Louis-Ulysse Chopard founded his first manufacture in 1860 and in 1997, the Chopard, brand owned by Karl-Friedrich Scheufele, created its first L.U.C movement, the 1.96, after four and half years of work and an estimated cost of nearly 4 million Swiss francs. To commemorate the event, the movement was named after the founder of the brand.
Today, the L.U.C watches are an integral part of Chopard’s watch collections and include such successful timepieces as a Tonneau, a Regulator and a Tourbillon. This year, Chopard introduces a very handsome Limited Edition L.U.C Perpetual Calendar and the L.U.C Twist, with its off-centre small seconds at 7 o’clock and the crown between 3 and 5 o’clock.

The L.U.C Perpetual Calendar is in 18 carat rose gold (40.5 mm) and is equipped with a mechanical self-winding L.U.C 96 QP movement. A certified chronometer (C.O.S.C) carrying the Poinçon de Genève hallmark, the watch has a 70-hour power reserve, a large date aperture at 12 o’clock and an orbital moon phase at 6 o’clock which rotates around the axis of the small seconds display. The perpetual calendar is at 3 and 9 o’clock and indicates day, month, leap years and has a 24-hour indication. There is also a stop seconds function. The silvered dial has an 18 carat gold guilloché centre, the hands are in 18 carat gold and there are sapphire crystals front and back. The watch is water-resistant to 30 metres and comes with an alligator strap.




The L.U.C Perpetual Calendar & The L.U.C Twist


The L.U.C Twist is in 18 carat white gold (39 mm) and is equipped with the L.U.C 1.96 mechanical self-winding movement. A certified chronometer (C.O.S.C) carrying the Poinçon de Genève hallmark, it has a silvered 18 carat gold dial with applied hour markers against a black base, dauphine hands and a dagger-shaped small seconds hand. The highly original touches of the watch are its crown, which is to be found between 3 and 5 o’clock on the case, and the small seconds which is placed at 7 o’clock on the dial. The Twist is water-resistant to 30 metres and comes with an alligator strap.


Source: April-May 2005 Issue

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