This L.U.C 1963 Chronograph is a highly technical and sophisticated watch despite its rather stylish outlook. Its hand-wound chronograph calibre is distinguished by a sophisticated technical construction and a particularly high degree of finishing that earns it the Poinçon de Genève hallmark. Its firm roots in the tradition of fine chronographs stems from a comprehensive aesthetic, technical and historical approach, as well as Karl-Friedrich’s personal passion for the purest expressions of traditional watchmaking.
Hand-wound chronographs embody a spirit of nobility, along with technical and aesthetic perfection. They are the grand classic when it comes to short-time measurements and since they are not fitted with an oscillating weight that conceals much of the movement, they are ideally suited to showcasing impeccable craftsmanship.
The L.U.C 1963 Chronograph is presented in conjunction with the L.U.C 1963. Both are named after the year the Scheufele family acquired the Maison Chopard and celebrate the 50th anniversary of this event. They share the same case design, echoing the pocket-watches produced by Chopard in the 1960’s. The case of the L.U.C 1963 Chronograph is made of 18-carat rose gold and features cambered sides with a brushed finish along with a polished and slender rounded bezel.
The 42 mm-diameter case of the L.U.C 1963 Chronograph is perfectly versatile. The elegance of its proportions is underlined by the execution of its deceptively classic-looking dial. The curved Roman numerals are a signature of the L.U.C collections, as are the dauphine hands, while the red chronograph hands clarify read-off, energise the dial and are a nod to the chronograph’s primary purpose: measuring sports events.
The new L.U.C Calibre 03.07-L is a simpler and yet nobler version of Calibre 03.03-L: Chopard’s first in-house manufactured chronograph movement, which features automatic winding. The L.U.C 03.07-L movement picks its chief technical characteristics, the most visible being the flyback function that serves to perform successive timing operations without having to reset the counters to zero using the 4 o’clock pusher. Its vertical coupling-clutch ensures more reliable activation of the chronograph sweep-seconds hand. Finally, pulling out the crown resets the small seconds hand at 6 o’clock and keeps it motionless, thus enabling accurate synchronisation with a reference time. The latter function stems from the precision-timing vocation of the L.U.C 1963 Chronograph, which is highlighted on the dial by the inscription “Chronometer” and certified by the Swiss Official Chronometer Testing Institute, the COSC.
The differences between the L.U.C Calibre 03.07-L and its predecessor are visible from an aesthetic standpoint. Withdrawing the oscillating weights and its accompanying components ensures a completely unobstructed view of the movement. The parts required for the chronograph function occupy a significant part of the space visible on the back of the watch beneath the transparent sapphire crystal: the steel-coloured bridges, yokes, levers and column wheel stand out clearly against the gold-toned background. This contrast is further heightened by the variety of surface treatments: circular graining for the base, straight graining on the chronograph parts, along with a Côtes de Genève motif on the bridges. The latter are fashioned in nickel silver, a demanding alloy to work with, since potential scratches are irredeemable.
Chopard is hereby affirming its enduring attachment to the noble values of Haute Horlogerie and to its history. While the masterful 1963 Chronograph finds an entirely natural place within the L.U.C collection, it will be produced in a limited series of just 50 – one for every year since the Scheufele family took over Chopard.
A special model inspired by and intended for PuristS
A 2007 encounter between Karl-Friedrich Scheufele and the famous collectors group known as The PuristS, sparked the idea of a chronograph model primarily destined for them. It also spelt the start of an ongoing dialogue on the theme “what a chronograph intended for the PuristS would look like”, driven by a wish to create a timeless model embodying the very essence of historical chronographs. This has led to a steel version of the L.U.C 1963 Chronograph, the “PuristS” model featuring an extremely pure dial with no date, a nod to the first chronographs. This exceptional model is issued in a 50-piece limited series.
Technical details
Model: L.U.C 1963 Chronograph
Reference: 161964-5001
Limited edition: 50
Case
Material: 18ct rose gold
Total diameter: 42.00 m
Thickness: 11.50 mm
Water resistance: 50 m
Crown: 18ct rose gold crown with L.U.C logo
Crown size: 8.00 mm
Glass: Glare-proofed sapphire crystal
Back: Exhibition type
Movement
Mechanical hand-wound L.U.C 03.07-L
Diameter: 28.80 mm
Thickness: 5.62 mm
Number of jewels: 38
Frequency: 28,800 vph (4 Hz)
Power reserve: 60 hours
Finishing: Bridges adorned with Côtes de Genève motif
Certificates: COSC (Swiss Official Chronometer Testing Institute) & Poinçon de Genève quality hallmark
Dial
Sunburst satin-brushed silver-toned
Matt silver-toned counters
Hands
Gilded hour, minute and small seconds hands
Red sweep seconds-hand as well as hour and minute counter hands
Functions and displays
Central hours and minutes
Small seconds at 6 o’clock
Chronograph
Sweep seconds-hand
30-minute counter at 3 o’clock
12-hour counter at 9 o’clock
Date between 4 and 5 o’clock
Strap and buckle
Hand-sewn brown alligator leather, lined with cognac-toned alligator leather
18ct rose gold pin buckle
