Chopard L.U.C. watches – named after Louis Ulysse Chopard himself – are one of the most celebrated collections from this Swiss horological titan. Exclusively mechanical and produced in-house, the L.U.C. may have come onto the scene a little later than some of its competitor names, but it’s certainly made up for lost time. The L.U.C.’s unique design features were quickly established as a firm favourite with many horophiles, yet this success has not led Chopard to become formulaic with the current L.U.C. models in any way at all.
In modern times, Chopard has shunned the excessive intricacies that are favoured by many other ‘super-complicated’ haute-horlogerie wristwatches, and has instead settled upon a balanced style that is far more discreet. The L.U.C. Lunar Big Date model is a primary archetype of this fact. The early days of the L.U.C. assemblage favoured cursive fonts and guilloche appliqué in the main, but the Big Date is a timepiece for the modern world, and it therefore snatches the attention through various other means. Seamlessly formed from 18 carat gold, this is undoubtedly a superb timepiece.
In many ways, the Lunar Big Date is timeless in appeal. The indexes upon the smooth grey dial take the form of golden numbers, rather than roman numerals, and the 12 o’clock situated eponymous ‘big date’ has obviously been chosen for both practicality and legibility. Finished with a hand-sewn alligator leather strap to ideally complement the gold of the case, crown and delicately faceted hands, this timepiece certainly couldn’t be accused of being showy. In keeping with the spirit of the L.U.C. family though, a sense of whimsical, almost poetic intrigue is never far away.
This appeal is most obviously present in the lower portion of the dial, which is graced with a pair of apertures that are simply stunning. In the 7 o’clock position is an orbital moon phase indicator, a complication which covers both the Northern and Southern hemispheres, and this function is so precise that a discrepancy between this indictor and the actual cycle of the moon will only appear in one day out of every 122 years. The 5 o’clock aperture is similarly lunar-themed, only this time it is conveyed through the form of a stereotypical half moon shape; an addition which infuses the dial with a pleasing, yet never exaggerated, sense of mystique.
However, beauty is also twinned with functionality within the form of this timepiece, as despite its delightfully unusual aesthetics it is still a highly practical instrument, even after one acknowledges the aforementioned presence of the ‘big date’. With an appearance that mirrors the heavens, this timepiece is still resistant in waters of up to 30 metres deep, and the automatic L.U.C. 96.20.-L calibre movement (visible through a transparent rear caseback) possesses a significant power reserve of 65 hours, meaning that there will rarely be an occasion when this wristwatch is not adroitly balanced for the task at hand.
Chronometer-certified to guarantee accuracy, you really couldn’t ask for more from the Chopard L.U.C. Lunar Big Date, and it’s available right now from Banks Lyon Jewellers. Priced at £20,770, this inimitable timepiece is also obtainable on 0% finance for 36 monthly payments of £461.56 and a 20% deposit, with a variety of other customisable finance options on offer to meet your requirements as well. If you’d like to find out more about this LUC, or indeed learn more about any of our other Chopard watches, please be sure to contact us by calling 01524 38 48 58 or emailing [email protected].
{star-snippet}