Since Chopard first joined Watches & Wonders Geneva last year, this year’s participation in their first physical event has clearly filled the gap in their departure from Baselworld. As Chopard’s headquarters and manufacture are located on the outskirts of Geneva, it feels more natural to attend Watches & Wonders Geneva. In celebration of the 25th anniversary of this year’s L.U.C collection, Chopard unveiled a campaign titled ‘The Sound of Eternity’ to promote its chiming watch (or striking watch) manufacturing technology. Bell’s timepiece was also presented.
L.U.C Full Strike is the brand’s first minute repeater wristwatch, announced in 2016 to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Manufacture. It has emerged as one of the most iconic high-complication masterpieces in the world. This year, to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the L.U.C collection, replica Chopard is introducing the new L.U.C Full Strike Sapphire with a transparent sapphire case for the first time.
This is the first time that Chopard has presented the entire case with corundum crystal, i.e. artificial sapphire, and it is noteworthy that it is specially applied to the minute repeater rather than other complications. Several manufacturers, such as Richard Mill, Hublot, Bell & Ross, and Chanel, have recently introduced sapphire cases as if they were competing, but there is no example of selecting a sapphire case for the resonance effect of a richer acoustic sound like Chopard. The case body as well as the bezel, case back, crown and even the openwork dial are made of sapphire. Because the material itself has the highest hardness after diamond, it is not easily scratched and has the added advantage of maintaining its original appearance for many years.
The diameter of the case is 42.5mm and the thickness is 11.55mm, which is not much different from the size of the previous gold case. The movement is also equipped with the same in-house manual caliber L.U.C 08.01-L as the existing limited edition (frequency of 4 Hz, power reserve of about 60 hours). Consisting of a whopping 533 parts and 63 jewels, the L.U.C 08.01-L caliber uses two parallel superimposed barrel systems, the so-called Chopard Twin technology, to provide a relatively long 60-hour lifespan for this type of watch. It guarantees a power reserve. In addition to being certified by the Official Swiss Chronometer Institute (COSC), the Manufacture is also proud of being awarded the Poinçon de Genève or Geneva Hallmark (Geneva Seal).
The L.U.C Full Strike activates the striking mechanism by pressing a pusher integrated with the winding crown rather than a sliding lever like the minute repeater replica watches you normally see (relevant patent pending). And you can check the driving state right away through the openwork machined dial surface. Another distinctive feature is the double indicator located at the 2 o’clock position on the dial, one is a power reserve indicator, and the other is a minute repeater, which serves to check the power required to operate. In addition, it is equipped with a patented clutch-lever mechanism that prevents unnecessary power reserve loss by blocking strike work caused by malfunction.
It is also noteworthy that a monoblock sapphire and a thin sapphire ball that protects the dial surface while using an ultra-thin sapphire crystal ball with a thickness of 0.51mm for the first time in the world are connected as one without any other joint parts (in this case, the sapphire ball is just outside the chapter ring on the outside of the dial) It is positioned around the movement like a spring in the lower part). Above all, the sapphire ball guarantees a literally ‘crystal clear’ sound when ringing. In this regard, at the invitation of Chopard Co-CEO Karl-Friedrich Scheufele, the famous French cellists Renaud Capuçon and Gautier Capuçon brothers and the Geneva School of Engineering, Architecture & Landscape It is said that they have sought a solution for a clearer chime sound through technical collaboration with HEPIA).
L.U.C Full Strike Sapphire (Ref. 168604-9001) is a limited edition with only 5 pieces, and the retail price was not disclosed due to the nature of the ultra high-end model.
Another new work presented by Manufacture Chopard’s high-end L.U.C Haute Horlogerie collection, the epitome of high watchmaking technology. Based on the design of the successful minute repeater model L.U.C Full Strike, it is a unique timepiece that combines the tourbillon, another organ of the company.
As with Chopard’s other gold products, through an agreement with the Alliance for Responsible Mining (ARM), the small mining communities and miners they sponsor are ethically mined and Fairmined certified. I used the obtained rose gold material. The diameter of the case is 42.5mm and the thickness is 12.58mm, which is not much different from the existing L.U.C Full Strike.
