds

Bracelet and buckle
Bracelet in ethical 18-carat rose gold
Triple folding clasp in ethical 18-carat rose gold

Chopard L.U.C Full Strike Sapphire Limited Edition

June 15, 2022June 15, 2022 MasterHorologer

Created to mark the 25th anniversary of the Chopard L.U.C collection, the limited edition Full Strike Sapphire is the first minute repeater watch whose case is made entirely of sapphire.

The 42.5 mm diameter case is 11.55 mm thick, with well-balanced proportions identical to previous versions of the L.U.C Full Strike, and which contribute to the characteristic elegance of the L.U.C collection. The bezel, caseband, crown, case-back and rear glass are all made of sapphire crystal.

In addition, the dial too is made of sapphire. Its distinctively cut shape enhances the indication elements essential for reading. Absolute transparency can in fact have the effect of blurring the view and Chopard has remedied this by creating a railway-type minutes track engraved on the sapphire crystal and painted.

It complements a chapter ring punctuated with rhodium-plated herringbone-shaped applied hour-markers, and black transferred counterparts. The sapphire ring is interrupted by three elements. The first is the off-centre seconds counter. The second is an applied white gold plate bearing the “L.U.CHOPARD” logo.

The third is the concentric power-reserve indicator in which two hands respectively indicate the energy remaining in the barrel that drives the movement as well as in the other powering the minute repeater.

The L.U.C Full Strike Sapphire is the first non-metallic timepiece to bear the prestigious Poinçon de Genève quality hallmark, covering both the design and finishing of the movement and the case. In addition, the L.U.C Full Strike Sapphire watch inherits the latest advances with which the L.U.C 08.01-L movement is endowed. Its patented resonant sapphire structure is complemented by several innovative technical systems, four of which are patented.

In a minute repeater mechanism, the energy required by the strikework is provided each time the winding lever is activated. Here, the energy comes from a separate, dedicated barrel wound directly by the crown. It enables the L.U.C Full Strike Sapphire to chime the most complex and energy-intensive time of day (or night) – namely 12 hours and 59 minutes – up to 12 times.

This exceptional autonomy is due to several factors. It benefits from the contribution of a patented clutch-lever mechanism that ensures that the strikework going train is blocked, to avoid losing power reserve during the information capture that controls the minute repeater.

This autonomy is moreover also the result of Chopard Manufacture’s experience in multiple barrels. Since it has an autonomous energy source, the strikework systematically respects the defined rhythm, whatever the time that is chimed and however many times it chimes.

So as to optimise and perpetuate the acoustic richness of the monobloc sapphire crystal/gong system derived from the L.U.C Full Strike, Karl-Friedrich Scheufele has initiated a new approach. In 2018, while attending a concert given by violinist Renaud Capuçon, he realised that a minute repeater watch should be designed as a musical instrumentand should deliver something more – namely emotion.

Renaud Capuçon is a specialist in acoustics and sound – just like his brother, cellist Gautier Capuçon. Both play instruments that are several hundred years old and which embody a perfection and uniqueness that have stood the test of time.

Together, these experts have combined their skill and knowledge to conduct an analysis that goes beyond the purely measurable criteria of acoustics to enter another dimension: that of sound as perceived by the listener. The L.U.C Full Strike Sapphire timepiece benefits from their analysis and their contribution.

Technical details

Model: Chopard L.U.C Full Strike Sapphire
Numbered five-piece limited edition in sapphire
Ref. 168604-9001

Case
Transparent sapphire
Total diameter 42.50 mm
Thickness 11.55 mm
Crown with integrated strikework pusher in sapphire, with L.U.C logo 8.80 mm
Polished caseband, bezel and case-back, engraved case-back
Exhibition case-back fitted with sapphire crystal
Sapphire crystal with two Chopard-patented integrated monobloc gongs

Movement
Mechanical hand-wound L.U.C 08.01-L
Number of components: 533
Total diameter: 37.20 mm
Thickness: 7.97 mm
Number of jewels: 63
Frequency: 28,800 vph (4 Hz)
Power reserve: 60 hours
Mainplate and bridges in untreated nickel silver
Bridges adorned with Côtes de Genève motif
Minute repeater
Chopard-patented monobloc sapphire crystal and gongs
Chopard-patented variable-inertia balance
Chopard-patented clutch-lever device serving to block the strikework so as to avoid losing power reserve during information capture
Chopard-patented dedicated ratchet-driving mechanism serving to avoid pauses during chiming
Strikework-activation device serving to act on the pusher whether it is chiming or not, in normal, low, continuous or fast mode (patent pending)
Balance-spring with Phillips terminal curve
Chronometer-certified by the COSC
Poinçon de Genève quality hallmark

