LUC has been developed as Chopard's signature collection. Since 1996, the brand has poured its watchmaking expertise into the watch, and the company says it "embodies the pinnacle of Swiss watchmaking." However, LUC once had a niche presence in the watch market. However, in 2025, a new model was released to prove the fruition of nearly 30 years of LUC watchmaking as Chopard's "icon." This article introduces the new LUC, which serves as "proof."
Text by Chieko Tsuruoka (Chronos-Japan)
[Article published on January 2, 2025]
The LUC collection has long been a Chopard icon.
Chopard has of course incorporated trends in its product development, whether it was the boom in "big, thick" watches or the boom in luxury sports watches, or "ragspo" for short, but it has always positioned the "LUC" as the brand's signature collection. This movement was introduced in 1996.
The company had established itself as a jeweler through its quartz-movement jewelry watches, such as the "Happy Diamonds" and "Happy Sports." However, in 1997, it released the "LUC 1860," equipped with the in-house movement LUC 1.96 (now LUC 96.01-L), manufactured in its own workshop in Fleurier, Switzerland. LUC stands for the initials of Chopard's founder, Louis-Ulysse Chopard, and 1860 is taken from the year the company was founded.
The LUC 1860, released in 1997, is equipped with the in-house movement Cal. LUC 1.96 (now LUC 96.01-L), which was released in 1996. The photo shows a privately owned example photographed for the "Portraits of Iconic Pieces" feature in the May 2015 issue of Chronos Japan. Automatic movement (Cal. LUC 1.96, now LUC 96.01-L). 32 jewels (later 29 jewels). 28,800 vph. Power reserve approximately 65 hours. 18K yellow gold case (36.5mm diameter). Water resistant to 30m.
This Caliber LUC 1.96 (now LUC 96.01-L) met the standards of the Poinçon de Genève and, in addition, featured elaborate finishing that exceeded that of luxury watches manufactured to those standards. After the release of the LUC 1860, Chopard, which had a strong image as a jeweler, began to focus on producing haute horlogerie, and this attitude actually became recognized in the market.
However, as mentioned above, sports watches remained the norm for a long time. LUC, which featured many classic styles and was priced higher, was a collection aimed at watch enthusiasts who already owned several watches. In fact, the popularity of the Alpine Eagle, a luxury sports watch, played a major role in Chopard becoming known to younger generations as it is today.
Times have changed, and now, having gone from "big and thick" to "luxury sports," quiet luxury is beginning to take hold in the market. Quiet luxury refers to understated luxury that is not flashy, and in contrast to the sports watches that have traditionally made a strong presence on the wrist, people are now preferring thin and small dress watches and watches with simple, basic functions. Due to this trend, LUC's popularity seems to be on the rise. While actual sales figures are unknown, media exposure has increased, and we are hearing more and more reports of people purchasing LUC.
Chopard has continued to enrich its LUC collection from the heyday of "luxury sports" right up to the present day, and just before the milestone of 2025, which marks the 30th anniversary of the opening of the manufacture in Fleurier, Chopard has released a masterpiece that seems to be the culmination of the history of Chopard, which has made LUC the foundation of the maison, and the movement manufacturing technology that has been cultivated since 1996. This article introduces these new models.
Chopard's Featured New Release ① "LUC Quattro-Mark IV"
Manual winding (Cal. LUC 98.09-L). 38 jewels. 28,800 vph. Power reserve approximately 216 hours. Pt case (diameter 39.00 mm, thickness 10.40 mm). Water resistant to 30 m. Estimated price: 7,227,000 yen (tax included).
Manual winding (Cal. LUC 98.09-L). 38 jewels. 28,800 vph. Power reserve approximately 216 hours. 18KRG case (diameter 39.00 mm, thickness 10.40 mm). Water resistant to 30 meters. Estimated price: 5,797,000 yen (tax included).
2025 marks the 25th anniversary of the LUC Quattro collection. The LUC Quattro collection is characterized by its extremely long power reserve. This durability is achieved through Chopard's exclusive Quattro technology, which uses four barrels stacked in pairs to accommodate a mainspring with a total length of 1885 mm.
