L.U.C Grand Feu Enamel Dial

Recently, there were questions about grand feu enamel dials on L.U.C XP watches.

There are no L.U.C XP watches with fired enamel dial and Chopard confirmed that there is only one L.U.C watch with grand feu dial, to date:

The L.U.C 1963 Tourbillon.

L.U.C 1963 Tourbillon

L.U.C Grand Feu Enamel Dial

The L.U.C 1963 collection was issued to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Chopard being bought by the Scheufele family.

Within that collection is the only steel cased manual wind flyback chronograph in the L.U.C collection...to wit...the L.U.C 1963 Chronograph PuristS Edition - yay!

L.U.C 1963 Chronograph PuristS Edition

Since it was hidden within the excitement of our PuristS chronograph, we may not have noticed the L.U.C 1963 Tourbillon too much.

Let's redress the balance.....

L.U.C 1963 TOURBILLON

Discreet charm of an enamel dial

L.U.C 1963 Tourbillon

The grand watchmaking tradition was vividly embodied in the dial of the L.U.C 1963 Tourbillon with captivating luminous character; an intense whiteness and natural glow. It is crafted with traditional Grand Feu enamelling technique.

First, a metal disc is dusted with enamel powder and then fired at high temperature (900°C), hence the French term Grand Feu (great fire). This hand-made, artisan operation is repeated several times as repeated layers of black and white enamel are overlaid to produce the numerals and markers. Each firing implies the risk of damaging the dial. Cracked dials are discarded and the process restarted from scratch!

L.U.C 1963 Tourbillon

The dial is then hand-polished to erase the micro-bubbles formed on its surface.

Finally, a last firing of a transparent enamel coating called 'fondant' or glaze gives a unique brilliance.

Chopard revived the vintage charm of enamel dials and also cultivates an ancestral craft in their portfolio.

A new calibre tailored to the enamel dial

L.U.C Calibre 02.19-L1 is an evolved and 0.6 mm slimmer version of the 02.01-L movement. The movement has to be thinner to leave more room for the enamel dial that is naturally slightly thicker than the average.

This exceptional calibre powers a tourbillon at 6 o’clock as well as a nine-day power reserve.

The tourbillon bridge features only two attachment points compared with the usual four.

Delicately open worked and pared down to essentials, it is also meticulously chamfered and satin-brushed to the highest standards of movement finishing.

L.U.C 1963 Tourbillon

Nice, huh?

Regards,
MTF

You just look better every day, dear Melvyn. I need some of those pills ;) [nt]

By: crown comfort : October 27th, 2017-06:50

That's my alter ego -- Gunther

By: MTF : October 27th, 2017-07:26

When I am Gunther, the world is my Officer's case..... Then, I remember to take my "medication" and I revert to being MTF and seeing everything with blue-tinted glasses....... Before L.U.C 1963 Chronograph PuristS edition After L.U.C 1963 Chronograph Puri...

Excellent, I need to look out for my alter ego...Manfred. :))) [nt]

By: crown comfort : October 27th, 2017-07:32

I never noticed the tick marks on the hour counter subdial of your PuristS chrono

By: MichaelC : October 27th, 2017-07:22

Does that hand move continuously as the chronograph is used, or jump at each hour?

Not sure yet

By: MTF : October 27th, 2017-07:38

The minute counter for elapsed chronograph time only jumps exactly after each 60-seconds epoch. I have not looked in detail at the hour counter. Knowing Chopard, I suspect it is also an instantaneous jump for elapsed 30 minutes and hours but I would need ...

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