Dial and hands
Open-worked sapphire dial
Applied logo plate in 18-carat white gold with black transfers
Satin-brushed chapter ring
Satin-brushed small seconds
Railway-type minutes track engraved on the sapphire crystal
Black transfers
Applied rhodium-plated herringbone-type hour-markers
Applied rhodium-plated Dauphine hours and minutes hands
Rhodium-plated baton-type small seconds hand
Rhodium-plated baton-type movement power-reserve and strikework power-reserve hands

Functions
Minute repeater striking sapphire gongs (Chopard-patented system)
Central display of the hours and minutes
Small seconds display at 6 o’clock
Concentric display of the watch and strikework power reserves at 2 o’clock
Stop-seconds function

Strap and buckle
Strap in hand-sewn grey alligator leather with grey alligator lining
Folding clasp in polished and satin-brushed ethical 18-carat white gold

Chopard L.U.C XPS 1860 Officer Limited Edition in Ethical 18-Carat Yellow Gold

June 14, 2022June 14, 2022 MasterHorologer

The new L.U.C XPS 1860 Officer timepiece from Manufacture Chopard boasts an exceptionally refined 18-carat hand-guilloché dial, framed by an ethical 18-carat yellow gold case.

Limited to 50 pieces, this 40 mm watch with a Forest Green dial is chronometer-certified and bears the Poinçon de Genève quality hallmark. It also incorporates a hinged officer-type back cover inspired by vintage pocket watches.

The honeycomb motif appearing on the outside of the back cover matches that of the dial, naturally catching the light and capturing the gaze. A closer look reveals the true nature of the L.U.C XPS 1860 Officer watch, when the wearer presses the crown to open the back cover concealing its sapphire crystal case-back. It opens via an ingenious spring system and remains in that position.

Officer-type back covers served to protect pocket watch glasses, as well as providing space for unique and personalised engravings.

The Forest Green dial of the L.U.C XPS 1860 Officer timepiece is crafted on a solid gold base. Its outer section is sunburst satin-brushed and its small seconds subdial at 6 o’clock is finely snailed. A hand-guilloché honeycomb motif adorns the central part, a motif appearing in an enlarged version on the outside of the back cover.

The inside of the back cover protecting the L.U.C XPS 1860 Officer picks up the hand-engraving of the beehive and bees, with the latter appearing in a random manner that ensures each model is truly unique.

A single press on the crown-integrated pusher of the L.U.C XPS 1860 Officer timepiece is enough to open the hinged back cover.

This slender cover barely changes the volume of the watch which remains a mere 7.7 mm thick, nor its feel on the wrist. It merely serves to conceal – inside the case in ethical 18-carat yellow gold case with its vertical satin-brushed flanks – the ultra-thin L.U.C Calibre 96.01-L.

In 1997, this innovative movement gave rise to the L.U.C collection by equipping the yellow gold L.U.C model: the first timepiece by Chopard Manufacture, named “Watch of the Year” at the time of its launch by the Swiss Montres Passion (Uhrenwelt) magazine.

The L.U.C XPS 1860 Officer watch proudly bears the Poinçon de Genève quality hallmark. These criteria apply to the case and the movement, including structural elements, precision and the omnipresence of superlative surface finishing.

The L.U.C Calibre 96.01-L is equipped with an engraved micro-rotor in ethical 22-carat gold, whose high inertia optimises its efficiency. It supplies two barrels stacked in accordance with Chopard’s Twin technology and guaranteeing a 65-hour power reserve. These enable L.U.C Calibre 96.01-L to beat with chronometer-certified precision.