Since its release as the Caliber LUC 98.01-L in 2000, it has been updated and several variations have been added to the lineup, but the Caliber LUC 98.09-L used in this model is considered the fourth generation. As such, it has been given the "Mark IV" model name, as seen in other Chopard collections. The power reserve is approximately 216 hours, or approximately 9 days.
This new movement differs from previous models in that the power reserve indicator, previously located on the dial, has been moved to the case back. While this feature was previously used in the Caliber LUC 98.06-L, which featured jumping hours, it is the first time it has been used in a three-hand model. The quality assurance of previous Quattro movements, which meet the standards of COSC-certified chronometers and the Hallmark of Geneva, remains unchanged. Chopard has not only given the LUC Quattro movement a luxurious finish, but also demonstrated excellent performance characteristics, such as a long power reserve and precise regulation by the winding balance spring.
As this model is equipped with a new movement, the exterior also has a special design.
Of the two models in the lineup, the platinum case with vertical satin finish is paired with a sky blue PVD dial with a matte finish. The ethical white gold hands and indexes subtly harmonize with the colors of the case and dial, creating a minimalist and elegant look reminiscent of the LUC collection. Furthermore, future Chopard platinum models will feature a hand-engraved bee symbol between the lugs. The hardworking bee is one of the symbols of Chopard Manufacture.
The other LUC Quattro model features a vertically satin-finished 18K ethical rose gold case and a matte dial that is colored a deep blue by a galvanic process. The gently domed sapphire crystal and lugs that are manufactured separately before being welded to the case create a graceful line.
Chopard has been using 100% ethical gold for all of its 18K gold watches and jewelry since July 2018. This is a socially responsible way of fulfilling the Maison's legacy, which has been developing and producing its own movements since the early days of the 1990s, when the term "manufacture" first began to take root in the watch industry, and has been a leader in the luxury watch market and watchmaking within that market.
Chopard's Featured New Release #2: LUC Quattro Spirit 25-Straw Marquetry Edition
Manual winding (Cal. LUC 98.06-L). 42 jewels. 21,600 vph. Power reserve approximately 192 hours. 18KRG case (diameter 40.00mm, thickness 10.30mm). Water resistant to 50m. Limited to 8 pieces worldwide. Estimated price: 13,629,000 yen (tax included).
Another new model celebrating the Quattro movement is the Straw Marquetry edition of the LUC Quattro Spirit 25.
The Cal. LUC 98.06-L, a quattro movement equipped with a jumping hour movement, was released in 2021, marking the 25th anniversary of Chopard Manufacture. Featuring a long power reserve of approximately eight days thanks to its four barrels, this model is notable for its small jumping hour window at 6 o'clock and a single hand indicating the minutes, as well as a straw marquetry dial.
The dial, which lacks a minute scale, features a honeycomb pattern, each pattern finished with varying shades of green straw marquetry. The straw marquetry used for this dial is made from rye straw grown in Burgundy, France, dyed green. Each strand is then split with fingernails, flattened with pliers, and then cut into small hexagons with a scalpel before being glued to an ethical rose gold base—a meticulous process created by hand. The honeycomb pattern, which Karl-Friedrich Scheufele has associated as a symbol of the LUC collection since 1996, is elevated to an artistic technique. The assembled dial is finally coated with wood wax. This final touch adds a lustrous finish, enhancing its striking presence. The hand-sewn green alligator strap complements the dial beautifully.
The movement of this model also meets the standards of the Geneva Hallmark.
Chopard's new and noteworthy product #3: LUC Heritage EHG Moon 122
Manual winding (Cal. LUC 63.04-L). 20 jewels. 21,600 vph. Power reserve approximately 60 hours. 18KRG case (diameter 44.00mm, thickness 12.70mm). Water resistant to 30m. Limited to 20 pieces worldwide. Estimated price: 13,629,000 yen (tax included).
The Geneva Watchmaking School (EHG) will celebrate its 200th anniversary in 2024. Chopard, which has partnered with the school since 2004, has released the LUC Heritage EHG Moon 122, a watch with a new aesthetic befitting this milestone.
