A watch dial is first and foremost a space dedicated to information. Every element carries meaning. Minute track, hour markers, numerals, subdials, brand signature, model name, chronograph indications… within just a few square millimeters, every inch is occupied. There is hardly any room left for artistic expression. How can one incorporate one of the 20-plus decorative arts practiced in fine watchmaking without removing an essential feature, altering the identity of the collection, or compromising its function? Unless that space is naturally available.
When L.U.C unveiled the Quattro Spirit in 2021 to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the caliber that powers it, it quickly became apparent that the watch presented the opposite situation. One hand only—for the minutes. No seconds. No date. At 6 o’clock, a jumping-hour display revealed a single numeral. The logo was discreet. The railroad minute track optional. The white grand feu enamel dial of the inaugural series was remarkably open. Even the power reserve indicator had been relocated to the movement side of the watch. With its striking purity, the very first version of this jumping-hour timepiece hinted at what Chopard intended it to become: a creative medium.
Since then, the manufacture has produced more than a dozen limited editions based on the same platform. After the initial white and black grand feu enamel dials came dragons—several of them—painted by hand in miniature to celebrate the corresponding year of the Chinese zodiac. For India, Chopard created a majestic depiction of Ganesh, again using miniature painting. To mark its New York boutique, the brand unveiled a Statue of Liberty rendered in painted enamel with a distinctly Roy Lichtenstein-inspired aesthetic. For Día de los Muertos, the jumping-hour aperture became the tongue of a striking hand-engraved gold Calavera. Then, at the 2026 Rétromobile show, a vintage racing car caught mid-corner appeared on the dial in tribute to racing legend Jacky Ickx, a longtime friend of the Scheufele family.
Another trio of creations—the L.U.C Quattro Spirit Ensō, Meditating Daruma, and Samurai Last Stand—illustrates that miniature painting in watchmaking does not necessarily have to be figurative. It can also be abstract and evocative, drawing directly on the principles of calligraphy, where the uninterrupted flow of the brushstroke is itself the artist’s ultimate objective.
Among these varied limited editions, one decorative technique appears to have become a particular favorite at Chopard, having already inspired five different interpretations: straw marquetry. Blue. Black. Green. Brown. Natural yellow. Carefully arranged strips of rye straw, grown specifically for this purpose, create a texture unlike any other. “What makes this piece so extraordinary is the way it catches the light,” says Cédric Schiess, owner of a black straw marquetry version and founder of the Biel-based retailer Art Du Temps. “I constantly find myself moving it around just to watch the reflections appear in each tiny square. Every single one reflects the light differently.”
The connection runs even deeper in his boutique, where large straw marquetry panels form an important part of the interior design. Their presence naturally echoes the craftsmanship displayed on the watch dial. “I enjoy highlighting traditional crafts and the people capable of producing truly exceptional work,” Schiess explains. “It’s an art form in itself. Every straw must be flawless, harvested early enough to preserve its natural sheen, then cut, flattened, glued, and waxed. It’s genuinely three-dimensional craftsmanship.”
That ever-changing sense of depth and texture is exactly what Chopard seeks to achieve. The latest version, crafted from natural-colored straw, produces warm golden reflections that shift with the light. “The black version is much more understated,” Schiess adds. “From a distance, it simply looks like a black dial, and you can’t immediately tell what it’s made of. But the moment people get closer, they become curious. They start asking questions. It’s a real conversation piece.”
FAQ:
Q: What is the Chopard L.U.C Quattro Spirit?
A: The Chopard L.U.C Quattro Spirit is a watch with an almost empty dial, introduced in 2021 to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the caliber that powers it. A single hand displays the minutes, while an aperture at 6 o'clock shows the jumping hour, leaving the rest of the dial entirely available for decorative arts.
Q: What is straw marquetry?
A: Straw marquetry is a traditional decorative technique that involves assembling long strands of rye straw, which are cut, flattened, glued, and waxed to create patterns with shimmering, ever-changing reflections. Chopard uses this craft on selected limited editions of the L.U.C Quattro Spirit, available in blue, black, green, brown, or natural yellow.
Q: What is a jumping hour watch?
A: A jumping hour watch displays the hour as a numeral that changes instantaneously in an aperture, rather than with a conventional hour hand. This is the principle behind the Chopard L.U.C Quattro Spirit, whose minimalist dial features only a minute hand and an hour aperture at 6 o'clock.
Q: What is Chopard?
A: Chopard is a watch and jewelry manufacture that notably produces the L.U.C collection, dedicated to more traditional watchmaking. Within this collection, the brand regularly introduces limited editions showcasing decorative arts such as miniature painting, engraving, and straw marquetry on the clean, uncluttered dial of the Quattro Spirit.
