Watches And Wonders 2024: Contemporary Fusion Forms The Nucleus Of Chopard’s Latest L.U.C XPS

Chopard’s emblematic L.U.C Collection has enticed watch enthusiasts for a long time as they eagerly await the collection’s latest drop. At Watches And Wonders 2024, the wait will soon be over as the Maison has fashioned a new L.U.C model that is sure to impress even the most stringent watch collectors. Made in a verdant shade of forest green, the watch is both responsibly produced and well-proportioned for a wide variety of wrist sizes. The rich history behind Chopard’s L.U.C collection is an interesting one as it broke the barriers of traditional watchmaking and gave the world of horology a new range of modern classics. 

At a time when the horology industry was going through turbulent times thanks to the quartz crisis, Chopard’s L.U.C automatic micro-rotor movement showcased a never seen before versatility which seamlessly blended heritage and modernity. The Maison’s Co-President, Karl-Friedrich Scheufele created a workshop responsible for developing the first in-house calibre to pay tribute to the legacy of the Maison's founder, Louis-Ulysse Chopard. The calibre was named L.U.C 96.01-L and went on to create a spectacular line of timeless timepieces. 
 

Enchanting Details
The new L.U.C XPS Forest Green features a 40mm case and is a contemporary fusion of materials in Lucent Steel and technical watchmaking with in-house L.U.C Calibre 96.12-L. Chopard’s trademarked Lucent Steel is an exclusive alloy featuring advanced properties, produced with a recycling rate of at least 80%. Exuding a sense of depth and refinement, the satin-brushed dark green dial is achieved by PVD treatment. This sector-type watch face with its precise divisions and intricate detailing adds a touch of vintage sophistication, making this watch both contemporary and classic. 

According to the gudielines of a true sector type dial, there should be two concentric rings, one for the minutes and another for the hours. The hours and minutes markers should be radial lines running between the inner and outer edges of the rings – creating the “sectors' '. The L.U.C XPS adopts a time-only dial layout, that diligently follows the prescribed guidelines of a true sector type dial giving it both intrigue and aesthetic depth. The watch hands feature traditional touches of a Chopard design as seen in the signature rhodium-plated Dauphine hands. 

Certified Elegance
The L.U.C 96.12-L is an ultra-thin calibre measuring just 3.30 mm thick, featuring a bidirectional 22-carat gold micro-rotor and twin stacked barrels (Chopard Twin Technology) providing a generous 65-hour power reserve. Visible through the caseback, the bridges are beautifully finished with a Côtes de Genève motif and bevelling. The ‘S’ in the XPS acronym refers to the small seconds at 6 o’clock. This is required by the Official Swiss Chronometer Testing Institute, which uses this display to evaluate the precision of the movements it certifies, ensuring the average daily rate of the watch is between −4 and +6 seconds. It corresponds to the fundamental token of elegance sometimes referred to as the politeness of king’s punctuality. 

The watch is offered with a “Chronometer” inscription which is visual recognition that the L.U.C 96.12-L calibre housed in the L.U.C XPS Forest Green meets the most stringent accuracy tests as performed by COSC (Official Swiss Chronometer Testing Institute). With the backing of such a powerful certification, this timepiece is indeed a testament to Chopard’s in-house design and manufacturing prowess.