Despite Baselworld 2020 not taking place this year, watch brands still need to announce the new designs they’ve been working on in lead up to the annual show. For 2020, Chopard has updated its L.U.C Perpetual Twin – the entry-level model into the world of Chopard Haute Horology – relaunching it in two new colours.
Previously, the Perpetual Twin could be had in stainless steel with a silver dial. When it launched in 2016, it became the only chronometer-certified perpetual calendar (QP) available on the market. The Swiss watch manufacturer can now report it is being joined by two new models, one in stainless steel with blue dial and one in 18K rose gold with “subtle grey dial.” Both arrive with respective colour-matching alligator leather straps.
Chopard’s L.U.C series of watches represent some of its finest watchmaking and are assembled at the company’s Geneva and Fleurier workshops. The Perpetual Twin is a clear example of Chopard’s mastery with its 43mm dial playing host to a big date display at 12 o’clock, with three sub-dials: two showing the perpetual calendar day, month and leap year, and a third indicating small seconds at 6 o’clock.
One key difference with this updated version is Chopard has removed the Roman numerals from the previous version and replaced them with faceted rhodium-plated or gilded hour-markers, depending on the model, with matching hour, minute, small-seconds, day and month indicator hands.
Running the Perpetual Twin us Chopard’s L.U.C 96.22-L calibre, which it modestly claims is “a work of true technical and artisanal mastery.” It’s this COSC-certified movement that gives the Perpetual Twin its title of being the only perpetual calendar timepiece available in stainless steel on the market. Intricate components such as a 22-carat gold micro-rotor gifts the entire movement a slim 6mm profile, while Chopard’s own Twin Technology, which utilises dual barrels, keeps the Perpetual Twin running for 65 hours before needing to be rewound.
Chopard’s L.U.C Perpetual Twin will be available soon for AU$36,100 for the stainless steel/blue dial model and $72,800 for the 18K rose gold edition.