Automotive
In this insightful article, forum author 'quattro' introduces the Chopard L.U.C Quattro Spirit of ‘72, a unique piece honoring racing legend Jacky Ickx. This piece delves into the watch's intricate Grand Feu enamel dial, which meticulously recreates a historic moment from the 1972 Spa race. 'quattro' provides an in-depth look at the watch's design, its connection to motorsport history, and the artistic challenges of capturing speed in miniature enamel painting.
The L.U.C Quattro Spirit of '72 represents Chopard's tribute to motorsport heritage, specifically commemorating the iconic Ferrari 312PB that dominated endurance racing in 1972. This limited edition emerges from Chopard's L.U.C manufacture collection, which has established the brand's credentials in haute horlogerie since the late 1990s. The Spirit of '72 bridges Chopard's dual identity as both a jewelry house and serious manufacture, leveraging their partnership with classic motorsport events to create timepieces that resonate with collectors who appreciate automotive history.
The technical foundation rests on Chopard's L.U.C 96.17-L movement, a micro-rotor automatic caliber with four barrels providing extended power reserve. The dial features a hand-painted miniature depicting the racing scene, executed on enamel with remarkable detail that captures the motion and drama of period motorsport. The 42mm case proportions and integrated lugs reflect contemporary L.U.C design language while accommodating the complex dial artwork. Swiss artisans spend considerable time rendering each dial individually, making every piece unique in execution despite following the same artistic template.
Limited production numbers and the intersection of motorsport collecting with horological appreciation drive strong secondary market performance for L.U.C limited editions. The Spirit of '72 appeals specifically to Ferrari enthusiasts and collectors of automotive-themed timepieces, creating cross-market demand beyond traditional watch collecting circles. Chopard's positioning in this segment competes directly with similar offerings from brands like Richard Mille and Roger Dubuis, though the L.U.C's more classical approach to case design and movement finishing appeals to collectors seeking understated technical excellence over contemporary sports watch aesthetics.
Although I have to say it would work much better in my eyes, if the hour window was at 12 o’clock rather than 6, so as not to cut into the car on the dial 😊🤷🏻♂️
And KFS wanted it to be at 6 o'clock since the creation of the QS25 because when the minute hand reaches 12, you want to be able to see the hour disc jump!
It the position could be changed freely - it’s like a date disc. The only thing you would need to do is to print different hour discs so as to align them with the position on the dial. Which for a small series they might not be willing to do but at this price point really shouldn’t be an issue 🤷🏻♂️
could have done it differently. Which leads me to think that this design is deliberate: they are probably satisfied with it and, to a certain extent, I think I can understand why (as I explained in my other answer)…
I have not seen a date ruin a dial more than this. Sorry.
KF Scheufele wanted it to be placed at 6 o'clock since the creation of the model (Quattro Spirit 25) in order to be able to see the hour jumping without the minute hand being in front of it at 12 o'clock... So, I guess this particular image isn't well suited to such a complication... Best, Emmanuel
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