The L.U.C collection was founded exactly 20 years ago in 1996 in Chopard’s Fleurier based workshops with the unveiling of the L.U.C 1860 model. This first timepiece bearing the brand founder’s initials and founding year is the cornerstone of an exclusive watch collection with a strong visual identity, perfect movement and literally artistic finish. The L.U.C is a huge playground whose classic features and well-made mechanical calibres have won over men and women alike.

Back to its roots: L.U.C XPS 1860

To celebrate the collection’s 20th anniversary, Chopard is paying tribute to the piece that fuelled the L.U.C adventure. It’s true to its big brother’s stylish soul but incorporates contemporary technological advances. Its COSC-certified self-winding L.U.C 96.01L calibre is the first movement to be made by Chopard and fitted with a micro-rotor and Twin® system. The technology has been designed and patented by Chopard to put two co-axial barrels on top of each other without affecting the movement’s size (3.30mm thick in a 40mm case). The power reserve lasts 65 hours.

The features on the silver sunburst dial are large to make them easier to read. Two large central rhodium-plated and dauphine-shape hour and minute hands glide over the Roman hour numerals and minute track on the off-centre ring. The seconds count down in a counter at 6. The large double date display lies at 12 whilst the day of the week and month (in English) appear in black-rimmed dials at 9 and 3 respectively. A small counter with a red triangular hand at 2.30 replaces February and displays leap years.
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By Sharmila Bertin

Introducing the Chopard Mille Miglia GTS Automatic Speed Black

Chopard is the sponsor and official timekeeper of one of the greatest endurance races: the Mille Miglia. Around 400 vintage cars get together for this legendary contest every spring. The legendary partnership has been going since 1988 and has inspired the Mille Miglia GTS Automatic Speed Black, a watch that’s as exciting, intense and lively as the race it’s named after.

The all-black 43mm DLC-coated steel watch is delicately spiced with racy red and bright white. The self-winding Chopard 01.01-M calibre powers the hour, minute, seconds and date functions and provides a 60-hour power reserve.

Time markers and Arabic 3 and 6 numerals on the matt black dial are tracked by two metallic black spear-shape hands and a white-tipped red central seconds hand. The date appears in a display framed by a red arrow, the symbol of the Mille Miglia.

Price: 6,900 CHF chopard.com

By Sharmila Bertin

Introducing the Chopard Grand Prix de Monaco Historique 2016 Race Edition

2002, Chopard has been the partner and official timekeeper of the highly prestigious Grand Prix de Monaco Historique since 2002. The competition brings classic cars from the 30s-70s together every two years and is hosted by the Automobile Club de Monaco. Chopard has designed a special edition in rose gold or titanium and steel to celebrate the 10^th race: Grand Prix de Monaco Historique 2016 Race Edition.

The grey counters lie on the silver dial: minutes at 12, hours at 6 and seconds tracked by a blue or orange central seconds hand depending on the model.

Price: 21,300 CHF (rose gold) – 6,890 CHF (titanium and steel) chopard.com

By Sharmila Bertin

Chopard – Happy Diamonds

The idea behind Happy Diamonds came during a woodland walk: a fun-filled and lively way to tell the time with diamonds dancing on a watch dial. Chopard unveiled the first model (a men’s watch with a cushion-shape gold case and black dial) from a collection which would become iconic in 1976. 40 years later and the Geneva-based family business has given the piece a new twist for ladies.

Chopard has freshened up the cushion-shape case with white gold (36x36mm) and a veil of claw-set diamonds. The dazzling rim frames a white mother-of-pearl dial where 15 loose diamonds perform, the famous Happy Diamonds. The claw-set gems spin around a central paved ring with small spear-shape hands.

The hours and minutes are brought to life by a quartz movement.

Price: 48,500 CHF

By Sharmila Bertin

Chopard – L.U.C Perpetual Chrono

We’ve been used to Chopard’s super-sophisticated L.U.C. collection for a while. This model is a step above. The technical, quality and ethical features put the L.U.C Perpetual Chrono in a class of its own.

Let’s start with technique. The piece is fuelled by the 03.10-L calibre and brings together two top complications: the perpetual calendar and chronograph. What makes things even more exciting is that there are two types of measurement: long time with the first and short time with the second. On top of that, the displays occupy the same spaces. The minute counter at 3 features the months and leap years whilst the hour counter at 9 displays the days and day/night indicator.

