Chopard L.U.C XPS 1860 Officer Royal Arms of England – Rule Britannia

Following a total revamp and expansion of its premises, Chopard reopens its Bond Street flagship boutique and celebrates with eight very special models of its L.U.C XPS 1860 Officer model.  The ultra-thin white gold L.U.C XPS 1860 Officer Royal Arms of England features a hinged officer-style caseback that has been appropriately decorated to mark the occasion.

A lesson in style and mechanics

In 1996 Chopard introduced its first in-house movement – calibre 96.01-L – housed inside the L.U.C 1860 watch. This milestone automatic calibre with its formidable mechanics and svelte dimensions gave birth to a remarkable collection of watches. Thanks to their ultra-slim profiles, discreet, elegant styling and outstanding mechanical calibres, members of the distinguished L.U.C XPS family are turning up at the most glamorous events, including the Cannes Film Festival where an azure and a red guilloché dial were spotted on the red carpet.

Richard the Lionheart

Like its red carpet siblings, the 40mm case is made from 18k white gold and has a slim profile of just 7.70mm – it is slightly thicker than the Cannes models because of the hinged officer-style caseback. The idea behind this hinged cover used on pocket watches was to protect the glass over the movement, as well as providing a blank canvas for engraving or other customisation choices. On this L.U.C XPS 1860, the pusher to open the caseback is integrated into the crown.

Given the context, a solid English motif has been chosen to decorate the interior of the cover and an engraved lion, symbolising Richard I of England, guards the movement.

The gold dial has been subjected to a galvanic treatment to produce the anthracite grey colour and is decorated in the centre with a hand-guilloché honeycomb pattern and contrasting snailed small seconds. This honeycomb motif was first seen on the 2017 L.U.C XPS Officer edition and on the brand’s first flying tourbillon. The pattern suggests a beehive and alludes to the first logo used by founder Louis-Ulysse Chopard. Like the hour markers, the Dauphine hands are also gilded to match the case metal.

CALIBRE L.U.C 96.01-L

Below deck is Chopard’s base movement, the same one that appeared on board the first L.U.C model of 1996. Visible through the sapphire glass caseback, the movement is equipped with a 22k yellow gold micro-rotor and two barrels (Chopard Twin^® technology) ensuring approximately 65 hours of autonomy. The movement is just 3.3mm thick and its remarkable precision is certified by COSC. The artisanal finishes have also earned the watch its Poinçon de Genève hallmark. An Haute Horlogerie creation, all the parts display a high degree of craftsmanship with chamfered bridges decorated with thick Geneva stripes, polished angles and circular graining on the mainplate.

London calling

The refurbished boutique on 12-13 Bond Street is one of Chopard’s largest boutiques in Europe and in addition to the watch and jewellery collections, it will reflect the Maison’s commitment to sustainability with an antique parquet floor acquired from old buildings and locally sourced materials.

Price and Availability

The eight-piece limited edition comes on a brown alligator strap with an 18k white gold pin buckle and will be available exclusively from Chopard’s UK boutiques. Price on request. For more details, please visit www.chopard.com.