Chopard unveiled a surprising unique piece L.U.C model at this year’s SIAR in Mexico City dedicated to the “Dia de los Muertos”, using design motifs associated with this celebration. The L.U.C Perpetual T Spirit of ‘La Santa Muerte’ is the second unique piece with grand complication, after the L.U.C Perpetual T – Spirit of the Chinese zodiac model presented in 2017. The L.U.C models represent the highest standard of watchmaking at Chopard. All the stages in their production are carried out in house, from movement design to gold production, case machining and hand decoration right up to the final quality control.
On the L.U.C Perpetual T Spirit of “La Santa Muerte”, the decorations take the form of rich ornaments in the shape of skulls, flowers, suns and guitars, all hand graved on the 18-carat rose-gold case, on the bezel, the crown and even on the gold clasp. The gold dial is particularly sophisticated, with an engine-turned surround that takes the outline of a skull, with the inner part as a Mexican “Calavera” decorated with suns and flowers – all engraved and varnished in black with mother-of-pearl teeth.
The L.U.C 02.15 is COSC-certified chronometer movement that is entirely decorated by hand and has Geneva stripe decoration visible through a transparent sapphire crystal case back. The watch also bears the prestigious Geneva Hallmark and its perpetual calendar tourbillon movement offers a formidable power reserve of 216 hours, or nine days (the display is on the rear side of the watch), thanks to the four barrels in Chopard’s Quattro system. It displays the perpetual calendar in two counters that serve as the skull’s eyes and has a big date with two windows and small seconds with the tourbillon at 6 o’clock.
The L.U.C Perpetual T Spirit of “La Santa Muerte” is 43mm in diameter and is water resistant to 30 metres. It is completed by a hand-stitched black alligator leather strap with an 18-carat rose gold clasp.
