Not all images were able to load for printing. Please close the print window and try again. Chopard Launches a Splendid Grande Sonnerie Watch, the L.U.C Grand Strike
A masterclass in the art of chiming watches, with a tourbillon on top.
On the occasion of Dubai Watch Week 2025, Chopard unveils the L.U.C Grand Strike, the brand’s most complex watch to date, with a Grande Sonnerie, a Petite Sonnerie, a Minute Repeater and a tourbillon regulator. Just like the brand’s Full Strike minute repeater, its acoustic merits are nothing short of extraordinary, in particular thanks to the brand’s sapphire monobloc technology. The watch also comes with a chronometer certificate, complies with the Geneva Seal, and is packed with cleverly thought-out features. According to Chopard, this true master class in the art of chiming watches required no fewer than 11,000 hours of R&D and draws on ten proprietary technical patents – five of which were newly developed for this timepiece.
The Grande Sonnerie is one of the most intricate mechanisms in watchmaking. Its creation requires the utmost technical expertise, as hundreds of components are required to interact simultaneously and strike time indications perfectly. It is traditionally associated with a petite sonnerie and a minute repeater mechanism. Both the grande and petite sonnerie strike the hours and quarters automatically, though only the Grande Sonnerie repeats the hour at every quarter. Usually, a pusher or slide allows you to silence the mechanism. The repeater mechanism chimes the time on demand.
Among the 10 or so prestigious names that have produced Grande Sonnerie wristwatches are Patek Philippe, Vacheron Constantin, Audemars Piguet, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Greubel Forsey, F.P. Journe, A. Lange & Sohne, Bulgari (Roth/Genta), Philippe Dufour, Credor and Frank Muller.
The L.U.C Grand Strike
Chopard is the latest brand to join this exclusive club with the L.U.C Grand Strike, a watch simply remarkable in every respect, representing a true masterclass in the art of chiming watches.
However, before delving into the details, we should first mention a few words about the 30-year journey that made the creation of this watch possible – such a masterpiece cannot be improvised and requires thorough expertise. The Chopard L.U.C collection was presented after the brand proudly inaugurated its Fleurier manufacture in 1996 and with the unveiling of the 1.96 micro-rotor calibre. The collection gave birth to a multitude of superb watches with subtle, nuanced refinement. While these watches are now celebrated by aficionados, it’s important to remember that earning such credibility was a long and challenging process. At the time, entering the world of Haute Horlogerie was no easy feat, and gaining recognition alongside established specialist makers required exceptional dedication.
The first chiming watch introduced within the Chopard L.U.C Collection was the Strike One (hour strike au passage) in 2006. The Full Strike Minute Repeater was presented in 2016 and earned the brand the Aiguille d’Or at the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève 2017 with its revolutionary use of sapphire gongs integrated into the watch’s crystal as a monobloc part. In 2017, a minute repeater tourbillon was introduced as part of the “Sound of Eternity” trilogy. On this occasion, the Strike One was also fitted with the sapphire monobloc technology.
The new Chopard L.U.C Grand Strike combines traditional forms with modern aesthetics, offering an unimpeded view of the dial-side strike-works of the 686-part calibre L.U.C 08.03-L. The movement intricacies and finishing on display, both front and back, are truly impressive with black polishing, anglage, and Côtes de Genève, all executed to the exacting standards of the Poinçon de Genève. The bridges and mainplate are made from German silver, and the tourbillon bridge is crafted from mirror-polished stainless steel. It is housed in a relatively compact 43mm white gold bassinée case adopting the codes of the new L.U.C aesthetics introduced at the beginning of 2025 with a curved bezel, welded lugs, a fluted crown and a strap interchangeability system (the latter is not implemented on the prototype watch we had for shooting).
Of course, the movement is not just an aesthetic treat, but it is a technical tour de force. The strike work mechanism is visible dial-side with the polished-steel hammers at 10 o’clock and its governor at 8 o’clock. The Grande Sonnerie (G), Petite Sonnerie (P), and Silence (S) modes can be selected via a sliding selector switch located next to the crown. The minute repeater mechanism is activated via a pusher coaxial to the crown. Just like the full strike, the watch relies on two barrels – one for the time indication with a 70-hour power reserve and one for the strike work mechanism, which provides up to 12 hours of power reserve in the grande sonnerie mode. Each is wound in a different direction using the crown.
Crystal Clear
A Chopard hallmark, the patented sapphire gongs are machined in one single monobloc unit with the watch’s crystal. This unique gong construction gives the L.U.C chiming watches their acoustic character. The gongs vibrate in concert with the dial crystal, channelling the sound directly towards the exterior of the watch and avoiding energy dissipation through the movement or case. The sapphire crystal gongs also have an orthogonal (square) cross-section, which creates a rich, layered sound.
The resulting chime is simply remarkable. The loudness, timbre, harmony, and pace are truly outstanding. There is literally no background noise thanks to the governor with its twin springs to regulate the chime speed. There are also no “ghost” strikes. With this elegant solution, the minutes will chime right away at the last quarter, when some watches leave a silent time.
The watch is also equipped with a series of security mechanisms to prevent damage when handling it. The mode can be switched during a chime without any risks. A chime cannot be activated when the crown is pulled out; the crown cannot be pulled out when a chime is activated. Thanks to a new patent, once the strike work power reserve is exhausted, a strike cannot be activated, thereby avoiding the possibility of an incomplete or partial chime. Another patent redefined the geometry of the striking hammers, changing their moment of inertia to minimise any potentially damaging impact on the sapphire crystal gongs, should an accidental shock occur.
In-house movement
The calibre L.U.C 08.03-L is regulated by a one-minute tourbillon. Its balance features a hairspring with a Phillips terminal curve. It operates at 28,800 vph, and there is a stop-seconds mechanism to allow for precise time-setting operation – this is a rare but meaningful function on a tourbillon, a mechanism built to enhance precision. It is implemented by stopping the tourbillon cage; after a few oscillations, the balance comes to a halt. The precision of the watch is certified by the COSC. During the development phase, the Chopard quality control conducted 62,400 activations of the sonnerie (half in each sonnerie mode) in an accelerated process to simulate five years of wear in just three months.
Availability & Price
The Chopard L.U.C Grand Strike comes on a hand-sewn alligator leather strap with alligator lining fitted with a gold folding buckle. An interchangeable strap mechanism allows you to change the look of your watch in seconds. Price is set at CHF 780,000. The watch is not a limited edition, but the production capacity is estimated at two watches per year.
The Chopard L.U.C Grand Strike is a remarkable watch. Hats off to all those who contributed to its creation. Kudos to Karl-Friedrich Scheufele for the exceptionally refined watches created in his workshops. Presenting in just a few weeks two masterpieces, such as the Ferdinand Berthoud Naissance d’une Montre 3 and the L.U.C Grand strike, is nothing short of extraordinary.
For more details, please visit www.chopard.com.