As for quality, the watch has the Geneva Seal and is COSC-certified. Last but by no means least, the ethical white gold 45mm case is “Fairmined” guaranteed. Limited edition (20 available).

Price: 85,000 CHF

Par Fabrice Eschmann

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The love affair between Chopard and the Cannes Festival has lasted almost twenty years and what an affair it’s been! Their relationship has been encapsulated by the Palme d’Or award as we know it now and the glittering Red Carpet Collection which epitomises the glamour of the film world and red carpet flowing down the famous Cannes steps. This half-watch half-flower oozes the sophistication you’d expect of the pairing. Its petals glitter with brilliant-cut diamonds and pink sapphires (including 34 marquise-cut gems totalling 15.26 carats) which unfurl delicately like a creeper around the 30mm white gold case. The dial sparkles with 196 diamonds and two blue dauphine-shape hands track the hours and minutes. The self-winding mechanical movement brings the watch to life whilst a sapphire briolette and six diamonds shimmer on the crown. Price: 169,800 CHF. Sharmila Bertin
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This timepiece is a true treasure that dazzles both inside and out. All the premium materials that adorn it and make its mechanical heart beat are brimming with elegance, starting with the white gold 35mm case wrapped in a diamond bezel which illuminates its shimmering dial. Two silver dauphine-shape hour and minute hands burst from the heart of the blue lavender disc. Two diamonds on each of the eleven hour markers capture the light; number 12, the sole Arabic number, takes pride of place atop the mother-of-pearl surface whilst the small seconds pirouette in a “flinqué” engraved counter at 6 o’ clock. The self-winding calibre powering the L.U.C provides a 65-hour power reserve; look through the caseback and you’ll see the movement’s “fleurisanne” engravings. The age-old artisan engraving technique is typical of Fleurier where Chopard has been based for almost 20 years. Price: 45,000 CHF

“Fairmined” is an eco-friendly label which certifies the extraction of small amounts of gold from mainly Latin American mines and guarantees fair working conditions for mining communities. The label is supported by Chopard, the watch and jewellery brand committed to green luxury. The ethical gold adorns the case, back and crown of the 39mm L.U.C XPS Fairmined model. The svelte 7.3mm thick case houses an equally svelte self-winding mechanical movement (3.3mm thick): the COSC-certified L.U.C 96.12-L calibre provides a 65-hour power reserve and fuels the time functions. The galvanised dial radiates with a slate grey sunburst pattern and contrasts with the twelve slender rose gold indices and gold dauphine-shape hour and minute hands. The gold baton-shape small seconds hand ticks subtly along in a counter at 6 o’ clock. Price: 16,800 CHF

Founded in 1927, the legendary race had its 33^rd outing from May 14^th to 17^th. Over 430 vintage cars built between 1927 and 1957 hit the road on an adrenalin-pumping adventure to Brescia. Chopard, official timekeeper and partner of the Mille Miglia, made the most of the magical event to devote a new limited edition to it (1000 available). The 43mm steel case surrounded by a black graduated bezel houses the COSC-certified 01.08C calibre providing a 60-hour power reserve. The self-winding movement brings the time and date functions to life on the red varnished dial. Applied indices and Arabic hour numerals have a luminescent coating and lie beneath spear-shape hour and minute hands and a phosphorescent-tipped central seconds hand. The date display stands at 3 o’ clock whilst the power reserve stretches from 8 to 10 o’ clock. Price: 6,200 CHF (steel)

A regal white gold case with Roman curves glittering with diamonds and glowing violet like Elizabeth Taylor’s hypnotic eyes: the Imperial model is flaunting its glamorous side. To heighten its power of seduction, the 36mm timepiece dazzles with diamonds. Brilliant-cut gems adorn the bezel, crown and centre of its two cylindrical lugs; they also appear on the Tahitian pearl dial, rectangular indices and central ring. Arabesques inspired by ancient Roman patterns appear on the dark grey disc which flutters from green to aubergine in the light. Two openwork spear-shape hour and minute hands burst from this tone-on-tone tapestry. The time functions are brought to life by the self-winding movement which also provides a 42-hour power reserve. Price: 40,610 CHF