The Chopard L.U.C Strike One Review

What We Know

Over the past few years, Chopard has been able to effectively transform the makeup of its offering through the Alpine Eagle. The independent brand took an old-school relic and re-shaped it for the modern consumer. The AE has grown so much in such a short time that it is easy to miss the insane work Chopard does from a movement manufacturing perspective within the L.U.C line (some of which also bleeds right back into the Alpine Eagle, see here). As a fan of Alpine Eagle myself, I must tell you that it's the L.U.C stuff that has regularly knocked my socks off, from overall thin dress watch design to things like officer's casebacks and dial textures. These watches deserve to be up there with the best of them.

And this year, for Dubai Watch Week, Chopard has announced a new entry into the fold for the 25th anniversary of the L.U.C collection: the 18k white gold L.U.C Strike One. This 25-piece limited edition chimes with the passing of each hour on a Chopard-patented monobloc sapphire. The 40mm case utilizes Chopard's ethical 18k white gold material. It contains an integrated pusher with the crown and the watch is an amazingly 9.86mm in thickness.

Inside is the L.U.C 96.32-L, which beats at 4Hz and has 65 hours of power reserve. The Strike One is chronometer-certified and contains the Poinçon de Genève quality hallmark. But covering this movement on the front side is what looks to be a beautifully made grey-green dial (itself made from solid gold). It is hand-guillochéd with a honeycomb motif. The dial features a cut-out of the mirror-polished hammer at one o'clock. It's this very hammer that delivers the chime. You also get a railway-style minutes track, engraved on the sapphire crystal. Just below it is the monobloc sapphire gong.

The chiming mechanism rings out when the minute hand reaches 12 o'clock and therefore strikes 24 times a day. The movement itself contains twin barrels, which allow for the 65 hours of power reserve when the chiming mode is activated.

The Chopard Strike One will cost $66,600.

What We Think

What I appreciate most about Chopard and this watch in particular is the way in which the whole piece really seems to be fully thought out from aesthetics to mechanics. This movement was first developed in 2022 and the crown-integrated pusher and the ability for the wearer to arm or disarm the chime function via the crown is an innovation for sure.

But even if you might not be interested in this watch for its complication (which you should be given the price), the guilloché dial in a muted grey-green just looks so understated in the exact way a watch like this should. Speaking of price, I for sure thought it would cost a good degree more than $66,600. I'm not going to go throw the phrase "Value Proposition" in here, but it was a surprising revelation nonetheless.

I also know that the brand puts considerable effort into ensuring the acoustics in its chiming mechanism are top-notch. I just wish I was in Dubai with the team right now to hear it live. If we're able to get some video of this from the ground, we'll definitely be sharing.

With this release, all I can say is that I look forward to seeing how the L.U.C evolves in the next quarter century.

The Basics

Brand: Chopard
Model: L.U.C Strike One

Diameter: 40mm
Thickness: 9.86mm
Case Material: 18k Ethical White Gold
Dial Color: Grey-Green
Indexes: Applied
Strap/Bracelet: Strap

The Movement

Caliber: L.U.C 96.32-L
Functions:
Diameter: 33mm
Thickness: 5.6mm
Power Reserve: 65 hours
Winding: Automatic
Frequency: 4Hz
Jewels: 33
Chronometer Certified: Yes