The hand-wound movement featured in this watch, the Caliber LUC 63.04-L, is inspired by the LUC 06.01-L that Chopard provides to students at the Geneva Watchmaking School for their graduation projects. The movement features an astronomical moon phase module. For over 20 years, Chopard has been providing "school calibers" developed in collaboration with the Geneva Watchmaking School. These finished and semi-finished parts kits offer students the opportunity to learn both movement decoration and adjustment techniques. Chopard Watchmaking School has now decided to add an astronomical moon phase module to the base movement for students who wish to complete an additional year of training.
Chopard's Astronomical Moon Phase movement boasts such high precision that it only needs to be adjusted once every 122 years and 45 days. During the lunar cycle, the actual moon's orbit deviates from Chopard's mechanism by just 57 seconds. The indicator, located at 3 o'clock, depicts the moon's waxing and waning phases, hammered and engraved on a rose gold and aventurine disc. Naturally, it meets the standards of a COSC-certified chronometer and the Hallmark of Geneva.
The small seconds hand at 9 o'clock depicts a unique worldview: the Earth as seen from the North Pole. The globe is engraved in gold, while the ocean is rendered in intense blue lacquer. Combined with the Northern Hemisphere's constellations, which are applied across the entire aventurine dial using white transfer printing, this watch immerses you in the history of the Geneva Watchmaking School, as well as the human history of seeking to express various worldviews through mechanical timepieces. The ethically crafted 18K rose gold case is also exceptional, with a design reminiscent of the hunter case shape of pocket watches designed by Louis-Ulysse Chopard in the 19th century. It is this shape that earned the watch the "Heritage" name.
Chopard's watchmaking training initiatives, including its collaboration with the Geneva Watchmaking School, have been highly praised in the watch industry, and the company's investment in its employees has led to the Canton of Geneva awarding it the Best Training Company Prize in 2024.
Chopard's new and noteworthy product #4: LUC Full Strike Revelation
Manual-wound (Cal. LUC 08.01-L). 63 jewels. 28,800 vph. Power reserve approximately 60 hours. 18K yellow gold case (diameter 42.50mm, thickness 11.55mm). Not waterproof. Limited to 20 pieces worldwide. Estimated price: 45,925,000 yen (tax included).
The LUC Full Strike Revelation, whose see-through dial reveals the Cal. LUC 08.01-L, is a special minute repeater watch following the Sound of Eternity, part of the "musical" trilogy released in 2022, the 25th anniversary of the LUC collection.
Featuring Chopard's patented monobloc sapphire crystal gongs, this minute repeater houses its movement in an 18K yellow gold case, preserving the purity of its tone.
While the intricate design of each part, including the gears, is certainly a given, what first catches your eye when you look at the dial are the governor and hammer mechanisms, symbolizing the repeater, located at 9 o'clock. The solid sapphire crystal that serves as the gong and the sapphire crystal that serves as the resonator are monoblock, resulting in a rich tone and powerful acoustics. Being able to view the mechanism from the dial side is perhaps the best feature of owning a complication watch. Sapphire crystal does not deteriorate over time, so you can enjoy the beautiful tone and beauty of the watch with both your ears and eyes forever, another important aspect of owning a luxury watch.
In addition to the hour and minute hands, the dial also features a power reserve indicator and a small second hand, but these are located on the sapphire crystal so they do not interfere with the beauty of the movement.
In addition to meeting the quality standards of the Poinçon de Genève, this watch is also COSC-certified, making it the first wristwatch with a patented acoustic mechanism to achieve this certification.
A masterpiece from the "LUC" collection, the fruit of Chopard's watchmaking
Chopard has released a wide range of new watches from the "LUC" collection for 2025. As mentioned in the article, the company has continued to expand its LUC collection without being influenced by trends in the watch market.
However, this year there are more masterpieces than usual, suggesting that Chopard is putting a lot of effort into this collection.
This new lineup of LUC models is a sign of the growing demand for LUC in a watch market where quiet luxury is becoming more prevalent. At the same time, as the fruition of LUC's many years of watchmaking has come to fruition and the collection has become a success, we can expect to see even more masterpieces from LUC in the future.