Technical details

Model: L.U.C XPS 1860 Officer Limited Edition in Ethical 18-Carat Gold
Ref. 161242-0001

Case
Ethical 18-carat yellow gold
Total diameter 40.00 mm
Thickness 7.70 mm
Water resistance 30 metres
Crown in ethical 18-carat yellow gold with L.U.C logo 5.00 mm
Vertical satin-brushed flanks and inter-horn space
Polished bezel and case-back
Glare-proofed sapphire crystal
Exhibition back protected by a crown-activated hinged cover
Inside of back cover bears the historical Chopard Manufacture logo
Outside of back cover adorned with a hand-guilloché honeycomb motif

Movement
Mechanical self-winding L.U.C 96.01-L
Total diameter 27.4 mm
Thickness 3.30 mm
Number of jewels 29
Frequency 28,800 vph (4 Hz)
Power reserve 65 hours
Winding via a micro-rotor in ethical 22-carat gold
Two barrels – Chopard Twin technology
Bridges adorned with Côtes de Genève motif
Chronometer-certified (COSC)
Poinçon de Genève

Dial and hands
Forest Green dial in 18-carat gold
Chapter ring with sunburst satin-brushed decoration centred around the Chopard logo
Hand-guilloché honeycomb motif
Gilded Dauphine-type hours, minutes and small seconds hands

Functions and displays
Central display of the hours and minutes
Small seconds at 6 o’clock
Date at 6 o’clock
Stop-seconds function

Strap and buckle
Hand-sewn brown alligator leather strap with green alligator lining
Pin buckle in ethical 18-carat yellow gold

Edition
Limited edition of 50 pieces

Chopard Happy Sport Chrono

June 14, 2022 MasterHorologer

Chopard’s iconic Happy Sport has been reinvented in a new chronograph version. This sporty watch for women features a 40 mm-diameter case made entirely of ethical 18-carat rose gold or a bi-material version made of stainless steel and ethical 18-carat rose gold. Certifying its Happy Sport identity, seven dancing diamonds swirl around its elegant dial.

**Chopard Happy Sport Chrono ethical 18-carat rose gold and bi-material versions ©Federal-Studio**

On the right-hand side of the case, Chopard Happy Sport Chrono has two distinctive pushers without detracting from the roundness and balance of the collection’s characteristic design.

On the gilded – or silver-toned for the bi-material version – dial featuring a sunburst satin-brushed and guilloché centre, the hours and minutes counters required for the timekeeping functions are likewise harmoniously integrated, with blue transfers ensuring perfect legibility. The Super LumiNova® coating on the hour-markers and hands ensure the time can be read in the dark.

These timepieces proudly reflect the commitment to sustainability upheld by Chopard, which since July 2018 has been using 100% ethical gold in the production of its watches and jewellery.

The Chopard Happy Sport Chrono is driven by a precision chronograph self-winding movement, certified by the Official Swiss Chronometer Testing Institute. It offers a 54-hour power reserve.

Matching the blue dial transfers, the blue leather strap makes the watch perfectly comfortable to wear, while emphasising the casual look typical of Happy Sport women.

Technical details

Model: Chopard Happy Sport Chrono

References
Ref. 274653-5001 – in ethical 18-carat rose gold with midnight blue alligator leather strap
Ref. 278615-6001 – in stainless steel and ethical 18-carat rose gold with blue calf leather strap

Case
Ethical 18-carat rose gold or stainless steel
Total diameter 40 mm
Thickness 13.90 mm
Water resistance 50 metres
Fluted and bevelled crown in ethical 18-carat rose gold set with a facetted sapphire 7.10 mm
Polished and bevelled pushers in ethical 18-carat rose gold
Polished and bevelled cabochons
Bezel in ethical 18-carat rose gold
Glare-proofed sapphire crystal
Exhibition case-back with screws, bearing the Happy Sport logo

Movement
Mechanical self-winding chronograph movement
Total diameter: 28.60 mm
Thickness: 6.10 mm
Number of jewels: 37
Frequency: 28,800 vph (4 Hz)
Power reserve: 54 hours
Chronometer-certified (COSC)

Dial and hands
Sunburst satin-brushed gilded or silver-toned dial with guilloché centre
Navy blue transfers
Seven dancing diamonds
Gilded hour-markers with Super-LumiNova®
Gilded cone-shaped hours and minutes hands enhanced with Super-LumiNova®
Gilded baton-type central sweep-seconds hand

Functions and display
Central display of the hours, minutes and chronograph seconds
12-hour counter at 6 o’clock
Happy Sport Chrono – 4/4
30-minute counter at 9 o’clock
Small seconds at 3 o’clock
Date between 4 and 5 o’clock

Strap and buckle
Matt blue alligator leather strap with tone-on-tone stitching or blue calf leather with beige stitching
Buckle in ethical 18-carat rose gold or stainless steel

Chopard Alpine Eagle XL Chrono in Lucent Steel A223

June 13, 2022 MasterHorologer

Available with a contemporary rubber strap for the first time, the new Alpine Eagle XL Chrono in Lucent Steel A223 comes with an Aletsch Blue or Pitch Black dial.

