o commemorate the 20th anniversary of the first L.U.C Qualité Fleurier timepiece and celebrate certified watchmaking excellence, Chopard is introducing a new limited L.U.C Qualité Fleurier 20th Anniversary Edition. This model epitomises the three core values of the L.U.C collection: technical performance, aesthetic refinement and a constant commitment to horological certification.

With its ideal proportions and timeless allure, the 39 mm case crafted from ethical 18-carat yellow gold is inspired by the harmonious curves of the first 2005 model and its two-tone sector-type dial. This exclusive numbered 20-piece edition is one of the ultimate embodiments of Qualité Fleurier certification.

The new L.U.C Qualité Fleurier timepiece celebrates 20 years of its namesake certification with a 39 mm case in ethical 18-carat yellow gold. It features a harmonious design, reminiscent of the first L.U.C Qualité Fleurier model (2005), itself inspired by a 1950s Chopard timepiece with a sector-type dial. Emerging with the rise of the Art Deco movement in the 1920s, this type of pared-back, legible dial lasted until the 1960s before eventually falling out of favour. Sector-type dials became fashionable again in the mid-2000s, along with renewed interest in vintage inspirations.

The new iteration is designed with contemporary proportions and finely sculpted welded lugs. Its two-tone sector-type dial features a sunburst satin-brushed centre, an elegant circular satin-finished chapter ring and a snailed small seconds counter at 6 o’clock. The gilded hour and minute hands reflect the iconic syringe shape of earlier L.U.C Qualité Fleurier models. The supple brown calfskin strap features beige topstitching for a vintage look, lending a casual, sporty elegance to the watch.

The L.U.C Qualité Fleurier 20th Anniversary Edition is powered by L.U.C Calibre 96.09-L, whose architecture is based on the iconic L.U.C 96.01-L, a cornerstone of the L.U.C collection since 1996. Measuring just 3.30 mm thick, it is equipped with Chopard’s Twin technology comprising a twin barrel delivering 65 hours of power reserve and a finely engraved micro-rotor in ethical 22-carat gold. Entirely designed, developed and assembled in the manufacture’s workshops, this movement is meticulously finished with circular graining, bevelling, mirror polishing and Côtes de Genève. These decorations enable it to achieve the highly demanding Qualité Fleurier certification rewarding overall quality, as well as shock resistance and ultimate precision.

This self-winding movement is certified by the Official Swiss Chronometer Testing Institute (COSC), as indicated by the mention under the L.U.Chopard logo on the dial. An essential step in the Qualité Fleurier certification process, it is then subjected to the demanding Chronofiable testing protocol to assess its reliability: three weeks of ageing tests in hot, cold and damp conditions, push and pull operations on the winding stem, as well as exposure to magnetic fields and numerous impacts. Finally, it is put to the test in its final configuration using the Fleuritest simulator. Specifically developed to guarantee QF certification, this instrument reproduces the conditions of normal wrist wear over 24 hours, alternating between passive, active, and even very active (sports-related) phases. At the end of these protocols, the rate variation of each assembled timepiece must be between 0 and +5 seconds per day.

The history of Qualité Fleurier certification began more than 20 years ago when four independent haute horlogerie hanufactures based in Fleurier joined forces, supported by local authorities including the canton of Neuchâtel, the municipality of Fleurier, the regional association of Val-de-Travers, and the federal government (SECO), to create the Fleurier Quality Foundation, an independent certification body. The goal shared by Chopard, Bovet, Parmigiani Fleurier and Vaucher was to promote objective testing of Swiss finished timepieces according to the highest craftsmanship standards. Since its creation in 2001, Qualité Fleurier certification has subjected the timepieces it endorses to the most demanding and rigorous series of tests in Swiss watchmaking to recognise their aesthetic and technical quality, shock resistance, precision and durability: those performed by the Official Swiss Chronometer Testing Institute (COSC), the daunting Chronofiable tests and the renowned Fleuritest.

Today, Chopard is the only watch manufacture on the steering committee of the Qualité Fleurier label, marking its ongoing commitment to remaining the guardian of the certification’s excellence.

The first Chopard model to receive this certification was the L.U.C Qualité Fleurier, introduced in 2005. Since then, Chopard Manufacture has produced only a few limited series of L.U.C Qualité Fleurier timepieces, highlighting the rarity and desirability of these exceptional pieces. They include the L.U.C Tech Qualité Fleurier (2009), which offered a glimpse of the movement’s mechanical beauty; the L.U.C Tourbillon QF Fairmined (2014), the first-ever watch made from Fairmined-certified ethical gold; the L.U.C XPS Twist QF Fairmined (2017), with its bold asymmetrical design and crown at 4 o’clock; or the 2024 L.U.C Qualité Fleurier in Lucent Steel™, the first to be made of the exclusive steel and receive the prestigious certification.

In 1997, Chopard Manufacture launched the first timepiece to emerge from its watchmaking workshops: the L.U.C 1860, equipped with the L.U.C 96.01-L movement. Since then, it has gone on to master all of the major horological complications through the L.U.C collection. Between Fleurier and Geneva, Chopard Manufacture conceives, develops, produces, assembles, decorates and certifies all its timepieces. Thanks to Chopard’s co-president Karl-Friedrich Scheufele’s commitment to watchmaking tradition combined with technical innovation, the manufacture maintains a high level of finishing by preserving numerous artistic crafts and skills.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Ref. 161992-0001
20-piece limited edition in ethical 18-carat yellow gold

Case

• Ethical 18-carat yellow gold
• Total diameter 39 mm
• Thickness 8.92 mm
• Water resistance 30 metres
• Crown in ethical 18-carat yellow gold with L.U.C logo 6 mm
• Polished case and caseback
• Satin-brushed flanks
• Glare-proofed sapphire crystal
• Exhibition caseback with glare-proofed sapphire crystal

Movement

• Mechanical self-winding L.U.C 96.09-L
• Number of components 172
• Diameter 27.40 mm
• Thickness 3.30 mm
• Number of jewels 29
• Frequency 28,800 vph (4Hz)
• Power reserve 65 hours
• Winding via a micro-rotor in ethical 22-carat gold
• Two stacked barrels – Chopard Twin technology
• Bridges adorned with Côtes de Genève
• Flat terminal curve
• Chronometer-certified (COSC)
• Qualité Fleurier certification (QF)

Dial and hands

• Dial in gilded brass with sunburst satin-brushed centre and circular satin-finish chapter ring
• Brown transfers
• Snailed small seconds counter
• Gilded applied hour-markers enhanced with Super-LumiNova
• Gilded syringe-shaped hour and minute hands enhanced with Super-LumiNova
• Gilded baton-type small seconds hand

Functions and displays

• Central display of the hours and minutes
• Small seconds at 6 o’clock

Strap and buckle

• Brown calfskin with beige topstitching
• Pin buckle in ethical 18-carat yellow gold