This new Chopard LUC (L.U.C) watch has a striking resemblance to the original Chopard LUC watches, and that isn’t an accident. This svelte and stunning petite-sized yellow-gold Chopard limited-edition luxury timepiece is meant to help celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Chopard LUC family, which is a higher-end classification of Chopard timepieces with movements produced near Geneva in a dedicated facility. That said, the celebratory status of this watch is not clear from the name, which is the reference 161990-0001 Chopard L.U.C 1860 Flying Tourbillon. 1860 was the year that Louis-Ulysse Chopard (L.U.C) started the Chopard company, but the modern form of the brand (as well as the L.U.C sub-collection) has little to do with the 19th century. It is true, however, that the watch features a beautiful in-house micro-rotor-based flying tourbillon movement. In 18k yellow gold, the Chopard L.U.C 1860 Flying Tourbillon is limited to just 10 pieces.
From a design perspective, this LUC 1860 Flying Tourbillon watch is meant to look like the first LUC watches from the late 1990s. Chopard has changed the LUC family aesthetic a few times over the years, and a return to this simple, yet classy and timeless look is an interesting reminder of what made Chopard LUC watches interesting to begin with. That includes a simple round case, dauphine-style hands, and matching applied hour markers along with a cursive font Chopard brand logo. By today’s standards, this watch is small, but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. While someone accustomed to wearing 40mm wide and larger timepieces will find this sub-37mm-wide profile to be rather petite, there is a growing number of people out there (men and women) who want smaller sub-38mm wide timepieces of all styles. Of course, these people can look at vintage watches, but there is a growing number of contemporary watches in smaller sizes to meet the tastes of that part of the market. Accordingly, the Chopard L.U.C 1860 Flying Tourbillon has an 18k yellow gold case that is 36.5mm wide and just 7.7mm thick. That even includes a hinged hunter-style caseback that opens up to reveal a view of the movement through a sapphire crystal window. The case is water resistant to 30 meters, and there is another sapphire crystal over the dial.
I didn’t find the watch to wear too small given its dressier proportions. If you are wearing a suit or long sleeves, you will probably not even notice how little the timepiece is. That small size and thin proportions also make for a comfortable, and out-of-the-way wearing experience. The heft of the 18k gold case will remind you that something important is on your wrist. Attached to the case is an attractive gray-hued alligator strap. The caseback opens with a fingernail-operated latch, and on the inside is an engraving (complete with beehive) dedicated to the Chopard L.U.C movement factory in Switzerland.
The Chopard caliber L.U.C 96.24-L automatic movement inside the watch is not new but is really nice to look at and easy to live with. It features a micro-rotor-based self-winding system, along with a dial that indicates the hours, minutes, and running seconds via the 60-second flying tourbillon visible through the window at the 6 o’clock position on the dial. The movement operates at the unusual frequency of 3.5 Hz (25,200 bph). Let’s just say that if you want to test the accuracy of this movement on a rate result machine, be prepared to dive into the special settings to get an accurate result! The caliber 96.24-L automatic movement also has 65 hours of power reserve between two mainspring barrels, which is impressive given the 27.4mm wide and 3.3mm thick dimensions of the movement mechanism. Finally, the movement is awarded with a prestigious Seal of Geneva (Poincon de Geneve) marking. This award attests to the movement’s fine decoration, build quality, performance, and assembly within the canton of Geneva (of course).
The Chopard L.U.C 1860 Flying Tourbillon in 18k yellow gold is a luxury watch imbued with timeless elegance and good taste. It can also be accused of being a bit boring, but so can most conservative-looking watches. This is not a futuristic or avant-garde timepiece that is looking to impress and wow the kids. Rather, this is the type of watch you are drawn to after years of collecting and wanting something very nice but hardly edgy. Chopard reminds us after 25 years why we still love the L.U.C collection of high-end watches, but it also needs to invigorate the sub-brand and show us what ideas they are going to bring to the table to start the next 25 years. Price for the limited edition of 10 pieces reference 161990-0001 Chopard 1860 Flying Tourbillon is $134,000 USD. Learn more at the Chopard website.