The new Alpine Eagle XL Chrono models feature a sporty and masculine extra-large 44 mm-diameter case forged from Lucent Steel A223, an innovative steel alloy developed by Chopard for its anti-allergenic properties, its robustness and its incomparable brilliance achieved through a meticulous recasting process.

The discreet right-hand pushers relating to the chronograph functions are subtly integrated on either side of the crown guards and preserve the collection’s characteristically harmonious shape and symmetry.

The Alpine Eagle XL Chrono is equipped with the Chopard 03.05-C caliber. Developed and assembled by the artisans in the Maison’s watchmaking workshops, it is one of the world’s most innovative chronograph movements. It has a 60-hour power reserve and features an elaborate design guaranteeing accurate adjustments and optimal use of the chronograph functions.

Equipped with a column wheel, Cal. 03.05-C is also enhanced by several technical innovations that have earned Chopard three patents.

First of all, it is equipped with a unidirectional gear drive system that prevents energy losses while ensuring rapid winding, a function much appreciated in the inherently energy-hungry chronograph category. In addition, its vertical clutch ensures accurate time-measurement starts. This chronograph calibre is also of the flyback variety, enabling smooth successive timing operations thanks to three pivoting hammers with elastic arms facilitating zero-setting of the counters.

Equipped with a stop-seconds function enabling accurate adjustments of the watch, the Chopard 0.305-C movement is chronometer-certified by the Official Swiss Chronometer Testing Institute.

Already available with an integrated metal bracelet and a leather option, the Alpine Eagle XL Chrono model treats itself to a new look with a rubber strap.

The multiple advantages of this material make it an ideal ally for sports chronographs subjected to the most extreme conditions: water-resistant, lastingly reliable, malleable and comfortable to wear, it gives the timepiece a particularly dynamic look.

In using rubber, the workshops of the Maison have preserved the elegance and identity of the Alpine Eagle by reprising the shape of the metal-link bracelet – slightly tapering with a raised central cap – that is an integral part of the collection’s DNA.

The material is different, while the identity and well-balanced proportions remain signature features of these new contemporary chronographs. Rubber also lends itself to colour, since the strap adapts to the blue or black dial of each of the two new Alpine Eagle XL Chrono models.

Chopard cultivates a longstanding tradition of sporty rubber straps. In 1995, the Maison’s workshops were among the first to adopt this material with its strong creative potential by reproducing the rubber treads of 1960s Dunlop tyres on the straps of its Mille Miglia chronograph collection. This trend that has been continuously nurtured by the Mille Miglia models has since spread widely across the watchmaking scene.

Drawing inspiration from the beauty of Nature, the collection remains loyal to the shade of its dial referring to the Aletsch glacier (the largest in Switzerland) for the blue version; and to the intense blackness of mountain nights when wild Nature reclaims its rights for the Pitch Black dial. The texture and sunburst pattern evoke an eagle’s iris.

The seconds hand with its arrow-shaped tip flies over a highly legible display punctuated by snailed counters. The hands and hour-markers are coated with Grade XI Super-LumiNova®, a treatment offering the advantage of retaining the same intensity over the years, while naturally more luminous than traditional Super-LumiNova®.

The tachymeter scale bearing discreet red 100, 160 and 240 graduations appears on the inner bezel ring. It is divided into four steps, with different intervals of 5, 10, 20 or 40 km/h per line. This arrangement facilitates reading the average speed measurements and contributes to the dial’s overall aesthetic dynamic.

