Words: Russell
To say that Chopard has a storied history would be an understatement. For decades, the brand has produced watches to their own exacting standards, and dressed the wrists of horological connoisseurs the world over. Even Russia’s Tsar Nicholas II was a fan of Chopard’s work.
And, now that the brand have had their own manufacturer for a few years, their stunning array of watches is benefitting from further development and becoming even more impressive. From grand complications and Metiers d’art pieces to beautifully simple and accurate timepieces, they have it all.
Here are our favourites from the Fleurier-based manufacture.
Chopard L.U.C Full Strike
This is a watch that Chopard has had in development for quite some time. It’s a watch that contains a prize-winning complication of small hammers inside the watch, which strike the crystal to sound out the hours, quarters and minutes.
It was this revolutionary type of minute repeater that earned this model international recognition last year when it won Best in Show at the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève — the equivalent of the Oscars for watchmaking.
Chopard L.U.C Heritage Grand Cru
This is one for the wine connoisseurs, as the name would suggest. Created to display the best that Chopard’s watchmakers have to offer, like the Grand Cru Bollinger in your cellar this tonneau-shaped watch will be the prize of your collection.
Chopard L.U.C Heritage Grand Cru
Chopard L.U.C Quattro
The L.U.C Quattro has become synonymous with modern elegance, and this new model is no different — incorporating a vertical silver-toned dial and encased in 18-carat rose gold. But what really caught our eye on this timepiece was its beautifully contemporary use of blue on the hands, indicators and strap. It’s a simple splash of colour, but one that takes the design of this watch to another level.
Chopard L.U.C Twist QF Fairmined
An area in which Chopard are truly industry-leading is “Fairmined” gold, where the brand work with gold mines to help improve the living conditions of those who extract the raw materials that end up on your wrist.
Provenance of materials can easily be overlooked when buying luxury items, not to mention the conditions of the workers who extract them, so its an incredibly welcome shift in policy from Chopard — and something that shows an integrity we can’t help applaud.
Chopard L.U.C XP
This updated version of a Chopard classic brings a perfect blend of modern style and the highest quality of watch making. A vertical satin-brushed Dacron-finished dial conceals the ultra-thin self-winding movement, built entirely in the Chopard Manufacturer.
But all of these technical details fall by the wayside when you strap this watch on. It’s the perfect everyday timepiece: sleek, chic, stylish and possible to pair with everything.
Chopard Mille Miglia GTA Power Control Grigio Speciale
While this model might seem like a bit of a left turn for Chopard, they actually have a rich history when it comes to motor racing. The brand has been the official timekeeper of the vintage car rally, Mille Miglia for 30 years now and to celebrate this anniversary they created this model in a limited run of just 1000 models. It’s a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it timepiece — and we can’t get enough of it.
Check out the last watch we had on our wrist, the Tudor Black Bay GMT…
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