MTF
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Baselworld 2016: CHOPARD L.U.C XP 35 mm Esprit de Fleurier Peony
Métier d’art for a feminine haute horlogerie watch
2014 - 2016: Three consecutive years of 35 mm elegance
2014 L.U.C XPS 35 mm watches
In 2014, the first ultra-thin L.U.C XPS watch was created in a 35 mm diameter, so as to offer women a version exclusively made for them; of a watch that they previously tended to borrow from men.
The new L.U.C XP Esprit de Fleurier Peony model with its light, subtle and timeless lines is powered by the same high-precision movement produced by Chopard Manufacture.
In 2015, the design codes of this supremely elegant watch took a new turn with the L.U.C XPS 35 mm Esprit de Fleurier.
That model is now reborn in an eight-piece limited edition featuring a peony motif and fitted with a brushed pink canvas strap. It highlights an increasingly rare ancestral technique: Fleurisanne engraving.
MTF: Chopard proceeds with masterly care. The first two versions of the ladies' L.U.C 35mm extra flat watch were XPS models with seconds hands and thus presented as chronometers with COSC certification and a mechanical pedigree, second to none.
The 2014 editions were sombre with simple feminine touches like mother-of-pearl dials and optional gem-setting.
The 2015 edition took it a notch up with mandatory blue mother-of-pearl dial, gem-setting and that gorgeous Fleurisanne engraving.
Having established its chronometric pedigree, Chopard's 2016 edition surrenders to the decorative arts, removing the seconds hand to create an XP model that emphasises the engraved mother-of-pearl, gold-inset, and gem-set dial; finished off with Fleurisanne engraving on the movement.....FAB-U-Lous!
Its understated elegance and its technical sophistication have made the L.U.C XP a flagship model among the Chopard Haute Horlogerie collection of L.U.C watches. In 2014, Chopard created a 35mm diameter L.U.C XPS version, its smaller size intended for women. The beating heart is the L.U.C 96.23-L calibre.
L.U.C XP 35 mm Esprit de Fleurier Peony is produced by Chopard Manufacture and graced with Fleurisanne engraving, an almost extinct handcraft. It is where Beauty meets Precision, a gorgeous peony blossoms in a 8-piece limited edition watch.
A flower from the East
A central figure in Greek and oriental mythology, the peony suffuses countless legends with its delicate fragrance. The peony originated in central Asia and was initially cultivated as a medicinal plant. Used as a remedy for various conditions, it came to embody good health, before being associated with an increasing number of virtues. This flower acquired symbolic status as a harbinger of good luck, abundance and happy marriages, and has represented wealth and honour in Asia ever since. Under the Tang dynasty, peonies were grown on a massive scale and the destiny of this flower was even linked to that of the country, with the blossoming of the peony reflecting the prosperity of China itself. In addition to its exquisite loveliness, it was of course also appreciated for its aesthetic qualities, its opulence and its incredible scent. It adorned imperial palaces and inspired artists who interpreted it in all its forms, raising it to the rank of a symbol of springtime and a metaphor of feminine beauty in Chinese tradition and imagery. Its extraordinary allure has won over every culture and now finds unexpected expression in the Swiss village of Fleurier…
Fleurier, tradition reinvented
It was in Fleurier, a village of the Jura region of Switzerland, that Karl-Friedrich Scheufele founded a Manufacture dedicated to producing high-precision movements in 1996: the L.U.C Haute Horlogerie collection, thus named in tribute to Louis-Ulysse Chopard. In 20 years, Chopard Manufacture has succeeded in taking its place among the select circle of authentic watch manufactures and is unanimously acknowledged as such, both within the profession and among the public at large. All stages in the development and production of L.U.C watches are conducted in-house, in Fleurier. This vertical integration testifies to deep-seated independence, a value firmly ingrained in the Chopard corporate culture.
Fleurier is a historical cradle of watchmaking that has given rise to a number of skills that are now becoming increasingly rare. Chopard wished to perpetuate these traditions that represent a cultural and aesthetic heritage. Fleurisanne engraving is one of these decorative artistic techniques that are an integral part of the horological heritage: in the 19th century, it contributed to the magnificent reputation of the region’s watchmakers, whose timepieces adorned using this craft were in demand as far away as China.
Chopard restores the noble pedigree of this form of artistry through the L.U.C XP 35 mm Esprit de Fleurier Peony. Its rose gold movement is adorned with the peony motif according to the Fleurisanne engraving technique. This highly distinctive expertise is notably distinguished by its raised motifs.
Fleurisanne Engraving
Fleurisanne is a technique based on progressive material removal. The engraver ‘spares’ the motif that she intends to make stand out; the surface thus preserved is then engraved with scrolling patterns or flowers, and then polished to achieve a shiny effect.
Each design part is stippled to highlight the splendid peony motif on the movement. The base surrounding the motif is stippled, dot by dot, to create a grainy effect. To perform this slow and lengthy process requiring extreme dexterity, Chopard has trained expert hands in-house to perpetuate this traditional skill.
After engraving, the movement is rhodium-coated to achieve an unusual two-tone appearance.
Technical feat
This movement is endowed with the patented Twin® technology, involving two stacked coaxial barrels ensuring a 65-hour power reserve.
Accommodating such a self-winding movement within a 7.5 mm ultra-thin case is a daunting technical challenge. The clever micro-rotor construction has enabled the master-watchmakers of Chopard Manufacture to accomplish this feat and successfully magnify the beauty of L.U.C Calibre 96.23-L.
Technical details
Case:
• 18-carat rose gold
• Total diameter 35 mm
• Thickness 7.50 mm
• Water-resistance 30 metres
• 18-carat rose gold crown with L.U.C logo 5.00 mm
• Diamond-set flanks, lugs and case middle part
• Glareproofed sapphire crystal
• Exhibition back
Movement:
• Self-winding movement L.U.C 96.23-L
• Total diameter 27.40 mm
• Thickness 3.30 mm
• Number of jewels 29
• Frequency 28,800 vph
• Power reserve 65 hours
• Two-tone movement with rose gold bridges rhodium-coated after engraving
• Two barrels - Twin® technology
• Hand-crafted Fleurisanne engravings – peony motif
Dial and hands:
• Gold dial coated with Tahitian mother-of-pearl – diamond-set peony motif
• Gilt Dauphine-type hours and minutes hands
Functions and displays:
• Central display of the hours and minutes
Strap and buckle:
• Brushed pink canvas strap
• Diamond-set 18-carat rose gold pin buckle
Ref. 131944-5001 – in 18-carat rose gold
8-piece limited series – exclusive boutique edition
Enjoy!
In reality, only 8 discerning ladies in the whole World can hope to adorn themselves with this tour de force of the horological arts.
The Resplendent-8 ....
Regards,
MTF
Baselworld 2016: CHOPARD L.U.C XP 35 mm Esprit de Fleurier Peony
