Chopard celebrates Mexican heritage with its newest L.U.C Full Strike timepiece, marking the thirteenth exclusive edition inspired by the country's rich culture. This special minute repeater watch showcases a finely detailed dial featuring a calavera, a stylized skull symbolizing life's celebration and remembrance. Unlike its 2021 predecessor, which utilized champlevé enamel, this edition introduces a sophisticated blend of eggshell and deep-blue straw marquetry, offering a fresh artistic interpretation of the iconic motif.
The watch is encased in a 42.5mm ethical rose gold frame, with a slender profile of 11.55mm. The entire case, including the bezel, middle, crown, and transparent caseback, is meticulously hand-engraved, extending the artistic embellishment beyond the dial. This intricate engraving work highlights the brand's dedication to craftsmanship and aesthetic detail, making each component a part of the larger artistic narrative.
The dial itself is a masterpiece of artisanal skill, constructed on a rose-gold foundation. Over 70 fragments of French rye straw are individually prepared and arranged by hand to form the contours of the calavera, further defined by delicate hand-chasing. Chopard debuts eggshell marquetry on this model, utilizing carefully cleaned, dried, and broken shell pieces to create the eyes and teeth. The varying density of the shell fragments around the eyes produces a subtle, graduated effect. A hand-engraved gold mustache, accented with the L.U.Chopard logo, completes the design, encircled by a minute track along the dial's edge. Time is indicated by central hands, while dual concentric indicators at 2 o'clock display the power reserves for both the movement and the striking mechanism.
Through a dial aperture on the left and a display caseback, the sophisticated L.U.C 08.01-L manually wound calibre is revealed. This movement, Chopard's pioneering in-house minute repeater introduced in 2016, comprises 533 components and operates at 28,800 vibrations per hour, offering a 60-hour power reserve. It incorporates five patented innovations designed to ensure seamless chiming and prevent operational interruptions. For this particular model, components such as the hammers, strike ratchet wheels, bridge, and repeater inertia governor drum are treated with blue CVD, mirroring the hues of the straw marquetry. The movement adheres to the stringent Poinçon de Genève standards, underscoring its exceptional quality and finish.
This Chopard L.U.C Full Strike "Día de los Muertos" Edition 13 is a singular creation, presented on a cognac-brown alligator leather strap, hand-stitched and lined tone-on-tone, secured by a hand-engraved rose-gold deployant clasp. This unique piece combines technical prowess with profound cultural symbolism, reflecting Chopard's commitment to both horological excellence and artistic expression, making it a truly remarkable offering for collectors.
