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Chopard “dresses” the contemporary gentleman
Baselworld

Chopard “dresses” the contemporary gentleman

Saturday, 23 March 2019
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Christophe Roulet
Editor-in-chief, HH Journal

“The desire to learn is the key to understanding.”

“Thirty years in journalism are a powerful stimulant for curiosity”.

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4 min read

Chopard’s watches are now an essential item in the wardrobe of a well-groomed gentleman who appreciates a finely crafted mechanism as much as a hand-tailored suit. The L.U.C collections will seduce him with their extra-thin profiles and restrained aesthetic. And for something more sportive, the Mille Miglia Race Edition plays on its irresistible vintage credentials.

There can be no mistaking the owner of a Chopard watch. He is a contemporary gentleman and a connoisseur. Elegant and dapper, he dresses with the characteristic British flair of James Bond stepping out of the sea in a barely crumpled dinner jacket. His wardrobe is a testament to style and taste, as is his watch of choice. The new timepieces unveiled by Chopard at Baselworld 2019 are replete with the refined proportions and discriminating detail this gentleman expects. Naturally, who could fail to be captivated by the L.U.C Perpetual T Spirit of the Dragon and the Pearl, an exceptional creation both mechanically, with its perpetual calendar and tourbillon regulator, and artistically, with exquisite engraving referencing Chinese mythology. But this is a pièce unique, a showcase and the only one of its kind.

Essential classics

For the common mortal, Chopard has not only envisaged the ideal outfit – a blue cashmere flannel suit, worn with a Sea Island shirt and an Ancient Madder tie –; it has concocted watches on a par. The par in this case being the slender profile of the L.U.C collections whose silhouette is as exquisitely discreet as ever. The gentleman seeking a watch for every day that will still “pass muster” as a dress watch would be well-advised to consider the L.U.C XP in steel. The case (7.20mm high) encloses the L.U.C 96.53-L extra-thin (3.30mm) calibre. With its satin-finish blue dial contrasting with pink gold indications and a woven Merino wool strap, it is the epitome of classic understatement.

L.U.C XP © Chopard
L.U.C XP © Chopard

The L.U.C XPS Twist QF in Fairmined white gold is the colourful square in the pocket of an impeccably cut jacket: original without straying beyond the bounds of elegance. The 40mm diameter case and the L.U.C 96.26-L calibre share the same measurements as the previously mentioned L.U.C XP, but with the addition of a date display and small seconds. Another important difference that connoisseurs will recognise is that the L.U.C XPS Twist QF has been granted Qualité Fleurier certification, considered to be the most demanding quality label in the profession. For a watch to obtain this distinction, it must comply with five criteria: COSC testing for precision, Chronofiable tests for durability and reliability, Fleuritest simulation of wear, the beauty and quality of its Haute Horlogerie finishing, and 100% Swiss manufacturing.

The first Chopard flying tourbillon

Should our dapper gentleman still not have found a watch to his liking, he may wish to consider the latest rendition of the L.U.C Quattro, thus named for the four series-coupled barrels providing nine days of power reserve which add a whisker to the height of the L.U.C 98.01-L calibre (3.70mm) and the white gold case (8.84 mm). As for the new dial colour, Chopard remains true to its British inspiration: “Far removed from the bottle- or olive-green shades favoured by current trends, Chopard has opted for a greyish hue directly inspired by English tastes such as those pervading private clubs, along with a formal yet eccentric aura of elegance.” Even the most hard to please gentleman will concur. And if not, there is still the L.U.C Flying T Twin in Fairmined pink gold, which happens to be Chopard’s first ever flying tourbillon. It too is astonishingly trim, housing the LUC 96.24-L calibre (3.30mm) inside a case 7.20mm high. The gold dial exhibits an anthracite grey surface, obtained with a galvanic treatment, and a magnificent guilloché pattern.

L.U.C Flying T Twin © Chopard
L.U.C Flying T Twin © Chopard

If, by chance, sir has had enough of Savile Row and would rather take his 1960s Triumph Spitfire for a spin, needless to say, Chopard has the watch for the occasion. The Mille Miglia Race Edition will look the part as he races along Devon’s country roads. This characterful, retro-inspired chronograph perfectly reflects his twin loves of speed… and style.

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