Chopard Unveils The Sound of Eternity: The Latest Trilogy In The L.U.C Collection
4 min read
Celebrating the 25th anniversary of Chopard’s iconic L.U.C collection, the watchmaker introduced ‘The Sound of Eternity' collection at Watches & Wonders 2022 which took place in the watchmaker’s home country, Switzerland. It’s a collection of three new chiming watches: Strike One, Full Strike Sapphire and Full Strike Tourbillon. Realising the vision of co-president Karl-Friedrich Scheufele, the watches boast a clear, rich sound, heralded by virtuoso cellist and violinist brothers, Gautier and Renaud Capuçon and enabled by monobloc sapphire crystal gongs. The gongs produce the sound which echoes in a chamber crafted from the same crystal. With these new additions to the collection, Scheufele has one goal: to evoke emotion with sound. Suffice it to say, they succeed in doing so.
L.U.C Strike One
Featuring a ‘chime-in-passing’ mechanism, the L.U.C Strike One is a 40 mm automatic fashioned with ethical 18-carat rose gold. At every passing hour, the watch chimes, a movement that is visible through the cut-out at 1 o’clock. The opening unveils the mirror-polished hammer behind the chime. The solid gold dial in ruthenium grey features a hand-guilloché honeycomb motif—a nod to honeybees’ industrious nature and that of Chopard, by extension. Slender, at only 9.86 mm, and sophisticated, the watch boasts Chopard Twin technology with a double barrel, ensuring a power reserve of 65 hours. Limited to only 25 pieces, this watch is powered by calibre 96.32-L and embodies simplicity with technique.
L.U.C Full Strike Tourbillon
In 2016, Chopard launched a minute repeater for the first time in the L.U.C collection. Since then, the Maison has remained consistent with its technical advances. This 42.5 mm manual winding timepiece is a testimony. Powered by calibre U.C 08.02-L, this Chopard watch combines a tourbillon with a sapphire bridge with the sapphire minute repeater characteristic of the watch, for the very first time. The gold dial displays the two complications: the tourbillon at 6 o’clock, and the steel hammers that enable the chime between 9 and 11 o’clock. That’s not the only first for the watch, though. A departure from the previous models of the Full Strike collection, this timepiece boasts a reserved, solid dial, only revealing the tourbillon and minute repeater. The dial features a hand-guilloché floral, or flinqué, pattern, and is coloured ruthenium grey using galvanic treatment. The presence of a spiral design tourbillon further enhances the watch’s precision. Finally, the watch bears a see-through case back, allowing the wearer to view the awe-inspiring movement behind the timepiece. Limited to only 20 pieces, this first-of-its-kind timepiece by Chopard is definitely one to watch.
L.U.C Full Strike Sapphire
With a mere five pieces on offer, the Full Strike Sapphire timepiece is Chopard’s first watch with a case made wholly from corundum, or sapphire, crystal. Essentially, it is the original Full Strike watch reimagined using sapphire. So much so that the case, crown, dial, bezel and rear glass are cut from blocks of sapphire. The 42.5 mm watch is completely transparent, allowing the wearer a 360-degree view of the movement. Powered by calibre L.U.C 08.01-L, it is the first non-metallic watch to earn the Poinçon de Genève quality hallmark.
Chopard has prided itself on its historic L.U.C collection. Since its inception in 1996, the L.U.C collection has been synonymous with fine watchmaking and unrivalled craftsmanship. The release of the ‘The Sound of Eternity’ trilogy is a significant moment in Chopard’s history, as it cements the maison’s position as a leader in the industry. The chiming watches mark progress and, most importantly, passion and emotion, actualising Schaufele’s vision.
