For 27 years, Chopard’s L.U.C collection has showcased the brand’s mastery of traditional watchmaking while continually redefining innovation. Its journey of technical brilliance began with the L.U.C 1860, the debut timepiece from Chopard’s Fleurier manufacture. Powered by the COSC-certified L.U.C 96.01-L movement, it features a bidirectional 22k gold micro-rotor and a pioneering double-barrel design, delivering an impressive 70-hour power reserve.
In this mechanical feat, Chopard laid the foundation for its future watchmaking advancements. With a full range of complications, the L.U.C collection has become a benchmark for watchmaking excellence—conceived, developed, assembled, decorated, and certified entirely in-house.
Building on that legacy this year, Chopard introduces a more streamlined aesthetic. Its newly reshaped case adopts a bassine silhouette, with the base narrowing slightly beneath a domed, polished bezel. The curved fluted crown and vertical satin-brushed sides harken back to 19th-century pocket watches.
With a slightly domed sapphire crystal complementing the curved bezel, its profile is harmonious and soft. Enhancing its elegance, the lugs—crafted separately—are soldered to the case for a polished, sophisticated finish.
Beyond design, the evolution addresses functionality to meet contemporary lifestyle demands. With the L.U.C watches, Chopard also introduces an interchangeable strap system. Engineered for convenience, it enables quick, tool-free strap changes using the case middle and clasp.
With this element, wearers can easily switch styles to suit different outfits, events, or activities. All the timepieces come with two straps—alligator leather and calfskin—and Chopard boutiques have additional options in various textures and colours.
L.U.C Flying T Twin Perpetual
Pairing a tourbillon escapement and a perpetual calendar is nothing new to Chopard. In 2013, it launched the L.U.C Perpetual T, its first model combining these complications. Six years later, the L.U.C Flying T Twin was introduced, with a flying tourbillon, automatic winding, and the distinction of being the only watch in its category to receive both Poinçon de Genève and chronometer certifications.
L.U.C Flying T Twin Perpetual combines a flying tourbillon with a perpetual calendar and a large date display for the first time in Chopard’s history. The watch runs on the L.U.C 96.36-L, a 6-mm movement with Chopard’s signature micro-rotor and Twin technology’s dual stacked barrels, delivering a 65-hour power reserve. An instantaneous perpetual calendar provides day, date, and month displays, automatically adjusting for variable month lengths.
Its open design without an upper bridge distinguishes the flying tourbillon, which offers clear views of its mechanism. A stop-seconds function, which sets the time exactly to the second, enhances accuracy. As with all L.U.C calibres featuring a seconds indication—this time, on the tourbillon carriage—the movement is COSC-certified. Due to its flying tourbillon, this watch bears the prestigious Poinçon de Genève quality hallmark as well.
With its Fairmined yellow gold case and deep forest green dial, this timepiece features hand guilloche work with a sunburst pattern radiating from the flying tourbillon opening at 6 o’clock. Since the introduction of the first L.U.C 1860 timepiece in 1997, hand guilloche dials have been a defining characteristic of the L.U.C collection. Notably, Chopard remains one of few watch manufacturers with a selection of rare guilloche lathes.
L.U.C Lunar One
Since debuting in 2005 as Chopard’s first calendar and astronomy complication, the L.U.C Lunar One has remained unique in its category. Known for its precision lunar phase display with a rotating window, the watch has been updated with an ethical gold 40.5-mm case and all the latest L.U.C design modifications.
At its heart is the self-winding L.U.C Calibre 96.13-L, featuring a micro-rotor and Chopard’s Twin technology. This perpetual calendar, equipped with an astronomical moonphase function, is remarkably accurate, deviating by only one day every 122 years.
The orbital moonphase display also captures celestial details, showcasing the Big Dipper as seen from the Northern Hemisphere and the Southern Cross in the Southern Hemisphere, with an extraordinary time difference of just 57.2 seconds between two lunar cycles.
Likewise, the dial’s details reflect the L.U.C Flying T Twin Perpetual’s craftsmanship. On the L.U.C Lunar One, however, the hand guilloche pattern is centred around the moonphase indicator at 6 o’clock, the watch’s defining feature. In deep blue or salmon pink, these updated versions accentuate the Lunar One’s blend of technical precision and artisanal sophistication.
Photos: Chopard
