I’ll admit, it took me some time to determine what precisely the Chopard L.U.C Flying T Twin was reminding me of: to me, it’s a lot just like the horological equal of the eminent scholar that raises the typical of the category in each sense of the phrase. It definitely received’t be the one whom everybody is aware of in class – there aren’t any scandals or tiresome pursuit of the newest tendencies with this one… And it isn’t till you get to comprehend it higher that you simply understand, there are some hidden skills to go together with the eminence.
The Chopard L.U.C assortment — the high-end line of the Fleurier-based manufacture – we have now mentioned a great variety of instances, introducing it because the underdog when put next in opposition to the favored youngsters corresponding to Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet and the remainder. The gathering is called after the corporate’s founder, Louis-Ulysse Chopard, which is why the dial says L. U. Chopard and why there isn’t any interval after the “C” in “L.U.C” — for these eager to know these items. In a approach, it’s the status-free status-watch amongst luxurious timepieces.
Now, it doesn’t take a lot for one to grasp the best way I meant “status-free” there. It takes zero understanding of watches and watchmaking for one to acknowledge this all-gold watch as an costly timepiece — although I’d enterprise as far as to say that most likely few of us watch lovers would determine this was a six-figure-priced watch (I definitely didn’t anticipate that to be the case, although I used to be relying on seeing a excessive five-figure worth for positive).
What I do imply by “status-free” is how carrying this 118,500-dollar watch is, in a approach, a extremely discreet and restrained alternative. A finances of this magnitude would permit one to get an early Richard Mille RM011, a factory-blinged-out Rolex with sapphires and rubies in it or… Properly, just about something from anybody. So, somebody going for an L.U.C piece, a set that now begins at $eight,800, actually makes this a alternative of somebody in the hunt for a timepiece that excels in its execution and design — versus its “street-cred” (the place that phrase got here from, don’t even ask).
Don’t let that aggressive base worth of the gathering idiot you. You see, with its L.U.C Full Strike (hands-on right here), Chopard has produced what I contemplate to be the best-sounding minute repeater I’ve ever heard — and I’m fortunate sufficient to say that I’d heard a lot. Designed, manufactured and assembled in the identical constructing as each different L.U.C, this sapphire-gong minute repeater stands as a testomony to the manufacture’s proprietary know-how, one thing it gathered over the 24 years of operation of its Fleurier facility. All that is to say that there’s a lot of know-how inside Chopard — and I want each model exhibited not less than half this a lot real dedication to positive watchmaking. The flamboyant trade-shows of the trade could be rather a lot much less regurgitative, I can inform you that.
The dial contains a real guilloché dial with a fairly extra distinctive striped honeycomb sample. With guillochage, the specified sample is reduce from a plate of steel utilizing an enormous machine that’s operated by hand. The sample is dictated by so-called rosettes, however the pace of the operation and, extra importantly, the depth and the precise location of the sample is at all times set by the guillocheur. I’m telling you all this as a result of the place giant, uninterrupted patterns are difficult-enough to make, to create this honeycomb sample I reckon would entail lifting up the slicing device on the finish of each stripe inside each hexagon. That’s 1000’s upon 1000’s of completely carried out restarts — mess up any one in all them and you’ve got a ruined dial.
The motion that powers the Chopard L.U.C Flying T Twin is the L.U.C 96.24-L. It’s the first flying tourbillon of Chopard and it’s based mostly on the L.U.C Caliber 96, which is a micro-rotor caliber that was additionally the primary motion launched by Chopard in 1996. It’s a extremely spectacular motion: it could simply be three.30mm thick, however it options two stacked barrels (how about that!) — which explains the “Twin” within the watch’s identify, in addition to the 65-hour energy reserve, exceptionally lengthy for such an ultra-thin caliber. A 22kt strong gold micro-rotor takes care of replenishing the 2 mainsprings, whereas the Geneva Seal certification ensues a sure grade of motion decorations — though I’ve been left unimpressed with Geneva Seal-certified watches earlier than, Chopard L.U.C (just like the eminent scholar it’s), helps elevate the bar on this regard too.
In consequence, the Chopard L.U.C Flying T Twin is simply 7.2mm thick, all cased up. Not record-thin by any stretch of the creativeness, however skinny sufficient for it to be a correct costume watch. A diameter of 40mm additional emphasizes its concentrate on class — as do these typical L.U.C-style arms which have, at this level, turn into a vital ingredient to any watch from Chopard’s high-end assortment. The case is crafted from 18kt Fairmined gold — one thing, so far as I can inform, unique to Chopard. At a time when WWF condemned the posh watch trade’s practices and lack of transparency of their methods of (not-)coping with local weather change and sourcing their gold from sustainable sources, each effort counts — and Chopard has been amongst a handful to attempt to higher these practices, even when only for restricted collections. I requested Chopard about this again at BaselWorld and so they stated they’re already totally using the accessible (extraordinarily restricted) variety of Fairmined licensed mines.
Whether it is sheer complexity that you’re after, for a similar (eye-watering) quantity, you may choose up the Chopard L.U.C Perpetual Chronograph with 455 elements, versus the 190 on this Flying T Twin. Nevertheless, whether it is this flying tourbillon that floats your boat — I’ll definitely haven’t any hardship seeing why. Priced at $118,500, the Chopard L.U.C Flying T Twin stands out for its spot-on costume watch model, skinny profile, lovely, but succesful caliber, guilloché dial, Fairmined gold case — and, effectively, its worth. You may be taught extra about Chopard L.U.C on the manufacture’s web site right here.
