The exhibition took place in the Imperial Centre for Arts and Culture in Beijing, a famous reception house built in a royal garden from the Ming and Qing dynasty, this pop-up exhibition was held on November 15th and 16th and retraced for the first time in Asia the history of the L.U.C Collection of Chopard to date.
Above and beyond this history, the exhibition was an opportunity to understand the ultimate craftsmanship daily perpetuated by Chopard through traditional techniques, alongside a contemporized approach to design and watchmaking.
In the mid-1990s, Chopard co-president Karl-Friedrich Scheufele was inspired by the idea of reviving the watchmaking heritage of the company’s founding father, Louis-Ulysse Chopard, and recapturing Chopard’s horological legitimacy. He thus undertook the creation of Chopard Manufacture, a full-fledged watch Manufacture in Fleurier. Fulfilling this lofty ambition involved overcoming numerous hurdles. To be recognised as a Manufacture, a watch company must produce at least one “in-house” mechanical movement. That was precisely the stumbling block for Chopard which, despite decades of experience, did not have a proprietary movement at the time. Chopard thus decided to take action from 1993 onwards, under the impetus of Karl-Friedrich Scheufele.
This event was the occasion for Chopard to release for the first time in China its exclusive L.U.C Time Traveler One Special Beijing Edition watch with limited 8 pieces.
First worldtime watch in the L.U.C collection, the L.U.C Time Traveler One is the ideal tool for the gentleman traveller. By simultaneously tracking the time in every zone across the planet, it enables the wearer to keep an eye on what’s happening in all four corners of the earth.
Chopard also displayed its latest minute repeater the L.U.C Full Strike, which has just won the “Aiguille d’Or” Grand Prix at the the 2017 edition of the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève. As the crowning point of the celebrations marking the 20th anniversary of Chopard Manufacture in 2016, Chopard launched its first-ever minute repeater: the L.U.C. Full Strike, featuring a number of world première features. Striking the hours, quarters and minutes on sapphire gongs, this standout model is in a league of its own thanks to its original construction, the excellence of its Poinçon de Genève finishing, and above all its extraordinary sound.
Pursuing its longstanding involvement in celebrating life’s finest milestones as well as honouring traditional Chinese arts, Chopard took for this special exhibition watchmaking art to a new level with an extraordinary new one-off creation: L.U.C Perpetual T – Spirit of the Chinese zodiac. Chopard artisans created an entirely hand-engraved rose gold case with the twelve signs of the Chinese zodiac. This comprehensive work of artistic craftsmanship, paying tribute to a millenary-old culture, is intended for the most discerning collector.
The “L.U.C - l’Art d’une Manufacture” exhibition displayed both the excellence of fine workmanship and sophisticated mechanics. This is the reason why Chopard chose to dedicate a special part to the ultimate art of Urushi – a time-honoured pictorial art. Each year Chopard is dedicating a new exclusive series of its L.U.C XP to the Chinese zodiac. The Chinese new year provides the theme for an exceptional Urushi lacquered dial. Hand-crafted in Japan in small series under the supervision of master lacquer artist, Kiichiro Masumura, it depicts popular scenes drawn from Chinese iconography believed to bring good luck. The watches features the traditional Urushi and Maki-e techniques, magnificently highlighted by the pure, understated design of the ultra-thin L.U.C XP model, equipped with the mechanical self-winding L.U.C Calibre 96.17-L.
Karl-Friedrich Scheufele welcomed to this event some of the most accomplished and stylish gentleman of Asia. The Hong Kong superstar, martial artist and film director: Donnie Yen. Yen is considered to be one of Hong Kong's top action stars and most successful of the last decade. He shared the stage with one of the most well-known and popular actresses in China, Liu Tao. Chopard is also proud to have welcomed renowned Chinese actors Luo Jin. Guest enjoyed the presence of Dong Zijian being one of the most popular young actors in China. Karry Wang, the leader of the pop group TFboys, acknowledged for his great success and incomparable style discovered as well the L.U.C collection during this unique event.
