L.U.C Full Strike Revelation

L.U.C Full Strike Revelation

Mechanical perfection, revealed

Following the ‘Sound of Eternity’ limited editions in ethical rose and white gold, hardened steel, platinum, sapphire and ceramicised titanium, Chopard preserves the pure sound of its patented minute repeater mechanism with monobloc sapphire gongs inside a case made of ethical 18-carat yellow gold. In doing so, the artisans of the Manufacture reveal all the stunning beauty of the L.U.C 08.01-L movement thanks to an open worked transparent sapphire dial. Endowed with chronometer-certified precision, this exclusive 20-piece limited edition testifies to the finest expertise and innovation cultivated by Chopard Manufacture. The high degree of craftsmanship devoted to its finishing is honoured by the prestigious Poinçon de Genève quality hallmark.

In 2016, the first L.U.C Full Strike model heralded a novel way of generating and propagating the sound of a minute repeater. By using solid sapphire gongs and having the sapphire crystal serve as a resonator, as well as by combining these two components into a single, monobloc entity, Chopard offered incomparable tonal richness and acoustic intensity. This crystal-clear, unalterable sound earned the first L.U.C Full Strike model in rose gold the ultimate “Aiguille d’Or” award at the 2017 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève.

The dial: transparent sapphire reveals the beauty of an exceptional movement

The L.U.C Calibre 08.01-L powering Chopard's minute repeaters is a horological masterpiece, and this new model fully reveals its aesthetic and technical sophistication thanks to sapphire’s distinctive properties. Homogeneous in structure and unalterable over time, sapphire is already an essential element of Full Strike technology, since it serves to machine the crystal and gongs. In this model, it is also used to fashion an open worked dial offering the advantage of providing transparent views of the movement, while acting as a base for the indications essential to the legibility of time. It accommodates the gilded hour-markers, the small seconds counter and the concentric power-reserve indicator (indicating the power reserve of the watch itself and that of the strike work), and finally the plate in ethical gold bearing the L.U.C logo. As with previous models, the railway-track minutes ring is directly engraved on the crystal before being painted.

The case: the radiance of ethical yellow gold

Following limited editions made from a variety of noble and innovative materials, the luminous brilliance of ethical 18-carat yellow gold shapes this latest model’s harmoniously proportioned case measuring 42.50 millimetres in diameter and 11.55 millimetres thick. The ultimate precious metal, gold carries special significance within the Manufacture, which since July 2018 has been using 100% ethical gold to craft all its gold watches and jewellery. This responsible commitment reflects the Maison's philosophy of sustainable luxury.

Since its first L.U.C Full Strike model, Chopard Manufacture has consistently demonstrated its perfect mastery in the art of integrating its exceptional minute repeater movement into a case whose material does not alter the purity of the sound. This is because the sapphire crystal is directly linked to the gongs with which it forms a solid whole. It is this element that vibrates, exciting the surrounding air flow and serving as a perfect ‘loudspeaker’. In doing so, it generates the distinctive acoustic signature and musicality of the L.U.C Full Strike timepiece.

The movement: an unprecedented chronometer with a patented sound mechanism

The L.U.C Full Strike watch incorporates the unique advancements characterising the L.U.C 08.01-L movement with its five Chopard-patented technical systems, starting with the ingenious sapphire monobloc construction of the watch glass and gongs. In a minute repeater mechanism, the energy used by the strike work is provided each time the winding lever is activated. Here, the energy comes from a separate, dedicated barrel wound directly by the crown. This enables the L.U.C Full Strike model to chime the most complex and energy-intensive time of day (or night) – namely 12 hours and 59 minutes – up to 12 times. This exceptional autonomy is due to several factors. It benefits from the contribution of a patented clutch-lever mechanism ensuring that the strike work gear train is blocked to avoid losing power reserve during the information capture that controls the minute repeater.

This autonomy is also the result of Chopard Manufacture's experience in multiple barrels. The founding movement of the L.U.C collection – L.U.C Calibre 96.01-L introduced in 1996 – already featured Chopard Twin technology, whose two superimposed barrels deliver long-lasting and reliable force. Moreover, thanks to its innovative ratchet-driving mechanism, the chime systematically respects the defined rhythm, with no silent pauses between the hours and quarters, nor between the quarters and minutes, whatever the time being sounded and however many times it strikes.

Keen to preserve the user-friendliness of the minute repeater and to make its operation as secure as possible, Chopard Manufacture has introduced many innovative systems. Thus, if the barrel no longer has sufficient force to power the minute repeater, a safety mechanism blocks its release. Chopard has also been awarded a patent for a new strike work activation device. As soon as it is activated, the pusher is disengaged, thereby making it impossible to disturb the minute repeater or damage it.

L.U.C Calibre 08.01-L operates at a 4 Hertz frequency, ensuring enhanced rate stability and representing a rare feature on a minute repeater. To achieve even greater precision, the L.U.C Full Strike is equipped with a mechanism that stops the small seconds at 6 o'clock when the crown is pulled out. This stop-second mechanism ensures that the time is set with perfect accuracy. The precision of the movement is chronometer-certified by the COSC (Official Swiss Chronometer Testing Institute), a guarantee to which Chopard Manufacture has long been committed.

The Poinçon de Genève: a guarantee of craftsmanship

As technically refined as it is aesthetically pleasing, the L.U.C Full Strike Revelation testifies to the finest craftsmanship cultivated by Chopard. Several hundred made-to-measure tools are involved in reworking and hand-trimming each rough-cut component, before manually decorating it using traditional skills – even if it is destined to remain concealed beneath a bridge. Each creation is successively enhanced by chamfering, satin-brushing, polishing, circular graining and Côtes de Genève patterns, before being individually tested and hand-assembled in the workshops. The prestigious Poinçon de Genève quality hallmark to which Chopard has been loyal for many years attests to this degree of artisanal skill and meticulous care. This certification is validated by an independent body and governed by a law instated by the Canton of Geneva. It imposes strict criteria of excellence for the case as well as the movement, including its structure, appearance and precision.

The L.U.C collection: watchmaking excellence

In 1997, Chopard Manufacture launched the first watch to emerge from its watchmaking workshops: the L.U.C 1860, equipped with the L.U.C 96.01-L movement. Since then, through the L.U.C collection, it has accumulated mastery of all the major horological complications. Between Fleurier and Geneva, Chopard Manufacture conceives, develops, produces, assembles, decorates and certifies all its timepieces. Thanks to Karl-Friedrich Scheufele's commitment to watchmaking tradition combined with technical innovation, the Manufacture maintains a high level of finishing by preserving numerous artistic crafts and skills.