Chopard L.U.C 1860 Flying Tourbillon

Quick specs Chopard L.U.C 1860 Flying Tourbillon
Price: approx. $ 157,000 | € 144.000 | approx. £ 122,000 | CHF 127’500
Size: 36.5 mm
Reference: 161990-0001 – limited to 10 pieces

A 10 pieces only dress watch with a lot of ethical gold: this is the Chopard L.U.C 1860 Flying Tourbillon. L.U.C meaning Louis-Ulysse Chopard, the founder of the brand, and 1860 is the year of founding. If you are interested, here you can read more about the history of Chopard.

Since 2018 the Swiss brand only uses 100% ethical gold that meets the most stringent international environmental and social standards. It is responsibly produced artisanal gold from small-scale mining or recycled gold. Well, it’s very encouraging a brand like Chopard does this.

Classic case for the Flying Tourbillon

The case of this 1860 Flying Tourbillon is very classic, even with a back cover. The size is also classic, with 36.5 millimeters and a thickness of 7.7 millimeters (although some report 8.2). Under the glare proofed sapphire crystal is a solid yellow gold dial with hand-guilloché basket-weave pattern.

The indexes and hands are rhodium-plated for contrast. There is a subtle minute track on the edge of the dial, so all the attention can go to the tourbillon at the 6 o’clock position.

The Chopard L.U.C 1860 Flying Tourbillon has a power reserve of 65 hours

Inside is the in-house automatic Chopard caliber L.U.C. 96.24-L with a micro-rotor and a power reserve of 65 hours. It is COSC certified and it has the Poinçon de Genève quality hallmark, a unique combination for a tourbillon movement.

It’s all admirable if you open the gold so called hunter case back, which is hand-engraved on the inside with a beehive motif. A nod to the pocket watch decorations Chopard’s founder Louis-Ulysse Chopard used to apply in the late 1800s.

The Chopard L.U.C 1860 Flying Tourbillon comes on a green-black hand-stitched alligator leather strap with green alligator lining. The pin buckle is 18-carat yellow gold. It’s obvious that a lot of hand-work, gold and sophisticated techniques with a tourbillon comes with a price. And with only 10 pieces it will surely become a collectors item.