Chopard - L.U.C 1963
Featuring a shape dictated by a hand-wound movement bearing the Poinçon de Geneve quality hallmark, its dial occupies almost the entire diameter of its generously sized rose gold case. A wristwatch equipped with a pocket-watch movement, it is a direct descendant of the chronometers that Chopard was still producing in 1963, the year the Scheufele family acquired the Geneva-based company.
Jutting slightly out from The 44 mm-diameter case, the lugs gently mould the curve of the wrist. The sides of the 18-carat rose gold case are cambered and brushed, while the slender rounded bezel is polished. The pure, translucent porcelain-style white dial bears a small seconds subdial at 9 o'clock, dauphine hands, black Roman numerals and a rail track minute circle - all representing direct references to the golden era of chronometers. Nonetheless, each of these elements has been reworked. The small seconds subtly overlaps the minute track and bears red Arabic numerals ensuring a lively yet discreet presence. The design of the dauphine hands are typical of the new L.U.C collections. The Roman numerals follow the round shape of the dial and feature alternating solid and slender bars, while the minute track is composed of uninterrupted black 'rails' with 'sleepers' that never touch and thus create a lighter effect on this key structural element within the L.U.C 1963 aesthetic. Nonetheless, the most striking feature of this dial is undoubtedly its size, since it occupies almost the entire diameter of the watch. This substantial opening of 36.7 mm is a direct consequence of the presence of the L.U.C Calibre 63.01-L.
The mechanical hand-wound L.U.C 63.01-L movement is a smaller version of L.U.C Calibre 06.01-L. The latter was developed in partnership with the Geneva Watchmaking School and presented in 2010 to mark Chopard's 150th anniversary as part of the L.U.C Louis-Ulysse Chopard - The Tribute model. L.U.C Calibre 63.01-L with its 38 mm diameter is a large movement, yet with a simple architecture dictated by the absence of any horological complications. The movement's two-tone treatment creates an eye-catching effect, while the alternation between the rose gold shade and the colour of steel heightens the contrasts, enhances the movement's three-dimensional nature. The edition is limited of 50 pieces.