A visit to the Chopard L.U.CEUM, Fleurier

AndrewD

What’s behind the Blue Door?

A visit to the Chopard Manufacture at Fleurier is not complete without passing through these doors. Behind them lies the history of horology, particularly of the local Neuchatel area and of course of Chopard. The L.U.CEUM is Karl-Friedrich Scheufele’s personal horological collection and was opened in 2006 for the tenth anniversary of the manufacture. It is fully curated and new pieces of the highest quality are added as they become available.

The space itself, with exposed beams and wooden floor and lined with display cases, is quiet and reverential. A lyceum is a public space for teaching and learning. I could see watchmakers and designers spending hours in here just soaking up the history and looking for inspiration.

The pieces are arranged to follow a journey through time, from sandglasses and sundials to clocks and watches.

This square table clock is from the early sixteenth century. The movement is actually made of iron, although the barrel is brass. The style of decoration is similar to what would have been applied to firearms of the time.

Breguet pocket watches

The Bovet brothers started their work in Fleurier and expanded their businesses into London, England and Canton, China and were very successful. For a period the word “Bovet” was synonymous with the word “watch” in China. The ebauche for this Breguet Coach Watch was made by Bovet.

Ch.H.Grosclaude & Co. chronometer with twin barrels, one to power an independent central seconds and the other to power the going train and escapement

Jean Tixier pocket watch (1840) for the Chinese market. Gold case with green, blue and red enamel, enamel dial and engraved gilt movement

The grandfather of Chopard watches, the earliest surviving Louis Ulysse Chopard pocket watch from 1860. A verge escapement housed in a silvered nickel case

Pierre Louis Berthoud, born in Vale-de-Travers in 1754 and worked in his uncles Paris-based manufacture

Ferdinand Berthoud regulator clock (1764)

There was so much more to see, but there were modern Chopard novelties waiting for me to play with and I had to move on. Chopard have produced a book: “Traces of Time” that presents the collection in more detail. I have I have whetted your appetite for more.

Andrew

Comments:

Nicko16 January 18th, 2013-04:23

Very Nice Report! Love looking at the old history of timepieces. Those pocket watches are cool!

amanico January 18th, 2013-06:27

Thanks for this very nice and interesting visit. The Square Table Clock is superb. Good to see some DNA from Chopard! Best, Nicolas

AndrewD January 19th, 2013-15:03

The Fleurier Manufactures ... ... - both LUC and the new Ebauches Manufacture - are very aware of the horological history of the region and really embrace it. The L.U.CEUM collection reflects this as well. I felt a sense of reverence to the past in there and could have spent hours soa...

amanico January 19th, 2013-21:42

I will, if I am in the neighborhood.

CaliforniaJed January 18th, 2013-08:33

I am jealous, Andrew! Thanks so much for the post and the photographs. The Luis Ulysse Chopard pocket watch from 1860 is fascinating, and quite beautiful. Best, CJ

AndrewD January 19th, 2013-15:31

The Louis Ulyssee Chopard pocket watch Hi Jed, Thanks for the nice words. I know you have a soft spot for Chopard. Here are some more pictures from "Traces of Time" of the LUC pocket watch: ...

Kong January 20th, 2013-23:28

Thanks Andrew! Nice pictures and a great reminder of our previous visit there. Hope you have quite a bit of time there :-) Kong

KIH February 2nd, 2013-19:30

Chopard is one brand... ... that I have got to get me one.... LUC is super.... Thanks for the report, Andrew! Ken

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MTF

Do you prefer your watch factory to be clean or dirty?

MTF

Do you prefer your watch factory to be clean or dirty? Over years of visiting watch factories and so-called Manufactures, we have seen all sorts of workshop conditions. There have been clean rooms that you could eat off the floor; and staffed with personnel wrapped in clean suits, face masks and surgical caps. There have also been messy workshops where food could be lost on the floor and you would not know because of the mess everywhere. I've also been to the 'atelier' of an AHCI member in Geneva with fancy ...

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