Showing at WatchTime New York 2021: Chopard L.U.C. Perpetual Chrono and L.U.C Quattro Spirit 25


Famed watch-and-jewelry house Chopard has attracted more and more attention in recent years for its luxurious mechanical timepieces, specifically with its L.U.C family, named for founder Louis-Ulysse Chopard and populated by watches positioned as the maison’s “epitome of fine watchmaking.” This year, as part of the upcoming WatchTime New York event taking place at Manhattan’s Gotham Hall from October 22 to 24, Chopard will be showcasing several watches from the collection, including two launched this year: the L.U.C. Perpetual Chrono and L.U.C Quattro Spirit 25.

Chopard L.U.C. Perpetual Chrono

The first of these models, the L.U.C. Perpetual Chrono, is a limited-edition update to the original perpetual calendar chronograph that Chopard first launched in 2016. New on this year’s model is its hardened titanium case construction, which offers a sportier aesthetic than that of the original watch, whose case was executed in “Fairmined” 18K white gold, sourced from Fairmined certified mining cooperatives in Columbia, Peru, and Bolivia.

The watch is lightweight and versatile to wear; while still on the larger side at 45 mm in diameter, it is nonetheless built for ergonomic comfort and thus intended for everyday wear. Much of this derives from the titanium case’s smart design, which includes shorter lugs that allow a better fit for most wrists.

Underneath the sapphire crystal is a dial with an attractive combination of traditional and contemporary watchmaking elements. Highly complex but perfectly legible, the dial is a work of art in itself, with its slate grey surface created via a galvanic ruthenium treatment applied to an 18k gold base and decorated with a sunburst guilloch´é pattern crafted by Chopard’s in-house dial makers. As for functionality, the engaging dial features a big, twin-aperture instantaneous date display at 12 o’clock, along with indications for the day of the week, month, position in the leap year cycle, day/night display, and a large orbital moon-phase at 6 o’clock.

Behind the dial and making all these displays possible is the Chopard Caliber L.U.C 03.10-L, a movement first introduced in the original gold edition five years ago, which still impresses with its exceptional craftsmanship, complexity, and beauty. The manually wound movement is capable of a 60-hour power reserve, with a column wheel precisely coordinating its chronograph functions, including a flyback mechanism, and a patented vertical coupling clutch ensuring ease of use. The movement also hosts a semi-instantaneous jumping minutes counter ensuring the precise display of chronograph minutes, and a perpetual calendar and paired moon-phase mechanism that is accurate to just a day’s deviation every 122 years.

Chopard L.U.C Quattro Spirit 25

The second timepiece Chopard is showcasing for its inaugural appearance at WatchTime New York is the L.U.C Quattro Spirit 25. This model, also released in 2021, celebrates 25 years of Chopard’s in-house watchmaking — an important distinction from its more extensive century-and-a-half-plus history during which both in-house and outside manufacturing elements were used.

At a glance, the new watch carries numerous design traits from previous L.U.C. models, most notably in the elegant case shape with its emphasis on fine execution and clean lines. On closer examination, the watch’s distinctive character becomes apparent: it is Chopard’s first watch equipped with a jumping hour display. The movement making this possible is the Chopard Caliber L.U.C 98.06-L, which powers a uniquely shaped “dauphine fusée” minute hand passing over a black-and-white grand feu enamel dial with a digital display of the instantaneous jumping hour at 6 o’clock.

In keeping with other movements used in the Quattro series, the beautifully finished, manually wound mechanism stores up to eight days of power reserve in its four barrels. The movement also boasts the Poinçon de Genève certification,ensuring the celebratory wristwatch’s reliability and precision over time and wear.

Pricing and Availability

The Chopard L.U.C. Perpetual Chrono and L.U.C Quattro Spirit 25 are both available now in select boutiques. The former is limited to 100 pieces and priced at 44,700 CHF (just above $48,000); the latter is limited to 20 pieces and priced at 74,900 CHF (about $80,659).

Both of these luxurious Chopard timepieces will be featured alongside many more fantastic watches at WatchTime New York 2021, at Manhattan’s Gotham Hall. To learn more and purchase tickets, click here!

Leave a Reply