Can you have too much of a good thing? That’s the question watch fans have been asking themselves over the last five days with this year’s edition of Watches & Wonders.
The week-long industry trade show has already seen hundreds of high-profile watch releases from some of the world’s most prestigious brands. The sheer quantity of innovations and delights can be somewhat overwhelming, so it pays to sort the wheat from the chaff and focus in on some of the most intriguing releases… Which is exactly what we’re going to do today with Chopard.
The 161-year-old Swiss watchmaker and jeweller has had a particularly stacked W&W lineup, unveiling a whopping 15 watches across 5 collections, more than enough to satisfy even the most demanding horological appetites. But we’re going to focus on just one of those collections – their new L.U.C men’s dress watches – as not only are they perhaps the most interesting new timepieces Chopard will be releasing this year, but some of the most interesting reveals of W&W in its entirety.
First up, we have the L.U.C. Perpetual Chrono in titanium (ref. 168611-3001), which is both physically and technically the biggest release of the lot. Previous L.U.C perpetual calendar chronograph models have garnered praise for their master chronometer certifications and impressive 60-hour power reserve (thanks to the brilliant L.U.C 03.10-L movement they all share), but at 45mm, they’ve always been a serious piece of wrist candy.
So a titanium model is a very exciting prospect: lighter and tougher than steel, this new reference means one of Chopard’s finest creations is more practical and impressive than ever. Indeed, that’s the theme of all of Chopard’s 2021 releases: refreshing new takes on their impressive creations that broaden their appeal without sacrificing the brand’s signature classiness. This brings us perfectly to their next two delights…
Marvels for men on the move
Any gentleman worth their salt knows that black is the most stylish colour there is (all those saying that black’s not a colour, we get it, you’re real clever…) So for Chopard to come out with murdered-out editions of their two most handsome travel watches is a no-brainer.
The L.U.C Time Traveler One Black (ref. 168574-3008) is the world traveller’s ideal watch. With a highly legible outer cities display and clever concentric dial construction, it packs a great deal of world time information into one watch without looking too cluttered or overwhelming. Can we also take a quick moment to recognise how fantastic the name ‘Time Traveller’ is?
The L.U.C GMT One Black (ref. 168579-3004) is similar but slightly less busy, losing the cities display and swapping a date hand for a date window. Both boast an innovatively finished 42mm ceramised titanium case, remarkably stylish vegan fabric straps and water resistance to 50m. The black looks dapper as hell, too – and it means that you never have to worry about your watch not matching your outfit no matter how tight your baggage allowance is. Black goes with everything.
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Dress to impress
The last two models you should have across your radar this W&W season are two incredibly elegant, particularly limited editions released to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Chopard Manufacture.
The stainless steel L.U.C QF Jubilee (ref. 168613-3001) is a thoroughly modern watch with an understated, Art Deco aesthetic. The simplicity of its sector-type dial and ultra-clean design belies the fact it boasts a 65-hour power reserve, COSC certification and Fleurier Quality certification; one of the most prestigious and demanding achievements a Swiss watch can ever hope to have.
The second is similarly (if not more) impressive, as not only is it Chopard’s first jumping-hour timepiece, but features a magnificent and tricky-to-pull-off grand feu enamel dial – two real hallmarks of haute horlogerie. The yellow gold L.U.C Quattro Spirit 25 (ref. 161977-5001) is not only visually distinct and just screams class, but thanks to its four-barrel Quattro technology, has a gargantuan 192-hour power reserve. That’s 8 days.
And would you believe that we’re only just scratching the surface of Chopard’s 2021 releases? Head to their online boutique to discover the rest of their impressive goodies.