W&W 2024 Chopard L.U.C XPS Forest Green in Lucent Steel™

The L.U.C XPS Forest Green celebrates the three core values of the L.U.C collection: technical performance, aesthetic refinement and a commitment to certified watchmaking. The all-new Forest Green sector-type dial boasts a fusion of vintage charm and modern watchmaking excellence. The 40-mm Lucent Steel™ case is both responsibly produced and well-proportioned for a wide variety of wrist sizes. The dial is enchanting, with traditional touches of Chopard design, from the case and lugs to the signature rhodium-plated Dauphine hands. The “Chronometer” inscription is visual recognition that the L.U.C 96.12-L calibre housed in the L.U.C XPS Forest Green meets the most stringent accuracy tests as performed by COSC (Official Swiss Chronometer Testing Institute). This timepiece is indeed a testament to Chopard’s in-house design and manufacturing prowess.

As the latest addition to the L.U.C collection, the new L.U.C XPS Forest Green is a contemporary fusion of considered materials in Lucent Steel™ – Chopard’s exclusive alloy featuring advanced properties, produced with a recycling rate of at least 80% – and technical watchmaking with in-house L.U.C Calibre 96.12-L. Exuding a sense of depth and refinement, the satin-brushed dark green dial is achieved by PVD treatment. This sector-type watch face with its precise divisions and intricate detailing adds a touch of vintage sophistication, making the timepiece both contemporary and classic.

A charming sector-type dial

The sector-type dial design sits between the Art Deco and Bauhaus movements, with the concentric circles typical of the former and the functionality of the latter. It adopts a time-only dial layout, giving it both intrigue and aesthetic depth. While there is no hard and fast dictionary definition, a true sector-type dial should feature two concentric rings, one for the minutes and another for the hours. The hours and minutes markers should be radial lines running between the inner and outer edges of the rings – creating the “sectors”. The 1930s saw the popularisation of this dial design among several Manufactures, often using the same dial makers. This style continued through the 1940s and into the 1950s, before falling out of favour in the 1960s and making a big comeback in recent years – witness the L.U.C Qualité Fleurier presented by Chopard Manufacture in 2005. The magic lies in the combining of this distinctive layout with a Forest Green dial and contrasting off-white markers.

Chronometric precision with the L.U.C 96.12-L calibre

The L.U.C 96.12-L is an ultra-thin calibre measuring just 3.30 mm thick, featuring a bidirectional 22-carat gold micro-rotor and twin stacked barrels (Chopard Twin Technology) providing a generous 65-hour power reserve. Visible through the caseback, the bridges are beautifully finished with a Côtes de Genève motif and bevelling. The ‘S’ in the XPS acronym refers to the small seconds at 6 o’clock. This is required by the Official Swiss Chronometer Testing Institute, which uses this display to evaluate the precision of the movements it certifies, ensuring the average daily rate of the watch is between −4 and +6 seconds. It corresponds to the fundamental token of elegance sometimes referred to as the politeness of kings: punctuality.

A timeless fusion of elegance and fine watchmaking

Since 1996, Chopard Manufacture has been cultivating watchmaking expertise and reflecting the inspired vision of Karl-Friedrich Scheufele, committed to a quest for innovation and to defending a heritage passed on through generations of watchmakers – true Artisans of Emotions – since the time of the Maison’s founder Louis-Ulysse Chopard.

Movement development, finished product design, case stamping and machining, calibre components, traditional hand-crafted finishes, surface treatments, polishing, assembly, adjustments and quality controls: its Swiss workshops in Geneva and Fleurier enable Chopard to master the full range of production operations for each creation in the L.U.C collection.

The work of talented artisans, these timepieces, endowed with a simple, clean-cut design and expressing a high degree of mechanical sophistication, beat to the rhythm of the emotions experienced by the contemporary gentlemen for whom they are intended: men distinguished by their attachment to art and expertise, watchmaking enthusiasts who lead their lives with passion.

Technical specifications

Chopard L.U.C XPS Forest Green in Lucent Steel™

Reference: 168629-3001

Case

• Material: Lucent Steel™
• Diameter: 40.00 mm
• Thickness: 7.20 mm
• Water-resistant to 30 metres
• Crown in Lucent Steel™ with L.U.C logo: 5.00 mm
• Polished case-middle and case-back
• Satin-brushed case flanks
• Glare-proofed sapphire crystal
• Exhibition back

Dial and hands

• Forest Green brass dial with sunburst satin-brushed finish
• Off-white transfers
• Rhodium-plated Dauphine-type hours and minutes hands
• Rhodium-plated triangular small seconds hand

Movement

• Mechanical self-winding L.U.C 96.12-L
• Number of components: 172
• Diameter: 27.40 mm
• Thickness: 3.30 mm
• Number of jewels: 29 
• Frequency: 28,800 vph (4 Hz)
• Power reserve of 65 hours
• Winding via a micro-rotor in ethical 22-carat gold
• Two barrels - Chopard Twin technology
• Flat terminal curve
• Bridges adorned with Côtes de Genève motif
• Chronometer-certified (COSC)

Functions/Indications

• Central display of the hours and minutes
• Small seconds at 6 o’clock
• Stop-seconds function

Strap and buckle

• Hand-sewn brown calfskin leather strap with ecru stitching
• Pin buckle in Lucent Steel™

MSRP: EUR 12'700

For more information, please visit chopard.com