Sapphire-crystal gongs and a “calavera” skull.
Chopard was announced the winner of the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG) in 2017, when the Aiguille d'Or prize was awarded to the L.U.C Full Strike model — the manufacture's first minute repeater.
The company's watchmakers decided not to repeat the success stories of other manufacturers, choosing instead to invent their own solution to create a pitch-perfect watch without relying on more conventional materials like gold or steel.
The manufacture decided to give the L.U.C Full Strike a new look ahead of this year's Day of the Dead holiday celebrated in Mexico, which Chopard marks by releasing special model. The company introduced the ‘Día de los Muertos’ watch featuring the symbolic calavera skull.
Chopard L.U.C Full Strike ‘Día de los Muertos’
Chopard L.U.C Full Strike ‘Día de los Muertos’, the dial
The striking mechanism praised by the jury at the GPHG has been worked into one of the eye sockets. The L.U.C 08.01-L1 minute repeater caliber bears the Poinçon de Genève quality hallmark and strikes the hours, quarters and minutes. At the same time, the gongs have been milled from the same sapphire block as the glass protecting the dial.
The second set of openworked details is the integrated inertia regulator for the striking mechanism, which can be found on the left curled end of the skull's mustache. The calavera skull's right eye socket is where the power reserve indicator is positioned. Caliber L.U.C 08.01-L1 is comprised of 533 components and has a 60-hour power reserve.
Chopard L.U.C 08.01-L1 Calibre
Chopard L.U.C 08.01-L, detail chime system
The strikework has been given its own dedicated barrel. It's constructed in such a way to ensure the strikework won't be activated if there's not enough energy to strike 32 keystrokes at 12.59 p.m. (twelve times for the hours, three double strikes for the quarters and fourteen times for the remaining minutes).
The theme of Día de los Muertos is further outlined by the engraving which decorates the case made of "ethical" 18-karat white gold. The skull's outline is traced with a guilloché pattern and most of the surface is painted with blue lacquer. One curious detail is the skull’s mouth of mother-of-pearl teeth set with seven diamonds.
Finally, the dial is encircled by a bezel set with baguette-cut sapphires — an element which demonstrates how the jewelers at Chopard have excelled at working with precious stones.