With a brand history as lengthy and distinguished as Chopard’s, it can be surprising to some enthusiasts that the brand’s Chopard Manufacture in-house movement making arm was founded as recently as 1996. This high-end manufacture division has been behind many of the brand’s most spectacular designs, however, and to celebrate its 25th anniversary Chopard is unveiling the first ever jumping hour watch from Chopard Manufacture. With an elegantly simple design and an eye-catchingly unique complication, the limited edition Chopard L.U.C Quattro Spirit 25 is a timelessly refined tribute to a quarter century of the brand’s movement making endeavors.

The 40mm case of the Chopard L.U.C Quattro Spirit 25 is crafted in ethically sourced 18k rose gold, with clean classical lines and unique finishing. When viewed from above, every surface from the rounded stepped bezel to the short hooked lugs is finished in a bright and dressy polish. From the case sides, however, the curving mid case and lug sides feature an idiosyncratic vertically brushed surface, giving this elemental design a distinctive personality in initial images. In order to showcase this new in-house movement, Chopard naturally fits the case with a sapphire display caseback.

For the dial of the L.U.C Quattro Spirit 25, Chopard emphasizes simplicity and traditional techniques. The clean white dial surface itself is Grand Feu enamel on an 18k gold base. This complex traditional process, including application, multiple high-heat firings, and hand polishing is all performed in-house by Chopard Manufacture’s own enamel specialist, and the results are dramatic in initial images. The railroad minutes track and outer Arabic numerals are another layer of Grand Feu on top of the slightly domed white surface, giving these glossy elements the effect of rising out of a deep sea of milk. The central minutes hand is more ethical 18k rose gold in the L.U.C line’s signature stepped dauphine style. Outside of the L.U. Chopard signature at 12 o’clock, Chopard pares back the dial design to its bare essentials to keep maximal attention on the 6 o’clock jumping hour window. This first for Chopard Manufacture is bordered with matching rose gold, while the hour wheel itself uses a more elongated, modern typeface to differentiate itself from the minutes track. A matching font may arguably have led to a cleaner look, but the lack of other elements on the dial keeps these two differing elements from coming off as chaotic.

In order to achieve Chopard Manufacture’s first ever jumping hour complication, the brand equips the L.U.C Quattro Spirit 25 with the new in-house L.U.C 98.06-L handwound movement. The L.U.C 98.06-L’s nearly full bridges are brightly finished with Côtes de Genève,  and artfully cut away to reveal slivers of the gear train. The balance cock is equipped with a classical swan neck regulator for fine adjustment, and the movement uses Chopard’s unique Quattro quadruple stacked and series coupled mainspring barrel layout. This allows for a massive 192 hour power reserve at a 28,800 bph beat rate. In keeping with the minimalist classical design ethos, Chopard finishes the L.U.C Quattro Spirit 25 with a hand sewn alligator leather strap in a rich mahogany brown.

With a commitment to elegant minimalism and fine finishing inside and out, the limited edition Chopard L.U.C Quattro Spirit 25 demonstrates the brand’s skill in both movement making and classical design. Only 100 examples of the Chopard L.U.C Quattro Spirit 25 will be made, available now through authorized dealers at an MSRP of $44,700. For more details, please visit the brand’s website.