Chopard

Kong
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16/8995 - Mille Miglia Limited Edition Split Second

Responding to NavarroOne's three posts at :
chopard.watchprosite.com

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Hi NavarroOne

Your 16/8995 is a Mille Miglia Limited Edition Split Second, released in 2005. So during that year, you bought yourself a new model.

A split second  (as you mentioned, a rattrapante, or doppelchrono)  is a more complicated version of a chronograph and not many companies have these movements. I doubt  ETA has it too, I may be wrong.

The thing about buying a watch, you might want to do your due diligence - reading up, ask questions in forum, speak to the ADs and counter-check the facts with other watch enthusiasts and collectors to understand further.  That's me, however, your buying habit could be different.

Back to your first post, as mentioned a split second movement  is not easy to make and sometimes it does not make business sense to start R&D, prototyping and manufacturing for just 500 to 1000pcs .
It is not uncommon that many watch companies buy ebauches from other manufacturer, then do some modifications and finishing, and install into one of their series.

Chopard was originally a watchmaking company (since 1860). In the past 30 years, Chopard has also done exceedingly well in the jewellery field and is still one of the leaders in the field.
 
In 1994, they started developing their own movements from scratch, and in 1996, the first movement Cal. 1.96 was born.  A micro-rotor design with stacked double barrels (which was not done before) to have a power reserve of 65 hours and produced to COSC and Poincon de Geneve standards.  The L.U.C Collection 1860 Series was launched in 1997 and won the  Watch of The Year.  After which there are no turning back and in 10 years, L.U.C has 5 in-house Base Calibres and over 10 variants :

1996 Cal. 1.96
2000 Cal . 1.98
2001 Cal . 3.97
2003 Cal. 1.02
2006 Cal. 10 CF

This is a big achievement for a company in 10 years. 

Chopard is definitely a watch manufacturer! 

Combining their expertise in high jewellery, Chopard is a force to be reckoned with in haut de gamme!
 
It is pretty ‘dangerous’ to guess basing on the dial layout what is the movement.  In future, it is recommended that you ask for the details from the AD before purchase (since you are paying some monies for the watch).

The movement in the 8995 is the La Joux-Perret 8721. 
La Joux-Perret (formerly Jaquet) is a very strong and capable movement manufacturer like ETA.  They are targeting to supply complicated movements to the higher end segment.

The beautiful Daniel Roth- Ellipsocurvex Moon Phases and the Corum Classical Billionaire Tourbillion use movements from La Joux-Perret.

Enjoy your watch.  You will see more chronograph on the street, but not a split second.  I would say the 8995 is among the top range of the Millie Miglia collection. Look at the whole watch closely, feel the casing, you will realize it is extremely well-made and the attention to details is Chopard’s second nature (partly thanks to the discipline and processes they learned from high jewellery).

If you are still keen to look at something pure (in-house manufacture range), please take a look at the L.U.C collections.

Next month there is rare opportunity to meet an expert from Chopard Geneve. He will be giving an insight about Chopard L.U.C Manufacture  at Sincere Watch Academy. Please register if you are keen.

I hope it helps.

Kong

PS : Please start a new post, if you have a new question. Welcome back! Please post us some pictures...thanks.