Two New: L.U.C Takes on New and Complicated Roles

Since its introduction as an integral member of Chopard’s family of watch products almost twenty years ago, the emblematic L.U.C has taken on various styles, shapes, and complications. The L.U.C Lunar Big Date, first launced in 2009, was introduced featuring the L.U.C aesthetic in 18-karat white gold or rose gold, while the L.U.C 1963 chronograph is a dream come true. 

L.U.C 1963 Chronograph

Nineteen sixty-three was notable  for the Scheufele family, as it was the year they acquired the Maison Chopard. Thus the L.U.C 1963 collection was named in honor of this momentous occasion and was introduced to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of this event.

The COSC-certified L.U.C 1963 Chronograph is an esteemed member of the collection created in a limited edition of 50 time pieces. Its artfully decorated L.U.C 03.07-L movement, visible through the caseback, has a flyback function that allows successive timing operations without having to reset the counters to zero. And its vertical coupling clutch ensures more reliable activation of the chronograph sweep-seconds hand. Pulling out the crown resets the small seconds hand at 6 o’clock and keeps it motionless, thus enabling accurate synchronisation with a reference time.

“I had always dreamed of making a hand-wound chronograph,” says Chopard co-president Karl-Friedrich Scheufele. “I have a real passion for this type of movement that represents the quintessence of traditional horology in its purest and noblest forms. This model was programmed ever since we launched the L.U.C Chrono One in 2006 and for me, it is a dream come true.”

The 42mm rose gold case features cambered sides with a brushed finish and a polished and slender rounded bezel. The classically styled sunburst satin-brushed silver-toned dial features curved Roman numerals and matte dauphine hands, while the chronograph hands offer a spot of color—vibrant red. The 30-minute counter is at 3 o’clock, the 12-hour counter is at 9 o’clock and small seconds are at 6 o’clock. The date is visible between 4 and 5 o’clock.

The watch comes on a hand-sewn brown alligator leather strap lined with cognac-toned alligator leather, affixed by an 18-karat rose gold pin buckle.

L.U.C Lunar Big Date

Chopard’s self-winding L.U.C Calibre 96. 20 -L—visible through the caseback—is housed in a 42mm diameter case shown here in polished and satin- brushed 18-karat white gold. The silver-toned sunburst satin-brushed dial features Roman numerals and luminescent Dauphine hands. The big date is elegantly positioned at 12 o’clock and small seconds are between 4 and 5 o’clock.

The highly accurate orbital moonphase display is located at 7 o’clock, and it is so precise that the discrepancy between the mechanism and the real lunar cycle is just one day in 122 years.

The various moon phases are visible for both the northern and southern hemispheres through a particularly large aperture that is both dramatic and eminently visible. In addition, the Northern part of the disc features the Big Dipper constellation, while the Southern part displays the Southern Cross. Two stacked co-axial barrels ensures a 65-hour supply of energy to the COSC-certified movement with its balance oscillating at a rate of 28,800 vibrations per hour.