We’re getting quite a way through our series of Baselworld overviews, but there are a still a few watch brands that we’ve yet to cover before we move on to showcasing some more specific details. One of these manufacturers is Chopard, and we were very privileged to visit the stand of this famous company when we attended Baselworld watch and jewellery fair itself. If you recall, we’ve already pinpointed some of Chopard’s unveilings that really stood out to us, but that was only a very passing mention, and such exciting developments deserve to be dwelt upon a little more…
The Mille Miglia GTS Collection
The Mille Miglia assemblage has always been one of our favourites, and ever since it was released in 1988 it has been extremely popular the world over. There are plenty of existing highlights within this family of watches, but Baselworld 2015 brought about an entirely new line; the Mille Miglia GTS. So, what’s different? Well, most notably we now have the introduction of a Chopard in-house movement to the range. The GTS watches are powered by either a calibre 01.01-C or 01.08-C mechanism, and both of these were created in the Fleurier Ebauche workshops. It was vital to Chopard that these watches were just as exclusive as the cars they’re inspired by, and they’ve undoubtedly managed that.
However, the adjustments are not entirely on the interior of the new wristwatches, important as those changes might be, as the case has also been reformed as well. Of course, the Mille Miglia style has perpetually been influenced by the curves of classic cars, so that aesthetic will always be there, but the new GTS family has also been optimised for comfort, so there is plenty to admire, both inside and outside these chronometer-certified timepieces. We’re certainly sold on them!
The L.U.C. Collection
Another of Chopard’s premier collections, the L.U.C family – named after Louis Ulysse Chopard himself – has been richly blessed at Baselworld 2015 with two separate headlines. The first is the ‘reinterpretation’ of the L.U.C. Quattro model; a timepiece which houses one of the most prestigious Chopard movements in history. We are, of course, talking about the 98.01-L mechanism, and the new rose gold and platinum L.U.C. watches are made even more remarkable by this magnificent inclusion.
The second announcement is the furthering of Chopard’s fairmined gold strategy, and this time it takes the form of a L.U.C. XPS watch. We’ve always been hugely in support of Chopard’s efforts to popularise fairmined gold, and if any approach is going to showcase such a material in the best possible light, it’s featuring it within an acclaimed watch like the L.U.C. The caseback, middle case and bezel are all crafted from this significant material, and the finishing and the interior engineering are exceptional as well, and it’s fair to say that this release has only heightened our anticipation for the expansion of this initiative in the coming years.
Métiers d’art and More
We leave you with some images that display Chopard’s extraordinary mastery of their art. Although such high jewellery creations are beyond the reach of most people, if they’re even sold commercially at all, we can’t help but love them for the sheer artistic ability that’s on display. Speaking of the work of true artisans, you’ll find plenty of it within our existing collection of Chopard watches. You can view this assemblage right here on our website, including many members of the Chopard L.U.C. and Chopard Mille Miglia families. Don’t forget you can contact us by calling 01524 38 48 58 to keep up to date with all of our Baselworld releases and acquisitions too. We’ll always be more than happy to assist you.
{star-snippet}