The Superb Chopard L.U.C 1860 Chronometer, now in Blue

Chopard marks the 30^th anniversary of its first in-house movement produced in the brand’s Fleurier Manufacture. A pivotal moment for Chopard, the calibre 1.96 was released in 1996 and is still regarded as one of the finest ultra-thin micro-rotor movements today. The first watch to feature the calibre was the L.U.C 1860, presented in a 36.5mm precious metal case with solid gold dials and hand-guilloché centres. Respecting the original proportions and design, Chopard pays homage to the original with the compact L.U.C 1860 in Lucent Steel and a gorgeous blue hand-guilloché dial.

Three years ago, Chopard released a similar L.U.C 1860 in steel with a salmon dial. The epitome of a dress watch, the compact 36.5mm case has a thin height of 8.2mm and is crafted in Chopard’s Lucent Steel, a proprietary premium steel alloy that is 50% harder – and more resilient to scratches and abrasion – than standard steel. Its exceptional purity results in a bright, white, luminous sheen that resembles palladium or platinum. Decorated with a predominance of polished surfaces, the elegant dial is identical to the salmon edition but now revisited in blue.

Described as “Areuse Blue”, the colour is inspired by the Areuse River that flows near the Manufacture in the Val-de-Travers region. Employing an 18k white gold base, the hand-guilloché medallion has a billowing wave pattern radiating from beneath the historical Chopard cartouche, intersected by the snailed small seconds counter at 6 o’clock. The satin-brushed chapter ring features polished white gold chevron-shaped hour markers indicated by faceted white gold Dauphine hour and minute hands. While the original featured a date window, this feature has been eliminated for the sake of purity.

Powered by the L.U.C calibre 96.40-L, an evolution of the 1.96, the automatic movement has a slim height of 3.3mm and an off-centred 22k gold micro-rotor that efficiently winds two stacked barrels. Thanks to Chopard’s Twin Technology, the barrels deliver an impressive 65-hour power reserve. The small seconds indication, a prerequisite for COSC chronometry certification, is equipped with a stop-seconds function. An Haute Horlogerie creation with its Poinçon de Genève hallmark, all the parts display a high degree of craftsmanship with chamfered bridges decorated with Geneva stripes, polished angles and circular graining on the mainplate.

The Blue Chopard L.U.C 1860 Chronometer is paired with a grey grained calfskin strap and retails for CHF 24,500. More information at chopard.com.