Chopard L.U.C Strike One White Gold Watch Review
The Chopard L.U.C Strike One White Gold builds on the success of the Manufacture’s 2022 release. Limited to just 25 pieces, this latest version, endowed with a grey-green dial that’s enlivened with a hand-guilloché motif, is housed in a 40 mm case formed of ethical 18-carat white gold.
Chopard watch review
I’m 56 years of age, a fact that is evident every time I look in the mirror. Apart from having a receding hairline, crow lines and a middle-age paunch, I can tell my hearing is less than perfect.
Apparently, over time, the hairs in one’s inner ear, essential to hearing, become damaged or die. This is one reason why I find standing in a room and being subjected to multiple sound sources discombobulating. Moreover, I can’t hear as many frequencies as I once did and sometimes miss passages of conversation.
Likewise, I find that sound sometimes can be a source of annoyance. This is particularly evident in confined spaces such as restaurants, where some individuals don’t converse with others discretely but choose to opine their views at 100 decibels for everyone to hear.
Chiming watches
Despite having a strong aversion to noise, I adore chiming watches. Indeed, a minute repeater always manages to elicit a smile. The sequence of hours, quarters and minutes is an elegant means of imparting time and serves to showcase the remarkable skills of a time-served watchmaker.
Chopard, in common with some other practitioners of Haute Horlogerie, is well-versed in crafting timepieces equipped with this über-desirable complication. Back in 2016, the Maison released the L.U.C Full Strike, a watch equipped with a highly innovative gong and hammer arrangement. Unlike other minute repeaters which incorporate two circular gongs formed of steel, Chopard’s chiming masterpiece employs an unusual sapphire gong that is integrated into the dialside glazing. Having listened to this watch first-hand, I can attest its sound is sweet and crisp, even to my ageing ears.
Chopard L.U.C Strike One Rose Gold (2022)
In 2022, The prestigious Maison launched the inaugural Chopard L.U.C Strike One, housed in ethical 18-carat rose gold. This watch featured a sonnerie au passage, striking the hour once in passing. While this complication is technically simpler than a minute repeater, it still bestows an abundance of charm.
Chopard L.U.C Strike One White Gold (2023)
Last week, at Dubai Watch Week 2023, Chopard released a new variant of the L.U.C Strike One, this time housed in ethical 18-carat white gold and sporting a grey-green dial. Essentially, it shares much in common with its rose gold sibling of 2022; however, it looks more restrained courtesy of its muted colourway.
On seeing the new version of the L.U.C Strike One, I felt compelled to take a closer look at the watch through my bifocals in order to critique its specification at close quarters.
Chopard L.U.C Strike One White Gold dial
The dial is formed of ethical 18-carat gold which is subsequently suffused with grey-green hues, applied using a galvanic process. L.U.C devotees, of which I am one, will appreciate the use of rhodium-plated Dauphine fusée hour and minute hands. This style of hands has been fitted to numerous L.U.C models over the years and has imbued each past model with an enduring beauty.
Upholding its respect for artisanal traditions, the central area of the dial is enlivened with hand-guilloché and the Maison’s famous honeycomb motif. The beehive has featured in various company logos over the years, dating back to 1860, when the company was founded by Louis-Ulysse Chopard in Sonvilier.
The intricately patterned central area is framed by an hour track which in turn is adorned with a series of concentrically arranged crisp rings. Herringbone-type indexes denote the hours. The dial’s boundary is delineated with a silver-toned minute track. A snailed small seconds display is located at 6 o’clock and includes a baton-type hand to impart meaning.
In terms of the dial, the pièce de résistance is unquestionably the mirror-polished hammer positioned at 1 o’clock. It sits poised to strike the crystal gong every hour while continuously indulging the wearer’s eyes with glimpses of the circular-grained mainplate (perlage).
Chopard L.U.C Strike One White Gold case
Measuring 40 mm in diameter, the case of the L.U.C Strike One is modestly sized despite housing much complexity. Endued with neat lugs, the overall scale of the watch makes it suitable for a broad array of wrist sizes.
In common with most L.U.C models, the case is highly polished save for the caseband which is embellished with vertical satin-brush. This blend of finishes delivers a harmonious mien that conveys luxury while sidestepping ostentation.
Since the inaugural L.U.C model was released in 1997, the Maison has continued to embrace many of the same design codes such as the aforementioned vertical satin-brush adorning the caseband. This consistent use of finishes, shapes and textures avoids obsolescence and, I would suggest, is more compatible with the notion of luxury.
When Chopard released the L.U.C Strike One in rose gold, I was immediately attracted to the richness and warmth of its housing. However, having seen the model in white gold, I would now favour its chaste, pure complexion. Objectively, neither option surpasses the other, but they do have different characters. Personally speaking, I feel the white gold is more discreet and understated.
