To celebrate the first 20 years of the L.U.C manufacture in Fleurier Chopard will launch the L.U.C Perpetual Chrono in a limited edition of only 20 pieces …
How quick time flies! 20 years ago Chopard Co-President Karl-Friedrich Scheufele started to manufacture his own movements in Fleurier. The synonyme L.U.C since then stands for high-end calibres that need not fear the comparison with the best ones of the Swiss watch industry. When I formulate the best ones then I mean the best ones. The quality and technical execution of L.U.C today really ranks among the very best!
The today Rolex CEO Jean-Frédéric Dufour and former Zenith-CEO for many years was responsible for the Chopard L.U.C manufacture in Fleurier.
Due to their personal dedication and passion both Jean-Frédéric Dufour and Karl-Friedrich Scheufele deserve much credit and recognition.
To celebrate the first 20 years the Chopard L.U.C Perpetual Chrono will be launched during Baselworld 2016:
Entirely developed and produced in the Chopard workshops in Fleurier and assembled in Geneva the L.U.C Calibre 03.10-L is built around a column wheel that controls all chronograph operations including the flyback function. The zero-reset system for the counters and the central sweep seconds hand is handled by progressive-contact hammers guaranteeing optimal precision. It ensures smooth yet firm activation of the timing-related components via a vertical coupling clutch.
The perpetual calendar is fully integrated into the chronograph calibre and recognisable by its large twin-aperture date display, complemented by indications of the day, the month and the leap or non-year nature of the year, while the finishing touches are set by a day/night indication and an orbital moon-phase display. The latter guarantees graphic and accurate readings of the age of the moon, with a mere one-day deviation in 122 years. Since the original configuration of the perpetual calendar uses the same areas as the chronograph – both involving indications at 3 and 9 o’clock – the architecture of the perpetual calendar had to be adjusted to offset the day/night indicator by a few millimetres.
The 45 mm case of the L.U.C Perpetual Chrono is entirely made of “Fairmined” 18-carat gold, sourced from Fairmined certified mining cooperatives in Columbia, Peru and Bolivia.
The dial of the L.U.C Perpetual Chrono is coated with grey ruthenium.
The L.U.C Calibre 03.10-L is made of nickel silver, a naturally light grey alloy that ideally lends itself to surface treatment but cannot tolerate scratches. Any mistake made in executing the Côtes de Genève motif, circular-graining, satin-brushing and polishing operation omnipresent on the moment is irretrievable.
The L.U.C Perpetual Chrono has earned double certification. The rating precision of its L.U.C Calibre 03.10-L has been certified by the Swiss Official Chronometer Testing Institute (COSC). In parallel the movements and cases have successfully met the evaluation criteria of the Poinçon de Genève, which now encompass the watch in its entirety. Formerly attributed to the movement only, the Poinçon de Genève currently puts the watch as a whole to the test.
Case: 18ct “Fairmined” gold
Total diameter 45 mm
Thickness 15.06 mm
Water resistance 30 metres
18ct gold crown with L.U.C logo 8.50 mm
Vertical satin-brushed case middle
Exhibition back with glareproofed sapphire crystal
Movement: Hand-wound movement L.U.C 03.10-L
Total diameter 33.00 mm
Thickness 8.32 mm
Number of jewels 42
Frequency 28,800 A/h (= 4 Hz)
Power reserve 60 hours
Nickel silver mainplate and bridges
Côtes de Genève motif adorning the bridges
Chronometer-certified by the COSC
Poinçon de Genève
Dial and hands: Ruthenium-toned sunburst satin-brushed and hand-guilloché gold dial, with beams radiating from the date – Snailed silver-toned inner bezel ring – red and black transfers Rhodiumed Roman numerals and hour-markers Rhodiumed Dauphine-type hands for the hours, minutes, small seconds, day and month counters Baton-type rhodiumed red-tipped sweep-seconds hand Minute track
Functions and displays:
Central display of the hours and minutes
Small seconds at 6 o’clock
Large date at 12 o’clock
Days of the week displayed at 9 o’clock and months at 3 o’clock
Off-set day/night display at 10 o’clock and offset leap-year indication at 2 o’clock
Orbital moon display at 6 o’clock
Vertical coupling-clutch chronograph with flyback function
12-hour counter at 9 o’clock
30-minute counter at 3 o’clock
Time-setting with stop-seconds function
Strap and buckle: Hand-sewn double-sided alligator leather strap dyed with plant-based pigments (CITES certified) Pin buckle in “Fairmined” 18 ct gold Ref. 161973-1001 – in “Fairmined” 18ct white gold 20-piece limited edition
Price: Is not yet fixed, I was told, but in-between 75 – 80.000 Euro including VAT
Chopard L.U.C Perpetual Chrono looks truly stunning, though I am sure that this watch would be ultra-expensive and, hence, it would be beyond my reach.
Chopard, I think, is one of the most under-rated watch brands on earth and it is ignored by the media most of the time, yet some of the watches created by Chopard are truly fabulous.
Enjoyed the XL-sized pictures immensely, keep it up!