Technical details

Model: Chopard Alpine Eagle XL Chrono

References
Ref. 298609-3003 – in Lucent Steel A223 with Aletsch Blue dial
Ref. 298609-3004 – in Lucent Steel A223 with Pitch Black dial

Case
Material: Lucent Steel A223
Total diameter: 44.00 mm
Thickness: 13.15 mm
Crown in Lucent Steel A223 with compass rose 8 mm
Crown guards and pushers in Lucent Steel A223
Caseband in Lucent Steel A223
Bezel in Lucent Steel A223 with eight screws set at a tangent
Glare-proofed sapphire crystal
Exhibition case-back with sapphire crystal and Alpine Eagle logo
Water resistance: 100 metres

Movement
Mechanical self-winding movement Chopard 03.05-C
Integrated column-wheel chronograph mechanism
Number of components 310
Diameter 28.80 mm
Thickness 7.60 mm
Number of jewels 45
Frequency 28,800 vph (4 Hz)
Power reserve 60 hours
Annual balance with balance-spring featuring a flat terminal curve
Patented chronograph zero-resetting mechanism with pivoting hammers and elastic arms
Patented unidirectional gear drive
Patented vertical clutch system
Open-worked central rotor with tungsten alloy
Chronometer-certified by the COSC

Dial and hands
Brass dial stamped with an Aletsch Blue or Pitch Black sunburst pattern achieved by galvanic treatment and inspired by the eagle’s iris
Applied numerals and hour-markers, rhodium-plated and enhanced with Grade X1 Super-LumiNova®
Snailed Aletsch Blue or Pitch Black chronograph counters
Baton-type hours and minutes hands, rhodium-plated and enhanced with Grade X1 Super-LumiNova®
Rhodium-plated arrow-type seconds hand with eagle feather-shaped counterweight
Rhodium-plated red-tipped chronograph counter hands
Transferred white and red graduations on the tachymeter scale

Functions
Central hours, minutes and chronograph seconds
Semi-instantaneous minutes counter display
Semi-instantaneous date indication between 4 and 5 o’clock
Chronograph with flyback function
30-minute counter at 3 o’clock
12-hour counter at 9 o’clock
Small seconds at 6 o’clock
Tachymeter
Stop-seconds function

Strap and buckle
Blue or black rubber strap with titanium insert
Pin buckle in Lucent Steel A223

Chopard Alpine Eagle Flying Tourbillon in Lucent Steel A223

June 13, 2022June 13, 2022 MasterHorologer

Chopard Alpine Eagle is a line of contemporary sporty-chic watches featuring a pure design and sophisticated mechanics.

Now the collection welcomes its first complication watch to bear the Poinçon de Genève quality hallmark thanks to an innovative flying tourbillon movement. Boasting an attractive Aletsch Blue dial, this timepiece in Lucent Steel A223 houses the ultra-thin L.U.C 96.24-L self-winding calibre developed by Chopard Manufacture.

The Chopard Alpine Eagle Flying Tourbillon one of the very few flying tourbillon watches to bear double Chronometer and Poinçon de Genève certification.

Dressed in a case measuring 41 mm in diameter and an integrated bracelet, it is made entirely in the Maison’s workshops from Lucent Steel A223, an exclusive, ultra-resistant and remarkably brilliant alloy. A 6 o’clock opening on its textured Aletsch Blue dial reveals a transparent and light tourbillon mechanism that endows the entire creation with its elegantly sophisticated character.

Inspired by a historical Chopard model reinterpreted by three generations of men from the Scheufele family, the Alpine Eagle collection has been constantly enriched since its launch by new innovations. The latest is a flying tourbillon movement developed thanks to the watchmaking expertise of Chopard Manufacture, which celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2021.

The L.U.C 96.24-L flying tourbillon movement is based on the development of Chopard Manufacture’s first calibre (L.U.C 96.01-L presented in 1997) and is similarly slim, at only 3.30 mm.

This ultra-thin movement made it possible to optimise the size of the Alpine Eagle Flying Tourbillon watch: the case has been reduced to just 8 mm thick, and the flanks and bezel have been trimmed down compared to a classic Alpine Eagle Large model, offering a wider dial aperture. These well-balanced proportions, a signature feature of the collection, endow the timepiece with an elegant and graceful appearance entirely suited to the lightness of the complication.

The L.U.C 96.24-L movement is equipped with a stop-seconds function enabling precise time setting. This precision is certified by the Official Swiss Chronometer Testing Institute, evidenced by the “Chronometer” inscription on the dial below the logo.