This understated persona also extends to the pushpiece for the chime. There is no protruding slide or pushpiece on the left flank of the case. Instead, Chopard has integrated a pusher into the crown. This allows the wearer to decide whether they want the watch to strike the gong or to stand down. A small aperture beneath 12 o’clock indicates whether the chime is armed or off-duty.
Image – note the black and white disc indicates whether the chime is armed or silent
A pane of sapphire crystal to the rear affords sight of the self-winding movement within (see later). The watch is presented on a sumptuous hand-sewn, grey alligator leather strap, lined in matching material. An ethical 18-carat white gold pin buckle affixes the watch to the wrist.
Micro-rotor
The L.U.C 96.32-L movement is beautiful to behold.
A micro-rotor harnesses energy from the motion of the wearer’s wrist to energise both mainsprings. This is technically more challenging to achieve than using a full-size rotor as it is more difficult to create sufficient inertia. Nevertheless, Chopard has surmounted such technical obstacles, creating a robust tried and trusted self-winding system.
Micro-rotors have been a Chopard speciality since the release of the firm’s inaugural Manufacture movement, the Calibre L.U.C 1.96. There remain only a few companies that offer timepieces equipped with this form of oscillating mass.
One benefit of a micro-rotor is that it sits flush with neighbouring bridges rather than above them. This invariably makes the movement slimmer. In this instance, the L.U.C 96.32-L movement has a thickness of just 5.60 mm. Moreover, by eschewing a full-size rotor, the wearer is able to enjoy superior views of the finely decorated movement parts.
The micro-rotor is engraved with a wave-style motif and is executed in ethical 22-carat gold.
Finishing (finissage)
The mainplate is adorned with perlage, a traditional decoration which is visible near the micro-rotor. Côtes de Genève adorns the upper bridge surfaces. In addition, the bridges feature gilt engraved text, gleaming hand-bevelled edges and polished screw and jewel sinks. The screws themselves have chamfered rims, polished slots and are mirror-polished. Other components feature a snailed or straight-grained finish.
A personal highlight is the regulating organ. Both the swan neck and sliding stud cap are mirror-polished, probably the most challenging finish to realise. Consistent with the requirements of the Poinçon de Genève (see later), there are no traces of machining to be found.
Regulating organ
The movement features a three-arm balance wheel. Its smooth outer edge ensures minimal air perturbation, augmenting precision.
Another refinement is the Philips terminal curve applied to the balance spring. The radius of the outer curve of the balance spring is reduced and shaped in such a way that it improves isochronism.
Chopard Twin Technology
The L.U.C 96.32-L is equipped with twin barrels, allowing the watch to run autonomously for 65 hours. In addition, by using two barrels, the power supplied to the escapement will be more linear, improving rate stability.
Independent scrutiny
The Chopard L.U.C Strike One White Gold is a chronometer, independently certified by COSC. In addition, the watch has been subjected to the unyielding scrutiny of Timelab, ‘a private foundation entrusted by the Republic and Canton of Geneva to operate the Poinçon de Genève’. This independent body ensures the watch upholds its standards in terms of ‘provenance’, ‘craftsmanship’ and ‘reliability’.
Both the movement and case of the L.U.C Strike One are ‘punched’ with the Poinçon de Genève.
Chopard L.U.C Strike One White Gold – closing thoughts
There is no question that this latest version of the Chopard L.U.C Strike One is aesthetically beautiful, mechanically virtuous and distilled to a pure conclusion.
Chopard’s patented monobloc sapphire crystal and gong represent a significant advancement over the historic steel gong arrangement. The resultant sound is crisp, defined, rich and clearly audible.
With the onset of years, sound can often be a source of annoyance. Sometimes voices seem muffled, while at other times they are intrusive. Chopard has repeatedly shown that it intelligently navigates between ebullience and restraint as well as modernity and tradition. In this instance, Chopard’s prowess for balance has extended to sound, deftly circumventing overbearing harshness and indistinct annoyance to deliver an engaging dulcet chime.
Quite simply, this is a watch I would dearly love to own.
Further reading
Technical specification
- Model: Chopard L.U.C Strike One
- Reference: 161949-1001
- Case: Ethical 18-carat white gold, diameter 40.0 mm, height 9.86 mm, sapphire crystal to front and exhibition case back
- Functions: hours, minutes, small seconds, chime/silence aperture at 12 o’clock, stop seconds function, chime in passing mechanism
- Movement: Calibre L.U.C 96.32-L, self-winding movement, frequency 28,800 vph (4 Hz); 33 jewels, power reserve 65 hours, certified chronometer (COSC), Poinçon de Genève
- Bracelet: Strap in hand-sewn grey alligator leather with grey alligator lining, pin buckle in polished and satin-brushed ethical 18-carat white gold
- Price on application
- Limited Edition: 25 pieces