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Baselworld 2017: Chopard L.U.C XPS 1860 Officer

Possibly my favourite Chopard watch offered at Baselworld 2017 for nostalgic reasons.
Twenty years ago, Chopard introduced the first L.U.C watch from Chopard Manufacture - ref.16/1860/1 (100-pieces limited edition) that had an officer case back revealing the glorious L.U.C 1.96 micro-rotor movement. Then, the bee hive logo was stamped with exactly 42 bees buzzing around.

Subsequently, larger editions (1860 pieces) were produced with optional solid case backs engraved with the bee hive logo and a variable number of bees depending on the mood of the engraver.

The Great PuristS Bee Count game was invented as we all tried to discover the number of bees on our L.U.C watches.

L.U.C XPS 1860 Officer

L.U.C XPS 1860 Officer sketch 
 
For 2017, the new L.U.C XPS 1860 Officer offers a plethora of secrets and symbols.

For the first time in 20 years, Chopard offers an Officer case back again; that opens to reveal the ultra-thin and renamed L.U.C 96.01-L movement. On the front, an exceptionally refined hand-guilloché dial is offered with the symbolism of honeycomb motifs. The L.U.C XPS 1860 Officer epitomises the elegance and fine craftsmanship of Chopard Haute Horlogerie in a white gold case. The watch wears both COSC and “Poinçon de Genève” medals to adorn your wrist with a blend of distinction and discretion.

L.U.C XPS 1860 Officer 

The honeycomb motif appearing on the outside of the back cover matches that of the dial and both catch the light to attract the gaze.

There has been an improvement on the L.U.C XPS 1860 Officer; the user only needs to press the crown to open the back cover concealing its sapphire crystal case-back.

The hinge enables it to open at a precise 90° angle and to hold that position. The original officer caseback required a tough fingernail to open and did not open as wide as 90°.

L.U.C XPS 1860 Officer

L.U.C XPS 1860 Officer




L.U.C XPS 1860 Officer

Artistry and ritual
Officer-type back covers were meant to protect pocket watch glasses, as well as provide space for unique and personalised engravings. As we moved to wrist watches with tough sapphire crystal, there was no real need for such functional lids, yet the sense of artistry and ritual remained.

L.U.C XPS 1860 Officer

The dial of the L.U.C XPS 1860 Officer is made of solid gold. Its outer section is sunburst satin-brushed and the small seconds is finely grooved. A hand-guilloché honeycomb motif adorns the central area and the same motif in an enlarged form appears on the outside of the back cover. This design refers to two key landmarks in the history of Chopard.

1) The first marks the first watch made by Chopard Manufacture, the L.U.C 1860, launched in 1996 and also with a central hand-guilloché motif.

2) The second is a reminder of the founding of the Maison by Louis-Ulysse Chopard. Since its creation, and until the 1920s, the brand trade mark referred to bees because the family forebears were bee-keepers. Chopard watches were all engraved, both on their movements and inside their covers, with a beehive surrounded by bees.

Karl-Friedrich Scheufele

When Chopard Manufacture was created in 1996, Karl-Friedrich Scheufele choose to reprise this image by associating it with certain models of the L.U.C collection, thus named in tribute to the company founder. 

I included a secret beehive on the back inner bezel of the L.U.C 1963 Chrono PuristS Edition that Mr Scheufele is wearing. 

A few pieces of that PuristS steel 50-piece limited edition are available on request from Chopard Boutiques.

L.U.C XPS 1860 Officer

The inside of the back cover on the L.U.C XPS 1860 Officer also is hand engraved with a beehive and a random number of bees to ensure that each piece is truly unique.

Underlying the artistic appeal of the engravings are secret symbolism of the nature of bees: industrious, honest and modest, all essential contributors to an overall achievement by cooperation and hard work. The elegance and quality of the L.U.C XPS 1860 Officer is hallmarked by the “Poincon de Genève” (Geneva Seal).
 

Horological excellence at Chopard Manufacture

L.U.C XPS 1860 Officer

The crown-integrated pusher of the L.U.C XPS 1860 Officer that opens the hinged back cover provides a satisfying tactile prelude to the joys beneath.

The Officer cover barely changes the volume of the watch that remains only 7.7 mm thin and is not felt on-the-wrist.

What lies beneath?

Calibre L.U.C 96.01-L

Inside the 18-carat white gold case with vertical satin-brushed flanks, is the ultra-slim L.U.C 96.01-L calibre, decorated to the highest standards of Chopard Manufacture.

The L.U.C XPS 1860 Officer proudly wears its “Poinçon de Genève” quality hallmark like a military medal. This aesthetic and technical certification is approved by an independent authority and governed by Canton of Geneva Law, dictating the conditions of peerless excellence. These criteria apply to the case and the movement, including structural elements, precision and superlative surface finishing.

The automatic winding of L.U.C Calibre 96.01-L is by an engraved micro-rotor of 22-carat gold. Gold is used for high inertial characteristics for efficient winding but form follows function too. It supplies two barrels stacked in accordance with Chopard’s patented Twin® technology and guaranteeing a 65-hour power reserve. They enable the movement to beat with chronometer-certified precision, ensuring chronometer-worthy precision of all L.U.C models with a seconds display to achieve or exceed standards of the Swiss Chronometer Testing Institute (COSC).

 
Technical details

Case:
18-carat white gold
Total diameter     40.00 mm
Thickness            7.70 mm
Water resistance 30 metres
18-carat white gold with L.U.C logo  5.00 mm
Vertical satin-brushed flanks and inter-horn space
Polished bezel and case-back
Glareproofed sapphire crystal
Exhibition back protected by a crown-activated hinged cover
Inside of the back cover bearing the historical Chopard Manufacture logo
Outer of the back cover adorned with a hand-guilloché honeycomb motif

Movement:
Mechanical self-winding L.U.C 96.01-L
Total diameter       27.4 mm
Thickness              3.30 mm
Number of jewels   29
Frequency              28,800 vph (4 Hz)
Power reserve        65 hours
Winding via a 22-carat micro-rotor
Two barrels - Twin® technology
Bridges adorned with Côtes de Genève motif
Chronometer-certified (COSC)
Poinçon de Genève

Dial and hands:
Gold dial with galvanic silvered treatment
Chapter ring with sunburst satin-brushed decoration centred around the Chopard logo
Hand-guilloché honeycomb motif
Gilded Dauphine-type hours, minutes and small seconds hands

Functions and displays:
Central display of the hours and minutes
Small seconds at 6 o’clock
Date at 6 o’clock

Strap and buckle:
Hand-sewn brown alligator leather strap with alligator lining
18-carat white gold pin buckle

Ref. 161242-1001 – in 18-carat white gold
100-piece limited edition