The Chopard L.U.C XPS 1860 Officer is a dress watch limited to 50 pieces that puts the historical relic of the officer-type case cover in the spotlight. Indeed, the watch has a hinged back that reveals the mechanics at the push of a button. True to the old school, the watchmakers not only decorate the mechanics, but also the case cover. Meanwhile, the green dial features the same honeycomb pattern that references the history of the Manufacture.
The case of the Chopard L.U.C XPS 1860 Officer comes in 18-carat ethically produced yellow gold and measures 40 mm in diameter with a height of 7.7 mm. It features vertically satin-brushed flanks and lugs, while the bezel and caseback are polished. Meanwhile, the front is protected by an anti-reflective sapphire crystal. The water resistance is 30 metres.
A pusher is integrated into the crown, which opens the cover of the sapphire crystal caseback. This function goes back to pocket watches, because it protected the glass of the timepieces. However, the officer’s case back was lost with the introduction of wristwatches. Chopard is now bringing this relic back and decorates the lid with a honeycomb motif on the outside. On the inside, a hand-engraved beehive awaits the wearer, along with the randomly placed bees that make each Chopard L.U.C XPS 1860 Officer unique.
The forest-green dial of the Chopard L.U.C XPS 1860 Officer consists of solid gold. In the centre is a guilloché honeycomb pattern that is typical of the manufacture. The gold indices lie on a sunburst hour circle. The time is indicated by gold-plated dauphine hands together with the small seconds at 6 o’clock. The latter is azurised and houses the date function.
Inside the watch, the L.U.C 96.01-L calibre is at work. And with an overall height of 3.3 mm, it is extremely slim. Nevertheless, it offers automatic winding via a 22-carat gold micro-rotor. Thanks to the two barrels, the power reserve is 65 hours. Meanwhile, the Swiss Chronometer Control Centre (COSC) vouches for its accuracy, guaranteeing a maximum deviation of -4/+6 seconds per day. The watch also bears the Geneva Seal. This strict certification controls the quality of all components of the timepiece and falls under a law of the Canton of Geneva.
The watch comes on a hand-stitched strap made of brown alligator leather. The matching buckle is of 18-carat yellow gold. The model is limited to 50 pieces. The price is 33,500 Swiss Francs.
