Chopard L.U.C Full Strike Minute Repeater

amanico · 2023-02-15T10:26:03Z

Explore the Chopard L.U.C Full Strike minute repeater, celebrated for its innovative sapphire gongs and exceptional acoustic quality. A must-read for collectors.

amanico

WPS member · Chopard forum

22 replies4843 views12 photos

Amanico's deep dive into the Chopard L.U.C Full Strike minute repeater offers a compelling look at its innovative acoustic engineering. His firsthand experience with the timepiece, initially inspired by fellow collector Don Justino, highlights why this reference stands out in the highly competitive world of chiming watches. This article explores the unique design choices that contribute to its acclaimed sound quality and overall horological significance.

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Don Justino caught our attention on his Chopard Full Strike, and rightly so!

So I decided to dig into these watches a bit. First, Don Justino came with his watch and let me play with it, to judge the acoustical qualities of this masterpiece.

It was a first for me, and a convincing one, I must say. The sound is rich, loud enough, very pleasant.

The concept is original: Chopard uses the sapphire glass as a loudspeaker to get a better propagation of the sound.

There was another brand who used that solution, in 2005: Jaeger Lecoultre, with the Master Minute Repeater: They welded the metal gongs to the sapphire glass through a heel at 5 o' clock.

Chopard opted for sapphire gongs, which are part of the sapphire glass. So, no heel needed, here.

And instead of a trigger to activate the minute repeater, you have a more elegant pusher located in the crown.

Another great detail is that you have almost no gap between the Hours, the Quarters and the Minutes when they chime.

Add a superb manual winding movement, the Geneva Seal for the calibre AND the case, and you have a true acoustical, mechanical and esthetic masterpiece.

I posted some photos of the movement, it is worth a look! The power reserve is 60 hours, which is another good point, and last but not least, it is also a... Chronometer!

Here are some official photos I found on the net.

The Platinum, limited to 20 pieces,

The Steel, limited to 10 pieces,

The Rose Gold, limited to 20 pieces,

And if you want to go deeper in the " sapphire experience ", you also have the Full Strike Full Sapphire, with its sapphire case, made in a limited edition of 5 pieces.

You are picky and you want more than " only " a minute repeater? Go for the Full Strike Tourbillon and its sublime sapphire bridge.

The case proportions are very good for me with a diameter of 42, 5 mm and a height of 11, 55 mm.

What's not to love!

Best,

Nicolas

Key Points from the Discussion

The Chopard L.U.C Full Strike is widely considered by many collectors who own multiple minute repeaters to have the best sound quality among its peers.
The design of the Chopard L.U.C Full Strike, particularly its aesthetic, draws comparisons to other high-end independent watchmaking pieces, such as certain Roger Dubuis models.
A key design feature of the Full Strike is the minimal gap between the hour, quarter, and minute strikes, which some collectors question might make it harder to accurately count the chimes.
The Chopard L.U.C Full Strike is available in several limited editions, including Platinum (20 pieces), Steel (10 pieces), Rose Gold (20 pieces), and a Full Sapphire case (5 pieces), alongside a Tourbillon variant.

The Discussion

Moka-Tiger (Ron)

Feb 15, 2023

I would be happy to own any of them. It would be a hard to choice to make a decision, but then, unfortunately, I won't be lucky enough to be in that situation. Thanks for sharing these beautiful watches by a an excellent and admirable company.

LarsG

Feb 15, 2023

I would love to see and hear it some day. As a former pro drummer I should have a music-watch at some point. Maybe when my ship comes in one day. Thanks for posting Nico. The design actually reminded me a bit of this Roger Dubuis (without the music) 🎼

montres1

Feb 15, 2023

Does that not make it hard to know the time ? This gap is important to count the strikes and know the time properly on a Minute Repeater.

DarrenKats

Feb 15, 2023

I am wearing the baby baby brother right now.

patrick_y

Feb 15, 2023

And according to many who own multiple minute repeaters and are able to hear them back to back, this is THE BEST sounding minute repeater. I personally want to hear this watch with some Audemars Piguet, Vacheron Constantin, and Patek Philippe minute repeaters back to back. I don't doubt this one is the best overall though as the statement comes from a very sophisticated individual!

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