Chopard: The Seven-Year Search

KMII · 2023-10-17T03:18:20Z

Discover the Chopard L.U.C HF, a rare 8 Hz titanium timepiece, as collector KMII shares his 7-year quest and initial impressions. Explore its unique design and movement.

KMII, a long-standing member of the WatchProSite community, recently acquired a Chopard L.U.C HF, a timepiece that has been on his coveted list for nearly seven years. This article delves into the unique appeal of this original series model, particularly its 8 Hz movement and titanium case, as KMII shares his journey and initial impressions. The discussion further explores the watch's distinctive design and its place within Chopard's horological innovations.

A long, long time ago - sometime in 2015/6 I put together a top 10 list of watches I want to have one day. One more of those fell into my hands recently - the LUC HF from the original series of 100, with its intriguing 8 Hz movement. As titanium cases and leather straps are my thing, this one remained my favorite even after newer watches with variations on the movement have been launched (admittedly I got close to taking an Alpine Eagle HF but am glad I waited).

The watch - or rather the movement also has a truly mesmerizing sound, courtesy of its super fast heartbeat.

Now as for shots, that will have to wait for some better light but here’s something to start with:

Key Points from the Discussion

The L.U.C HF's case design, with its porthole display and visible bolts, is highly distinctive and unlike other L.U.C cases, resembling a prototype from an engineering factory.
While the Alpine Eagle High Frequency might better showcase the smooth sweep of the 8 Hz seconds hand due to its full-sized seconds hand, the original L.U.C HF holds a special appeal for collectors.
The original L.U.C HF, without a power reserve indicator and in its simpler design, is preferred by some collectors over its ceramic-cased successor model.
Finding the original L.U.C HF in Europe has been a significant challenge for collectors, making its acquisition particularly rewarding.
The Chopard Chrono One holds sentimental value for KMII, marking his entry into collecting and the WatchProSite forum.
The community recalls previous discussions and sightings of this specific L.U.C HF reference, highlighting its long-standing intrigue among collectors.

The Discussion

Jay (Eire)

Oct 17, 2023

I seem to remember our old friend KIH posting some pictures of this reference, maybe not this specific iteration, many years ago and I was intrigued. Not as intrigued as you however, as I forgot about it until now! Congratulations!

KMII

Oct 17, 2023

Been on my wanted list for ages but finding one in Europe has been a challenge. The ceramic successor model in black is a bit more plentiful but I prefer this simpler design without the PR.

KMII

Oct 17, 2023

The dial is another highlight - much nicer live than on the original photos 👌🏻

KMII

Oct 17, 2023

Need to get my family to the French Alps first, though 😂

ifraher

Oct 17, 2023

I casually mentioned I always liked it and they had one hidden away, potentially the last one available in stock. Great piece

KMII

Oct 17, 2023

Than on this picture 😉

Key Points from the Discussion

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