However, compared to the function, the relatively thin case thickness is impressive. Based on the full-strike caliber L.U.C 08.01-L, with the addition of a tourbillon escapement, the openwork dial at 6 o’clock reveals the tourbillon cage and a small second hand indicating seconds. It is interesting that the material of the tourbillon bridge is sapphire crystal, but I think it is the result of being aware of another chiming watch novelty, L.U.C Full Strike Sapphire. The tourbillon bridge design also follows the characteristic shape designed by the Maison’s founder, Louis-Ulysse Chopard.
The dial plate also uses the same 18K rose gold material as the case, not brass, and has been subjected to special galvanic corrosion treatment to obtain the current subtle ruthenium-grey color dial. A color dial combination often favored by Chopard on a rose gold case. And, in the center of the dial, using a traditional rose enjin-turn device, a radial floral pattern inspired by flowers is engraved with hand guilloché decorations. The collection’s iconic Dauphine fusée-type hands and gold appliqué Roman indexes are used to create a classic luxury.
The new in-house manual caliber L.U.C 08.02-L consists of a total of 568 parts and 61 jewels. Naturally, the number of parts has been increased from the previous full-strike caliber L.U.C 08.01-L, and the addition of the patented one-minute tourbillon escapement (regulator) part made it inevitable to modify a part of the gear train, so the power reserve is slightly reduced to 50 hours. decreased. Other technical features of the Full Strike Caliber include a patented monobloc sapphire crystal and ball, a strike walk system with a patented clutch lever mechanism, and a patented ratchet driving mechanism that prevents the crown/pusher from being operated while the chime is in operation. It will continue intact. On the other hand, the main plate and bridge of the movement made of pure nickel silver (German silver) without any chemical treatment through the sapphire crystal caseback, as well as the beautiful Côte de Geneve (Geneva stripe), Perlage, and Anglage You can admire the unique movement with the addition of decorations.
The L.U.C Full Strike Tourbillon (Ref. 161987-5001) is a limited edition of only 20 pieces and is only available in select Chopard boutiques worldwide. For reference, the retail price and domestic release date are yet to be determined.
This model marks the end of the Striking Watch trilogy to commemorate the 25th anniversary of this year’s L.U.C collection. Compared to L.U.C Full Strike Sapphire and L.U.C Full Strike Tourbillon, its presence is relatively weak, but it offers a different kind of fun with the hour strike function that rings the hour.
This isn’t the first time an Hour Strike model has appeared in the L.U.C collection. To commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Manufacture in 2006, we introduced the first striking caliber, the L.U.C 96.14-L, and a limited-edition watch equipped with it. Building on the design of the previous generation L.U.C 96.14-L caliber, the new L.U.C 96.32-L caliber shows a more compact configuration by eliminating the date window and power reserve indicator. Above all, unlike the previous work in which the striking mechanism was activated with a separate pusher other than the crown, the crown and pusher were integrated to provide a simpler and more elegant look.
As you might expect, L.U.C Full Strike’s patented crown/pusher system was applied, as well as a patented system consisting of a monobloc sapphire crystal and a set of balls. What is noteworthy is that in order to differentiate it from the existing minute repeater configuration, the Maison is renaming the hour strike function as a chime-in-passing mechanism. A black (mirror) polished steel hammer and a monobloc sapphire ball attached to the inside of the chapter ring can be seen through the cut-out face of the dial at 1 o’clock, which chimes 24 times a day. and tell me poetry. Above the collection’s iconic ‘L.U.CHOPARD’ logo, an aperture-shaped indicator shows the status of chime/silence (white means chime is possible, and near-black gray means silence mode). With easy on-demand control, you can avoid annoying situations where you don’t want to ring the bell.
The dial of L.U.C Strike One is also made of ethically mined rose gold material, ruthenium gray color through a galvanic process, and hand guilloché decoration with a Honeycomb motif like the previously released L.U.C Flying T Twin. Adds more fun to watch. And on the periphery of the dial engraved with a concentric circle pattern, gold appliqué indexes that are pointed towards the end are placed.https://www.vipwatches.eu
The new in-house automatic caliber L.U.C 96.32-L consists of a total of 275 parts and 33 jewels, and the Chopard Twin Technology (twin barrel) design guarantees a relatively generous power reserve of 65 hours. The free sprung balance vibrates 28,800 times per hour (4Hz), and the 22K micro-rotor design is applied to the movement thickness of 5.5mm and the case thickness of 9.86mm, boasting a slim profile compared to its function. The rose gold case has a diameter of 40 mm, and the transparent sapphire crystal caseback allows you to admire the unique and beautiful high-end movement that is double certified by the COSC and Geneva Seals.
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