Among the flying tourbillon watches on the market, those by Chopard are the only ones to receive both Chronometer certification and the prestigious Poinçon de Genève quality hallmark.

The latter guarantees the fine craftsmanship and smooth operation of the timepieces assembled within the Canton. Stamped on the case-back of the watch, it depicts the city of Geneva’s coat-of-arms composed of a golden key and above all of an eagle: a symbol reminiscent of the original inspiration behind the Alpine Eagle collection.

Thanks to its two stacked barrels based on Chopard Twin technology, the movement guarantees a 65-hour power reserve, and its automatic winding is driven by a 22-carat gold micro-rotor whose density contributes to the slenderness of the movement. Finely crafted by the artisans of the Maison, each of its components is adorned with a Côtes de Genève motif recalling the attention to detail cultivated by Chopard Manufacture.

With its pure and assertive design, the Alpine Eagle collection reflects Chopard’s creative richness and visionary spirit as well as drawing inspiration from the power of Nature.

The Chopard Alpine Eagle Flying Tourbillon model is faithful to this aesthetic: a round case with stylised sides, a crown engraved with the compass rose, a bezel with eight functional screws set at a tangent, a stamped dial featuring deep colours, luminescent indications, and finally a metal bracelet that is particularly comfortable on the wrist.

The Alpine Eagle Flying Tourbillon is made from Lucent Steel A223, an innovative steel alloy developed by Chopard for its anti-allergenic properties, its robustness and its incomparable brilliance obtained through a meticulous re-smelting process.

Its Aletsch Blue dial is finely textured on a solid gold base according to a pattern inspired by the eagle’s iris. Centred on the tourbillon at 6 o’clock, this radiant design highlights the mechanism by emphasising its perfect transparency.

The collection’s aesthetic codes are also picked up on the arms of the tourbillon carriage, specially redesigned in the same shape as the gold hands on the dial, while the tourbillon carriage bears the small seconds hand, which has been meticulously coated with SLN X1 by the artisans of the Manufacture.

Technical details

Model: Chopard Alpine Eagle Flying Tourbillon in Lucent Steel A223
Ref. 298616-3001

Case
Material: Lucent Steel A223
Total diameter: 41.00 mm
Thickness: 8 mm
Lucent Steel A223 crown with compass rose 665 mm
Vertical satin-brushed case middle with polished bevels
Lucent Steel A223 bezel with eight screws set at a tangent
Glare-proofed sapphire crystal
Exhibition case-back with glare-proofed sapphire crystal
Water resistance: 100 metres

Movement
Mechanical with automatic winding L.U.C 96.24-L via an engraved 22-carat gold micro-rotor
Number of components: 189
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 rotating at a rate of one minute
Bridges adorned with Côtes de Genève motif
Variable-inertia balance
Chronometer-certified (COSC)
Poinçon de Genève quality hallmark

Dial and hands
Dial featuring an Aletsch Blue colour obtained by galvanic treatment, crafted in gold stamped with a radiating pattern centred on the tourbillon
Applied white gold hour-markers and numerals enhanced with Grade X1 Super-LumiNova®
White gold baton-type hours and minutes hands enhanced with Grade X1 Super-LumiNova®
White gold triangle-tipped small seconds hand enhanced with Grade X1 Super-LumiNova®, attached to the flying tourbillon cage
White transfers

Functions
Central display of the hours and minutes
Small seconds at 6 o’clock on the flying tourbillon carriage
Stop-seconds function

Bracelet and clasp
Lucent Steel A223 tapering bracelet with satin-brushed wide link and sides, polished central cap
Lucent Steel A223 triple folding clasp

Chopard IMPERIALE Flying Tourbillon

June 13, 2022June 13, 2022 MasterHorologer

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

MasterHorologer

Tag: CHOPARD

Chopard L.U.C Full Strike Tourbillon Limited Edition in Ethical 18-Carat Rose Gold

Technical details

Model: Chopard L.U.C Full Strike Tourbillon
Ref. 161987-5001

Like this:

Chopard L.U.C Strike One Limited Edition in Ethical 18-Carat Rose Gold

Technical details

Model: Chopard L.U.C Strike One Limited Edition in Ethical 18-Carat Rose Gold
Ref. 161949-5001

Like this:

Chopard Happy Sport Automatic 33 mm in Ethical 18 Carat Rose Gold