“L.U.C – l’Art d’une Manufacture” presented for the first time in Asia


“L.U.C – l’Art d’une Manufacture” presented for the first time in Asia

Chopard was pleased to present for the first time in Asia the “L.U.C – l’Art d’une Manufacture” exhibition.  The exhibition took place in the prestigious Tian Qu Yuan garden in Beijing on November 15th and 16th.

Featuring exceptional models which have made their mark among the L.U.C collection through the years, the exhibition is a tribute to the Geneva-based Fine Watchmaking Maison’s expertise in creating distinctive unique timepieces mingling art and time. “L.U.C – l’Art d’une Manufacture” is a journey through the origins of Chopard Fine Watchmaking creations, capturing the charismatic personality and modern spirit of gentlemen who enjoy living with distinction.

 “L.U.C – l’Art d’une Manufacture” exhibition

Installed in the Imperial Centre for Arts and Culture, a famous reception house built in a royal garden from the Ming and Qing dynasty, this pop-up exhibition was held on November 15th and 16th and retraced for the first time in Asia the history of the L.U.C Collection of Chopard to date.

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Above and beyond this history, the exhibition was an opportunity to understand the ultimate craftsmanship daily perpetrated by Chopard through traditional techniques, alongside a contemporized approach to design and watchmaking.

In the mid-1990s, Chopard co-president Karl-Friedrich Scheufele was inspired by a powerful idea that would come to fruition in 1996: reviving the watchmaking heritage of the company’s founding father, Louis-Ulysse Chopard, and recapturing Chopard’s horological legitimacy. He thus undertook the creation of Chopard Manufacture, a full-fledged watch Manufacture in Fleurier. Fulfilling this lofty ambition involved overcoming numerous hurdles. To be recognized as a Manufacture, a watch company must produce at least one “in-house” mechanical movement. That was precisely the stumbling block for Chopard which, despite decades of experience, did not have a proprietary movement at the time. Chopard thus decided to take action from 1993 onwards, under the impetus of Karl-Friedrich Scheufele.

Chopard’s in-house approach to watch manufacturing

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Chopard is a family business with a strongly ingrained philosophy of independence. The steps involved in making L.U.C watches are all performed in-house at the group’s Geneva and Fleurier manufactures. Movement development, finished product design, gold foundry work, case stamping and machining, movement components, traditional hand engravings and decorations, surface treatments, polishing, assembly, adjustments and quality controls: such is the comprehensive range of watch production operations fully mastered by Chopard and applied to the making of each watch in the L.U.C collection.

L.U.C watches – timepieces of distinction: new models launch

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This prestigious event was the occasion for Chopard to release for the first time in China its exclusive L.U.C Time Traveler One Special Beijing Edition watch with limited 8 pieces.

First worldtime watch in the L.U.C collection, the L.U.C Time Traveler One is the ideal tool for the gentleman traveller. By simultaneously tracking the time in every zone across the planet, it enables the wearer to keep an eye on what’s happening in all four corners of the earth.

Chopard also displayed its latest minute repeater the L.U.C Full Strike, which has just won the “Aiguille d’Or” Grand Prix at the the 2017 edition of the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève. As the crowning point of the celebrations marking the 20th anniversary of Chopard Manufacture in 2016, Chopard launched its first-ever minute repeater: the L.U.C. Full Strike, featuring a number of world première features. Striking the hours, quarters and minutes on sapphire gongs, this standout model is in a league of its own thanks to its original construction, the excellence of its Poinçon de Genève finishing, and above all its extraordinary sound.

023 - Actor Luo Jin

Pursuing its longstanding involvement in celebrating life’s finest milestones as well as honoring traditional Chinese arts, Chopard took for this special exhibition watchmaking art to a new level with an extraordinary new one-off creation: L.U.C Perpetual T – Spirit of the Chinese zodiac. Chopard artisans created an entirely hand-engraved rose gold case with the twelve signs of the Chinese zodiac. This comprehensive work of artistic craftsmanship, paying tribute to a millenary-old culture, is intended for the most discerning collector.

Chopard & Métiers d’art – “Urushi A time-honoured pictorial art”

The “L.U.C – l’Art d’une Manufacture” exhibition displayed both the excellence of fine workmanship and sophisticated mechanics. This is the reason why Chopard chose to dedicate a special part to the ultimate art of Urushi – a time-honoured pictorial art. Each year Chopard is dedicating a new exclusive series of its L.U.C XP to the Chinese zodiac. The Chinese new year provides the theme for an exceptional Urushi lacquered dial. Hand-crafted in Japan in small series under the supervision of master lacquer artist, Kiichiro Masumura, it depicts popular scenes drawn from Chinese iconography believed to bring good luck. The watches features the traditional Urushi and Maki-e techniques, magnificently highlighted by the pure, understated design of the ultra-thin L.U.C XP model, equipped with the mechanical self-winding L.U.C Calibre 96.17-L.

L.U.C watches – timepieces for contemporary gentlemen

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Karl-Friedrich Scheufele welcomed to this event some of the most accomplished and stylish gentleman of Asia.  Chopard welcomed the Hong Kong superstar, martial artist and film director: Donnie Yen.

Yen is considered to be one of Hong Kong’s top action stars and most successful of the last decade. He shared the stage with one of the most well-known and popular actresses in China, Liu Tao. Chopard is also proud to have welcomed renowned Chinese actors Luo Jin. Guest enjoyed the presence of Dong Zijian being one of the most popular young actors in China. Karry Wang, the leader of the pop group TFboys, acknowledged for his great success and incomparable style discovered as well the L.U.C collection during this unique event.

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